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313
NEW NAMES ADDED TO THE NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEMORIAL
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More
than 18,000 surviving family members, law enforcement officers and police
supporters attended the 13th Annual Candlelight Vigil at the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial on May 13, 2001.
The names of 313 officers who died in the line of duty were
officially added to the Memorial at the ceremony, which marked the
beginning of the 2001 National Police Week.
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U.S.
Attorney General John D. Ashcroft delivered the keynote address at the
ceremony. He stated, "We
owe a debt of gratitude to all police officers, hundreds of thousands of
men and women who put on the badge and uniform each day to protect the
lives, the citizenship, the freedom, property and the families of their
fellow Americans. The freedom these men and women seek to protect is not
free. The protection of our
freedom has come at a very, very substantial price."
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Among
the 313 fallen officers whose names were added to the Memorial were 150
who died in 2000, as well as 163 recently discovered deaths from previous
years. The number of officers
killed in 2000 marked a 10 percent increase from the 137 officers who died
in 1999. The new additions
bring the total number of names on the monument to 15,448.
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NAPO
PUSHES LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
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Rank-and-file
law enforcement association representatives – NAPO members and
non-members alike – gathered in Washington, DC, May 10-12 for the Annual
Legal Rights & Legislative Seminar to discuss legislation pending in
the 107th Congress and to hear from police labor attorneys on
the latest court cases and issues affecting police officers’ rights.
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NAPO
also announced the recipients of its 2001 Congressional Awards.
Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO) and Representative Joel
Hefley (R-CO) were chosen for introducing and working to pass legislation
to establish a National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC.
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Senator
Joseph Biden (D-RI) and Representatives Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Bart Stupak
(D-MI) and Jim Ramstad (R-MN) addressed the group on topics including the
COPS Office, the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Act, and Police Bill
of Rights. NAPO has continued
to work with Congress on these issues over the last month, and we are
pleased to update you on our progress.
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PENSION
REFORM PASSES
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The
Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (H.R. 1836)
passed both houses of Congress on May 26, 2001 and was signed into law on
June 7, 2001. This
legislation contained a package of pension reforms that included several
provisions important to law enforcement officers.
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NAPO
worked with Congressmen Rob Portman (R-OH) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), sponsors
of H.R. 10, the ‘Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension Reform
Act’ and Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Max Baucus (D-MT),
sponsors of S. 742, the ‘Retirement Security Savings Act,’ to secure
the passage of these provisions.
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These
two bills were introduced to enhance the portability and preservation of
retirement benefits for law enforcement officers and for all public sector
workers and will allow for stronger funding of pension plans.
They will also provide greater clarity, flexibility and equity to
the tax treatment of benefits and contributions under governmental
deferred compensation plans and will promote long-term savings and
strengthen the employer-sponsored retirement systems for law enforcement
and other public sector employees throughout the country.
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For
details on pension and benefit provisions included in the tax bill, please
refer to your June 7, 2001 NAPO Bulletin on this topic.
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COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING BILL INTRODUCED
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On
April 4, 2001, Representatives Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) and Robert W. Ney
(R-OH) introduced H.R. 1475, the ‘Public Safety Employer-Employee
Cooperation Act of 2001.’ On
May 24, 2001, Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Ted Kennedy (D-MA) introduced
its companion bill in the Senate, S. 952, which has been referred to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions for review.
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This
legislation establishes minimum standards for state collective bargaining
laws. States that do not
currently allow law enforcement and public safety personnel to bargain
with their employers and sign legally binding contracts would be required
to enact state laws or come under the jurisdiction of the Federal Labor
Relations Authority.
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PUBLIC
SAFETY OFFICERS’ BENEFIT INCREASE INTRODUCED
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As
we reported at the Legal Rights and Legislative Seminar, on May 7, 2001,
Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) introduced H.R. 1744, a bill to
increase the amount paid to families of public safety officers killed in
the line of duty. On May 16,
Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced companion
legislation in the Senate, S. 899, the ‘Frances Collender and Michael J.
Dunman Public Safety Officers' Benefits Improvement Act of 2001.’
Both bills increase this benefit from $100,000 (plus cost of living
adjustments) to $250,000.
