Friends and neighbors,
The Senate also passed its public safety and judiciary budget. I’m grateful that several Republican amendments were accepted, including increased funding for law enforcement officers and stricter reporting rules for nonprofits that receive taxpayer dollars.
These were important wins. One amendment restores police training dollars that were about to expire. These funds are used to train officers in important areas like de-escalation techniques. Another directs more money to violent crime enforcement teams that target drug trafficking, gang activity, and illegal firearms. These are serious threats, and I’m glad we took steps to give our officers the tools they need to keep us safe.
We also secured a new requirement for nonprofits that receive public safety grants to publicly report how they spend the money. That’s especially important given the recent fraud and mismanagement we’ve seen. If you take taxpayer dollars, you need to be transparent and accountable. Period.
But the bill has other serious problems. Namely, it expands early release programs for violent offenders, including people involved in felony murder cases. Over the next ten years, about 100 inmates convicted under felony murder statutes could be released early. That’s not how we build safer communities. And it sends the wrong message to victims and their families.
Like the transportation bill, I am optimistic that the final agreement that comes out of the House-Senate conference committee will be a much stronger package. Supporting our law enforcement officers and protecting public safety shouldn’t be a partisan issue.
Sincerely,