Every day, law enforcement officers in communities across our country serve with tireless vigilance, often placing the well-being and safety of their communities above their own. To honor their courage and sacrifice, in 1962, President John F. Kennedy designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which this date falls as National Police Week. In commemoration, this week I was pleased to support a resolution passed in the House recognizing the acts of heroism performed by federal, state, and local law enforcement, memorializing officers who have given their lives in the line of duty, and recognizing their loved ones.
This year the names of 556 law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice, including 224 who were killed in 2022, were added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. As violent crime is on the rise in in many areas of the United States, it is as important as ever to reaffirm our gratitude and support for those who courageously put themselves in harm’s way to safeguard the public good. According to FBI records, 2021 was the highest number of law enforcement officers murdered in a single year since the 2001 terror attacks. Furthermore, according to the National Fraternal Order of Police, the number of officers shot this year is up more than 50 percent compared to this point in 2020.
A key pillar of House Republicans’ Commitment to America agenda is a nation that is safe, and our Third District communities are better and safer places to live because of the dedicated work of our law enforcement officers. Because of this, I was pleased to welcome a law enforcement officer as my distinguished guest at this year’s State of the Union address.
This week, the House also passed, the Protect Our Law Enforcement with Immigration Control and Enforcement Act, or the POLICE Act, which would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 to make assault of an American law enforcement officer a deportable offense. In addition, I also supported the passage of a resolution condemning efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement agencies. While support in the House for these measures was bipartisan, I was disappointed to see it was not unanimous. The noble service of our law enforcement is heroic, and policy at every level should reflect a zero-tolerance stance on attempts to harm officers or undermine the effectiveness of law enforcement institutions.
Nebraska’s congressional delegation displays strong leadership on this issue. Rep. Don Bacon’s bill, the Back the Blue Act, would strengthen protections for police officers by increasing federal penalties for killing, attempting to kill, or conspiring to kill a federal judge, federal law enforcement officer, or federally funded public safety officer. Furthermore, this bill stands with our law enforcement officers by including mandatory minimums based on the degree of any injury sustained. Sen. Pete Ricketts has introduced a version of the Back the Blue Act in the Senate. I appreciate their leadership on this issue.
We owe so much to those who consistently and rapidly respond to emergency situations, deter crime with no second thought to their own safety, and maintain peace in our communities while we sleep. They deserve our thanks, our ongoing support, and to be honored.