[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 81 (Monday, May 15, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1637-S1638]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          National Police Week

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, this week is National Police Week, a time 
to honor the service and sacrifice of America's law enforcement 
officers. These brave men and women have chosen a difficult and often 
dangerous career. They have dedicated their lives to protecting the 
rest of us, defending our civil liberties and protecting our cities and 
neighborhoods. That decision requires tremendous courage and sacrifice 
by both the officer and their family.
  We have recently been reminded of the dangers they face every day. 
Just a week ago, shoppers wandered in and out of a busy outdoor mall in 
Allen, TX, near Dallas. It was a beautiful, seemingly normal Saturday 
afternoon until the day took a tragic turn. A man pulled up in his 
vehicle, got out of his car with multiple weapons, and started firing.
  Fortunately, out of this terrible tragedy, fortunately, an officer 
was already on the scene for an unrelated call. He did what he was 
trained to do and what his conscience told him to do and ran 
immediately toward the danger. He didn't hesitate to put his own life 
on the line in order to stop the shooter and save countless lives.
  The shooter killed eight innocent people and wounded seven more. Had 
this brave officer not been on the scene, it is difficult to imagine 
how many more casualties would have been incurred, how many more lives 
would have been lost.

  The shooter was carrying multiple weapons and had five additional 
guns in his car. If not for the quick action of that Allen police 
officer, more families would be making funeral arrangements today.
  Stories like this underscore the dangers our officers take in their 
daily lives. A routine call or a traffic stop can turn deadly without 
warning. And these men and women still lace up their boots and put on a 
uniform each morning.
  Each year for National Police Week, we honor the law enforcement 
community, naturally, and remember those who have made the ultimate 
sacrifice. One of the most striking reminders of that sacrifice is the 
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, which sits along the 
National Mall here in Washington, DC.
  It is a powerful tribute for the State, Federal, and local law 
enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty and features 
marble walls, filled with more than 23,000 names. Each of those names 
represents an American hero. And, sadly, the names of 67 Texans will be 
added this year.
  These officers gave their lives in service to their communities and 
our country. And while there is nothing we can do to console the 
families of those heroes, we can do more to support their brothers and 
sisters, still in blue.
  Over the last couple of years, members of our law enforcement 
community have faced an onslaught of new challenges. From the pandemic 
to dangerous ``defund the police'' rhetoric to baseless attacks, the 
men and women in blue who keep us safe are subject to tremendous risks 
and strain.
  They have watched as progressive politicians have made calls to fund 
the police and attempted to villainize the very heroes who keep us 
safe.
  I am proud to say I have never been ashamed to support the men and 
women of our law enforcement community. I will always proudly stand 
with them. In the face of increasing crime rates and growing concerns 
about public safety, Congress must do more to

[[Page S1638]]

support and empower our men and women in blue.
  Last year, we made some progress. The Justice and Mental Health 
Collaboration Program was reauthorized through a bipartisan bill I 
introduced with Senator Klobuchar, the Senator from Minnesota. We have 
already seen some real-world impact these grants have made in 
communities across Texas. And this will promote even greater 
collaboration between law enforcement and the mental health providers 
that they serve alongside.
  We also took a big step toward improving training for officers by 
passing the Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act, which was 
signed into law by President Biden last December. This new law will 
ensure that officers have the skills they need to navigate and defuse 
potentially dangerous situations, particularly involving those 
undergoing a mental health crisis. I am proud of the bipartisan 
progress we have made, and I hope we can build upon it more this year.
  In honor of National Police Week, I introduced the Back the Blue Act 
to strengthen laws that protect our officers. This legislation sends a 
strong and powerful message to the more than 800,000 officers serving 
our country--a message that they are supported and that violence 
against them will never be tolerated.
  The Back the Blue Act adds stiff mandatory penalties and makes it a 
Federal crime to kill--or attempt to kill--a law enforcement officer, a 
Federal judge, or a federally funded public safety officer. It also 
makes it a Federal crime to assault a law enforcement officer.
  As I have said, these men and women put themselves in harm's way 
every day to keep our communities safe, and we must make it absolutely 
clear that violence against them will not be tolerated.
  This legislation was endorsed by leading law enforcement 
organizations like the National Association of Police Organizations and 
the Fraternal Order of Police and is cosponsored by 39 Senators, so 
far.
  I hope other colleagues will support this bill and show law 
enforcement across the country that we stand shoulder to shoulder with 
them.
  There is another piece of legislation that I hope will pass soon 
called the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program. This is a 
reauthorization of an existing national nationwide partnership between 
Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors that 
aims to reduce violent crime, particularly gun crime.
  It achieves that goal through data-driven, evidence-based, and 
trauma-informed practices that have proven to reduce crime rates. Since 
it was first launched two decades ago, Project Safe Neighborhoods has 
helped reduce violent crime in large cities and small towns all across 
this country.
  A study in 2013 found that the program was associated with more than 
a 13-percent decrease in violent crimes in cities and a high rate of 
program participation.
  Given the growing concerns and already serious concerns about crime 
in our country, there could not be a more important time to make this 
program better, stronger, and more effective.
  This is among the range of bills the Senate should consider to pass 
and support law enforcement, including the Federal Law Enforcement 
Service Weapon Purchase Act that would allow retired officers to 
purchase their service weapons that would otherwise be destroyed.
  This bipartisan legislation would prevent waste by allowing agencies 
to recover the value of these weapons. This bill has been endorsed by 
multiple organizations that represent law enforcement officers, and I 
hope we can advance it this year.
  I am also a proud cosponsor of other bipartisan bills that were 
introduced by Senate colleagues. Senator Peters from Michigan and I 
introduced the Strong Communities Act, with the goal of improving trust 
between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.
  I am also a cosponsor of the Recruit and Retain Act, led by Senator 
Fischer of Nebraska and Senator Coons of Delaware. It aims to alleviate 
the personnel shortages that are being felt in police departments 
across the Nation and ensures that America's police forces are well 
staffed.
  I hope the Senate Judiciary Committee, on which I serve, will advance 
some of these bills later this week and send a strong message that the 
U.S. Senate supports America's police officers.
  Every day, I am grateful for the service and sacrifice of our law 
enforcement officers in Texas and across the country. And that includes 
the Capitol Police that keeps this building and Capitol Hill safe, 
protecting not only the people who work here but also people who visit 
here.
  In honor of National Police Week, we honor the brave men and women 
who protect us. We pay tribute to those who made the ultimate 
sacrifice. And we commit to doing everything in our power to ensure 
that they have all the resources they need to keep our people safe.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.