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Currently,
the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits program provides a one-time
financial payment of $151,635 to the public safety officers’ family for
Fiscal Year 2001. Each year
on October 1, the federal death benefit is subject to a cost of living
adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index.
NAPO feels the principal amount needs to be adjusted in order for
the benefit to make a substantial financial difference to those families
who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
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NAPO
WINS TAX-FREE STATUS FOR SURVIVORS BENEFIT
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The
‘Fallen Hero Survivor Benefit Fairness Act of 2001’ (H.R. 1727) passed
both houses of Congress on May 22, 2001 and was signed into law on June 5,
2001. This piece of
legislation was introduced by Representative Jim Ramstad (R-MN) in the
House and by Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) in the
Senate.
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This
law amends the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 by making survivor benefits of
families of public safety officers killed in the line of duty tax-free,
regardless of when the officer was killed.
We would like to thank our members in Montana for helping pass this
bill by calling and writing their Congressmen.
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COPS
REAUTHORIZATION BILLS INTRODUCED
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On
May 22, 2001, Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) introduced S. 924, the
‘PROTECTION Act of 2001’ to reauthorize the U.S. Department of
Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).
Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY) introduced identical companion
legislation in the House, H.R. 2009, on May 24.
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The
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 authorized six years
of funding for state and local jurisdictions to hire 100,000 new community
police officers and to promote community policing.
The COPS Office was established to administer this program, and it
has funded over 110,000 community police officers in over 11,300
communities to date.
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Senator
Biden and Representative Weiner’s legislation authorizes the
appropriation of $1.15 billion each year for the next six years to
continue the COPS program. It
provides funding for state and local law enforcement to hire 50,000
additional police officers, to retain officers already hired under the
program, to purchase crime-fighting technologies, and to award
scholarships to active police officers.
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There
are currently 51 cosponsors of this legislation in the Senate and 154
cosponsors in the House. If members of your delegation have not already
signed on to the ‘PROTECTION Act of 2001,’ please encourage them to
contact Senator Biden or Representative Weiner to register their support.
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COPS
FY 2002 APPROPRIATION IN JEOPARDY
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In
his FY 2002 budget proposal, President Bush has zeroed out funding for the
popular COPS Universal Hiring Program (UHP), a grant program that funds
75% – up to $75,000 – of the entry level salary and benefits of a new
or rehired law enforcement officer over a three-year period.
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Last
year Congress appropriated $1.05 billion for the COPS program, including $
147 million for UHP and $180 million for the COPS in Schools Program to
hire additional school resource officers.
This year’s budget resolution cuts COPS funding to $855 million,
with only $180 million designated to fund school resource officers.
NAPO believes that the UHP funding should be restored to give state
and local police departments the flexibility to choose how to spend their
hiring grant funds – on community police officers to work in our
neighborhoods or in our schools.
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The
House Appropriations Committee plans to begin work on the
Commerce-State-Justice appropriations bill (which funds the Department of
Justice and the COPS program) by the last week of June, so that it is
ready for consideration by the full House before the August recess.
Please contact your delegation and urge them to impress upon the
appropriators the importance of Universal Hiring Program funding to your
departments.
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RIGHT
TO CARRY BILL ON HOLD
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In
the 107th Congress, Congressman Randy Cunningham (R-CA) has
reintroduced H.R. 218, the ‘Community Protection Act of 2001.'
H.R. 218 amends title 18, USC to exempt qualified current
and former law enforcement
officers from state laws prohibiting the carrying of concealed handguns.
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This
legislation was introduced on January 3, 2001 and has been referred to the
Subcommittee on Crime of the House Judiciary Committee.
The Subcommittee scheduled a hearing on this bill for May 11, 2001.
The hearing was canceled, however, when Representative James
Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, put a hold
on the bill.
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McCAIN
& LIEBERMAN: CLOSING THE GUN SHOW LOOPHOLE
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On
May 15, 2001, Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Charles
Schumer (D-NY), Mike DeWine (R-OH), and Thomas Carper (D-DE) introduced S.
890, the ‘Gun Show Loophole Closing and Law Enforcement Act of 2001.’
