[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S428]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BRAUN (for himself, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Rubio, Mr. 
        Lankford, Mr. Schmitt, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Hagerty, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. 
        Kennedy, Mr. Boozman, and Mr. Budd):
  S. 459. A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to provide 
enhanced penalties for convicted murderers who kill or target America's 
public safety officers; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. BRAUN. Madam President, Indiana has lost several officers in the 
line of duty in the last 2 years, like Terre Haute Officer Greg Ferency 
and Richmond Officer Seara Burton.
  I would like to say a few words about Elwood Police Officer Noah 
Shahnavaz, who was killed in the line of duty last year in a little 
town in Indiana. He was only 24 years old. He was shot during a routine 
traffic stop by a violent career criminal who should have been behind 
bars. His parents, Laurie and Matt, remembered their son to my office 
with these words:

       All that Noah ever wanted to do is help others. Society has 
     been robbed of the many positive impacts he would have had on 
     our world.

  When a police officer is killed in the line of duty, it sends a shock 
wave through the community, and it is happening in far too many places.
  I decided after his death that I wanted to take the lead in 
reintroducing the Thin Blue Line Act. This bill would make targeting 
police officers an aggravating factor in favor of the maximum sentence. 
It has already passed through the House of Representatives once before. 
We need to do it again in this Congress and get it through the Senate 
as well.
  Supporting our police shouldn't be a partisan issue. This law 
wouldn't apply in every case, but it would make criminals think twice 
before targeting our police. We have to do everything we can to protect 
those who protect us. The one thing we could do to fight back against 
crime is to support those on the frontline. We need to give them the 
resources they need and send a clear message to those who wish to do 
them harm: If you target a police officer, you are going to pay the 
highest price possible.
  We need to get that done.

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