[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 153 (Thursday, September 22, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E972]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SUPPORTING H.R. 8542--MENTAL HEALTH JUSTICE ACT OF 2022; H.R. 6448--
INVEST AND PROTECT ACT OF 2022; H.R. 4118--BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE 
                 ACT; AND H.R. 5768--VICTIM ACT OF 2022

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 22, 2022

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support 
of the four public safety bills that the House is considering today.
  Crime, and in particular gun violence, continues to be a major 
problem affecting every community in our country. The annual cost of 
gun violence alone is more than $280 billion.
  This Congress has already taken the most significant action in 30 
years with the enactment of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to 
reduce gun violence.
  Today, we take another step forward to strengthen public safety by 
passing four bills that will keep our communities safer.
  Together the bills will save lives by increasing grants for police 
training and recruitment for small police departments which often lack 
the resources they need.
  They will fund the deployment of mental health crisis response units 
and evidence-based community violence intervention programs--two 
strategies that have been used very successfully in my district.
  And they will provide funding so local law enforcement can solve 
homicide and non-fatal shootings.
  I would like to thank Representatives Horsford, Demings, Gottheimer, 
and Porter for their leadership on these bills.
  I urge my colleagues to put party over politics and vote YES on each 
of the public safety bills being considered today to reduce crime and 
save lives.

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