NAPO has given its complete support to this important piece of
legislation seeking to require background checks at gun shows and to crack
down on gun crimes.
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The
gun show loophole refers to the ability of unlicensed sellers at gun shows
to sell firearms without conducting the background checks that licensed
gun dealers are required to make under the Brady Law.
Thirty-two states have failed to close this gun show loophole,
allowing violent criminals and other prohibited individuals to obtain
weapons that jeopardize the safety of the public and of law enforcement.
The passage of S. 890 will resolve this defect in the law.
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On
June 6, 2001, Executive Director Bob Scully represented NAPO at a
reception in Washington, DC, honoring Senator John McCain for introducing
this important legislation. Americans
For Gun Safety (AGS) sponsored this event which drew national press and
political leaders, including Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY),
Congressman Dennis Moore (D-KS), former Secretary of Agriculture Dan
Glickman, former political advisor to President Clinton, Bruce Reid, and
former White House spokesperson Joe Lockhart.
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We
need the assistance of your organization and your members in obtaining
additional cosponsors for S. 890. If
your Senators are cosponsors, write and/or call them and thank them for
their support. If your
Senators are not cosponsors, write and/or call them, explain the
importance of S. 890 and urge them to show their support for law
enforcement and to sign on as a cosponsor.
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JAMES
GUELFF AND CHRIS McCURLEY BODY ARMOR ACT OF 2001
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On
January 24, 2001, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced S. 166, the
‘James Guelff and Chris McCurley Body Armor Act of 2001.’
The Senate passed this bill on May 14, 2001.
Companion legislation, H.R. 1007, was introduced in the House by
Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) on March 13, 2001.
At this time, the bill has been referred to the House Government
Reform Subcommittee on Technology and Procurement Policy.
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Very
similar to last year's bill, this legislation would amend the federal
criminal code to prohibit the purchase, ownership, or possession of body
armor by violent felons. In
addition, it would facilitate the donation of federal surplus body armor
to state and local law enforcement agencies.
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PUBLIC
SAFETY OFFICER MEDAL OF VALOR ACT OF 2001
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The
‘Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 2001’ became Public Law
107-12 on May 30, 2001. Introduced
in the Senate by Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) and in the House by
Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX), this bill authorizes the President to
award and present up to five Medals of Valor per year to public safety
officers for extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty.
A national medal of valor office will be established within the
U.S. Department of Justice to establish criteria and procedures for the
nomination process.
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This
is considered to be the highest national award for valor by a public
safety officer, aside from NAPO’s TOP COPS Awards®, of course!
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RACIAL
PROFILING BILL INTRODUCED
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On
June 6, 2001, Senators Russell Feingold (R-WI), Hillary Clinton (D-NY),
Jon Corzine (D-NJ), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Carl
Levin (D-MI), Harry Reid (D-NV), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Debbie Stabenow
(D-MI) and Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) introduced S. 989, the ‘End Racial
Profiling Act of 2001.’ Representatives
John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Chris Shays (R-CT), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Sheila
Jackson Lee (D-TX), Jose Serrano (D-NY), David Wu (D-OR), Donald Payne
(D-NJ), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Pete Stark (D-CA), Connie Morella (R-MD),
Jim Greenwood (R-PA), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Timothy Johnson (R-IL),
Michael Ferguson (R-NJ) and James Walsh (R-NY) introduced companion
legislation, H.R. 2074, on the same day.
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The
Wisconsin Professional Police Association has voiced its strong opposition
to this bill to Senator Feingold. NAPO
is currently monitoring this legislation, and there is no action on it to
date.
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NAPO
HELPS TO BOOST
AMERICA!
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In
an effort to make America’s roads safer for all travelers, NAPO has
joined forces with the Ford Motor Company and numerous other safety
organizations to promote the use of child booster seats among four- to
eight-year olds through a program called “Boost America!”
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On
April 30, 2001, NAPO Executive Bob Scully attended the kick-off event for
this national campaign at Anthony Bowen Elementary School in Washington,
DC. Megastars Will Smith and
Jada Pinkett Smith joined Ford Motor Company President and CEO Jacques
Nasser and other dignitaries to announce this program.
