c. Public safety-letters re: collective bargaining

2 1 alld shared accountability. In many public safety 2 agencies it is the Hllion that provides the institu- 3 tional stability as elected leaders and appointees 4 come and go. 5 (2) State and local public safety officers play an 6 essential role in the efforts of the United States to 7 detect, prevent, and respond to terrorist attacks, and 8 to respond to natural disasters, hazardous materials, 9 and other mass casualty incidents. As the first to ar- 10 rive on scene, State and local public safety officers 11 must be prepared to protect life and property and to 12 preserve scarce and vital Federal resources, avoid 13 substantial and debilitating interference with inter- 14 state and foreign commerce, and to protect the na- 15 tional security of the United States. Public safety 16 employer-employee cooperation is essential in meet- 17 ing these needs and is, therefore, in the National in- 18 terest. 19 (3) The health and safety of the Nation and the 20 best interests of public safety employers and employ- 21 ees can be best protected by the settlement of issues 22 through the processes of collective bargaining. 23 (4) The Federal Government needs to encour- 24 age conciliation, mediation, and voluntary arbitra- 25 tion to aid and encourage employers and the rep- .HR 980 III