[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 130 (Monday, July 26, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H3849]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NOW IS TIME TO BACK THE BLUE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, across our country, parents 
are facing a new and scary reality this summer. As soccer camps and 
Little League games get back underway, there is a new and growing crime 
crisis that is threatening our communities.
  Just last week, President Biden made the extraordinarily false 
comment that crime is down. President Biden is wrong. We are seeing a 
rise in crime throughout American cities.
  In Philadelphia, there have been 315 homicides this year, an increase 
of over 35 percent from last year. This is unacceptable.
  The people living in our communities deserve to feel safe. While 
families worry about the growing crime crisis, liberal leaders have 
turned their backs and failed to protect our neighborhoods.
  Across the country, mayors and community leaders have condemned the 
police officers and joined protests calling to defund law enforcement. 
They have failed to support our police officers as the police officers 
are battling, firsthand, this crime wave. This dangerous rhetoric makes 
our communities less safe. Now is definitely not the time to defund the 
police.
  Tragically, ambush-style attacks on law enforcement have increased 91 
percent since last year. These attacks have been deadly, and 
unfortunately, 155 police officers have given their lives in the line 
of duty.
  This is not the time to play games, and this is not the time to cut 
funding for body armor and safety equipment that protect our officers 
who are on the front lines.
  Now more than ever, we must stand with our law enforcement officers. 
We must stand with our heroes to keep us safe each and every day. We 
must ensure that they have the tools and the training to protect 
themselves from harm while they protect us and protect our communities.
  Now is the time to back the blue.
  Now is the time to support our law enforcement.
  Now is the time to speak out against the dangerous rhetoric that puts 
the lives of the men and women in blue in danger.

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