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Ford
is spearheading the program by sponsoring a nationwide, $30 million
educational initiative to encourage the use of child booster seats and the
distribution of one million booster seats through United Way agencies,
Ford Motor Company dealers and Toys “R” Us.
In addition, the campaign will work to pass booster seat
legislation in all 50 states. Currently,
only three states – Washington, California and Arkansas – have booster
seat laws.
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ICMA-RC
CREATES PUBLIC EMPLOYEE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
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The
ICMA Retirement Corporation has announced the creation of its new
Vantagepoint Public Employee Memorial Scholarship Fund, a scholarship fund
dedicated to helping surviving family members of firefighters, police
officers and all other non-uniform local and state government employees
who have fallen in the line of duty.
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Basic
information about the scholarship is available at www.icmarc.org/vantagescholar.
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For
applications, please contact:
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Vantagepoint
Public Employee
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Memorial
Scholarship Fund
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c/o
Scholarship Management Services, CSFA
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1505
Riverview Road, P. O. Box 297
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St.
Peter, MN 56082
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Telephone:
(507) 931-1682
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NAPO
STAFF CHANGES
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This
year has seen quite a few changes in the NAPO Office staff.
With the departure of Jody Couser earlier this year, Kim Soucy has
stepped up as Director of Communications & Special Events. Jill
Cameron joined the NAPO staff on May 7 – just in time to work her first
week as Communications and Event Planning Assistant at the Legal Rights
& Legislative Seminar. Jill
is a 1998 graduate of Gettysburg College and has been studying and
teaching abroad since graduation.
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After
nearly three and one-half years of service as our Legislative Assistant,
Mike Troubh left NAPO on May 16 for NAFSE: Association of International
Educators, as Associate Director of Government Relations.
Steven McSpadden also resigned his position as NAPO’s General
Counsel effective May 31, 2001.
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On
Monday, June 18, the NAPO staff welcomed Lucian Deaton as our new
Legislative Assistant. Lucian
is a 2001 graduate of Roanoke College in Roanoke, VA, where he worked in
Congressman Bob Goodlatte’s (R-VA) district office during his final
spring term.
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EIGHTH
ANNUAL TOP COPS AWARDS® CEREMONY TO TAKE PLACE OCTOBER 25, 2001
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Selection
of this year’s TOP COPS® is well underway.
The ceremony and post reception will take place Thursday, October
25, 2001, again at the Warner Theatre.
We are currently negotiating with several Washington, DC hotels in
order to secure the best rate for those who plan to attend the event.
Keep your eyes on the NAPO web site for further updates.
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REGISTER
FOR NAPO’s 23rd ANNUAL CONVENTION
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AUGUST
8-13, 2001, MONTEREY, CA
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Check
your mailbox or the NAPO website (www.napo.org)
for your 2001 Convention registration form and the latest schedule of
events in Monterey. We are
excited to announce that NAPO’s 2001 Shotgun Scramble Golf Tournament
has been arranged for Thursday, August 9th at the Golf Club at
Quail Lodge. Registration
forms for the tournament will be mailed to you separately this week.
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SPONSOR
A POOL-SIDE RECEPTION AT THE NAPO CONVENTION
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In
lieu of an extensive convention program book, we have decided to take
advantage of the Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort’s beautiful facilities
and hold two evening pool-side receptions.
We are asking that interested member organizations contribute $300
– the cost of an ad in last year’s book – towards the cost of a
reception. Signs will be
displayed at the receptions in order to recognize our generous sponsors.
If your organization would like to help sponsor a reception, please
send your check made payable to NAPO and this form to the NAPO, Dept.
0044, Washington, DC 20073-0044. Or
charge to your credit card and fax back to (202) 842-4396.
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Name:
______________________________________________________
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Organization:
_________________________________________________
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Address:_____________________________________________________
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City,
State & Zip:_______________________________________________
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Email:________________________________________________________
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Payment:
____
Check
____ Charge
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Name
on Credit Card:____________________________________________
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Type
of Credit Card:
Visa
MasterCard
AmericanExpress
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Account
#:__________________ Exp.:______________________________
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Signature:_____________________________________________________
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