Reschenthaler Delivers Remarks on Police Week Measures
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) delivered the following remarks on the House floor today during the Rule Debate on H.R. 2494, the POLICE Act, H.R. 3091, the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act, and H.Con.Res.40, a resolution to support law enforcement and condemn defunding the police.
Remarks as delivered:
Quick history lesson.
In June 2020, Vice President Kamala Harris applauded former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s decision to slash police funding by $150 million.
Representative Ocasio-Cortez has stated, “Defunding the police means defunding the police.”
Representative Cori Bush has said she would “make sure” she has private security for her protection – while simultaneously promising to defund the police that protect you.
Representative Tlaib has said, “No more policing, incarceration, and militarization.”
Representative Omar stated, “Not only do we need to defund, we need to dismantle” police departments.
What’s been the result of these attacks on law enforcement?
2021 was the deadliest year in two decades for our law enforcement officers.
64 officers were shot and killed in the line of duty in 2022. Just to put that in perspective: that’s a 40 percent increase from 2020.
At least nine cities, the vast majority of which are Democrat-controlled, saw record homicides last year, as skyrocketing crime continues to plague our communities across the country.
Right here in D.C., for example, we are already seeing a 13 percent rise in violent crime in 2023 compared to 2022 – when crime was already at near historic levels.
Democrats are trying to deflect responsibility for this rise in crime, but it’s their own far-left radical policies that are to blame.
It’s essential that we make it clear that Congress – at least this Republican majority in the House – condemns all efforts to dismantle and defund our nation’s police officers.
For those reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this rule and support the underlying pieces of legislation.