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Washington, D.C.—The president of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) applauded the introduction in the U.S. Senate of legislation that would extend law enforcement officer status to thousands of federal employees whose principal duties involve law enforcement, including more than 13,000 Customs Service and Internal Revenue Service employees represented by NTEU.

President Colleen M. Kelley said that the “common sense” legislation introduced by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) would end years of “terrible inequity” that have kept Customs Service inspectors and canine enforcement officers (CEOs) and Internal Revenue Service revenue officers from having the same rights and benefits other federal law enforcement officers receive, including the right to retire after 20 years of service.

NTEU has long supported such legislation in light of the dangers faced by Customs employees in the front-line battles against terrorism and drugs and by IRS employees who routinely face dangerous situations.

“Every day, the men and women who hold these jobs face enormous physical challenges and constant emotional stress, particularly in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist strikes on the United States,” Kelley said. “Enforcing the laws they have sworn to uphold regularly exposes them to the threat of injury or even death.”

Among those represented by NTEU who would be affected by this bill, Kelley said, are some 5,400 IRS revenue officers, more than 7,300 Customs inspectors and some 620 CEOs.

The union leader called passage of the Mikulski bill “wise public policy,” made even more important by the competitive job market in which public service is increasingly losing the battle with the private sector for the most qualified employees and the need of federal agencies, especially border agencies, to strengthen their workforce to match the demands for increased vigilance.

The legislation (S. 1935) is crucial not just to the safety of these officers, “but for the sake of the public they serve,” Kelley said.

NTEU is the nation’s largest independent union of federal employees and represents some 150,000 workers in 25 federal departments and agencies.