On National Night Out, Grassley Lauds Senate Passage of Bills Supporting Law Enforcement
Grassley-led proposals on PTSD, investing in police departments receive bipartisan support
WASHINGTON – Last night, the U.S. Senate
passed multiple bipartisan bills led by Judiciary Committee Ranking Member
Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) that seek to provide resources, grants and other
support to law enforcement officers. National Night Out, a day that focuses on
fostering stronger relationships between law enforcement and neighbors in the
communities they serve, is recognized annually on the first Tuesday in August.
“As crime rates soar due in part to dangerous anti-law enforcement rhetoric, we need to
empower police by providing them with needed protection and resources so they
can do their jobs safely and effectively. Our men and women in blue put their
lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe. These bills are a
step in the right direction as we work to support, recognize and thank law
enforcement officers and their families. I urge my colleagues in the House and
President Biden to support these bipartisan bills,” Grassley said.
Grassley led a bipartisan group of
senators in introducing the Fighting
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act of 2022 to help police, fire, emergency
medical and 911 personnel cope with the stresses of responding to crisis
situations. The bill would establish mental health programs for America’s first
responders who often face long-term effects from providing life-saving services
in moments of crisis. The bill passed
the Judiciary Committee in May by voice vote without objection, and it now
awaits a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Invest
to Protect Act (S.3860)
Over 90 percent of all police departments
nationally have fewer than 200 full-time officers. Grassley partnered with Sen.
Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) to introduce the Invest to Protect Act, which seeks to provide $250 million over the
next five years to small law enforcement agencies across the country. This
funding will help them invest in training, equipment, mental health support and
recruitment and retention of officers. The bill passed
the Judiciary Committee in May by voice vote without objection, and it now
awaits a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The TBI
and PTSD Law Enforcement Training Act would provide resources for training
law enforcement officials and first responders when handling incidents that
involve individuals who have a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). The bill, which now heads to President Biden’s desk,
previously passed the U.S. House of Representatives on a vote of 400 to 21.
Last week, Grassley questioned witnesses at a Judiciary Committee hearing on law
enforcement safety and the rising crime against police. Iowan Zach Andersen of
Cedar Falls, a public safety officer, testified about the ambush on Iowa police
last year that resulted in the death of Sergeant Jim Smith of the Iowa State
Patrol. He also discussed the need to support the law enforcement community,
urging Congress to provide more support for law enforcement.
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