CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Today President Clinton will announce plans to purchase bulletproof vests for police agencies around the country. CNN White House correspondent Major Garrett has details on that plan. Good morning, Major.</s>MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. At a ceremony later today on Capitol Hill, President Clinton will announce the awarding of $24 million to help police departments around the country buy those bulletproof vests. It's a cooperative federal/local jurisdiction program. The police departments put up half the cost while the federal government puts up the other half. Those $24 million should buy about 92,000 bulletproof vests. This is the second year of a three-year program. At a ceremony today where the president will honor those police officers killed in the line of duty, he will ask Congress to approve a bill pending in Congress to provide $150 million to this program over the next three years -- Carol.</s>LIN: Major, can you flush out the timing on this? Why now?</s>GARRETT: Well the president wants to -- and the White House wants to emphasize that its message about gun control and violence has two sides to it. Yesterday was the emphasis on gun control. Today they want to talk about their solidarity with America's police officers. It's worth pointing out, however, that Congress approved this money and the president will not be the only one taking credit for it. Whenever these grants are released at the local level, you can bet congressmen and senators also put out a press release as well -- Carol.</s>LIN: Indeed. Thank you very much, Major.
President Clinton To Announce Plans to Purchase Bulletproof Vests for Police Departments Across the Country