Jason Smith: We have a responsibility to back the blue

(From Eighth District Congressman Jason Smith)

Between May 12 to May 18, communities all across the country came together to celebrate National Police Week. It’s an important annual tradition where we thank our law enforcement officers and pay our respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice – like Bonne Terre Police Officer Lane Burns, whose life was tragically cut short in 2022. I will continue to keep him, his family, and loved ones in my prayers.

Sadly, this is an incredibly dangerous time for law enforcement – something we are reminded of just about every time we turn on the news. 

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According to the FBI, there were 79,091 officers assaulted in 2023 – the highest number in a single year within the past decade. Also in 2023, we saw a ten-year high in the number of officers who were shot.

The rise in violence against police is a consequence of the Left’s soft-on-crime policies and calls for defunding – and even abolishing – the police. They have created an environment where criminals think they can get away with committing crimes – including violence against law enforcement. It’s absolute madness.

To our brave law enforcement officers in southeast and south-central Missouri, I want you to know that I will ALWAYS have your back. I will never back down in the fight against the Left’s anti-police agenda. For as long as I’m in Congress, you can always count on me to advocate for the issues and policies you care most about.

To mark National Police Week, the Republican-led House passed numerous measures to reaffirm our unwavering support for our men and women in blue. We passed a resolution condemning calls to defund the police. We advanced legislation to help address the rise in anti-police attacks. In addition, we passed a bill to allow qualified active and retired law enforcement officers to carry firearms on state, local, and private property otherwise open to the public.

House Republicans also passed important measures to address the impact of President Joe Biden’s border crisis, which is contributing to the rise in lawlessness and violent crime. In fact, there are currently over 615,000 illegal immigrants on the ICE non-detained docket who have been convicted of a crime or have pending criminal charges. It’s unacceptable that these individuals are roaming freely in our communities and able to commit more crimes – including against police.

In January, more than a dozen migrants viciously beat two NYPD officers close to Times Square. Of the six men who were arrested for this despicable attack, all but one were released without bail shortly after being arrested; the sixth person was eventually released on bail. This recent example is just one of the reasons why the Republican-led House passed the Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act, which would require illegal aliens who assault officers to be quickly arrested and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement until they are removed from the U.S. 

We also passed a resolution condemning the consequences of the border crisis on law enforcement, as well as a bill requiring the Attorney General to report to Congress on the impact the chaos on the border is having on law enforcement.

Working in law enforcement is incredibly tough, whether it’s the long hours, safety risks, or the stress that’s put on their families. We have a responsibility to honor these selfless men and women and show them the respect they deserve for risking their lives to keep us safe. In Washington, I will continue to do my part to support these selfless heroes.