Murkowski Introduces Legislation to Benefit National Law Enforcement Museum

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Citing the challenge of raising funds during a global economic downturn, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has introduced legislation extending to 2013 a requirement that construction of the National Law Enforcement Museum begin next year.

 

Passed by Congress in 2000, the National Law Enforcement Museum Act granted land for construction of a new National Law Enforcement Museum in downtown Washington. The original legislation requires the museum to be financed with private contributions and that construction begin before November 9, 2010.

 

While fundraising has been active, efforts have been hampered by the economic downturn. Should the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund fail to meet the current legislative deadline, it will lose the ability to begin construction. Murkowski’s legislation would provide additional time to collect funds without losing the land set aside for the museum.

 

“Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities,” Murkowski said. “Giving the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund a bit more time to arrange financing, if it needs it, is a small price to pay for the sacrifices our law enforcement officers and their families make every day.”

 

The museum is to be built on land across from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in downtown Washington.