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Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Sep 18, 2014

Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act - Revises the authority the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to transfer excess DOD property, including small arms and ammunition, to federal and state agencies for law enforcement activities to:

repeal provisions authorizing the transfer of property the Secretary determines is suitable for use in counter-drug and counter-terrorism activities;

repeal provisions directing the Secretary to carry out such transfers in consultation with the Director of National Drug Control Policy;

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condition such a transfer on the recipient certifying that it has the personnel and technical capacity to operate the property and will return property determined to be surplus to its needs;

prohibit the transfer of specified weapons, materials, and equipment, including explosive ordnance, drones, and assault vehicles; and

condition continuation of such program on the Secretary certifying that, for the prior fiscal year, recipients demonstrated 100% accountability for transferred property and complied with program requirements or were suspended or terminated from the program.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) report to Congress and obtain prior approval by law before transferring any DOD property not previously made available for transfer; and (2) submit an annual written certification that a recipient has accounted for, and met transfer conditions for, any such transferred property.

Requires the Defense Logistics Agency to maintain an Internet website on such transfers, unaccounted-for property, and suspended or terminated recipients.

Prohibits the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from permitting awards under a preparedness grant program to be used to buy, maintain, alter, deploy, or provide training in the use of specified tactical, surveillance, or explosives equipment, vehicles, or canines.

Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to prohibit the use of Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funds for the purchase, maintenance, alteration, or operation of lethal weapons or less-lethal weapons.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
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Who introduced it

Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK] · R–OK

Committees

  • Armed Services Committee
1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

  2. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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