John Rutherford: “I thank my good friend from Alabama for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment, which would…”

“I thank my good friend from Alabama for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment, which would unnecessarily restrict the Department of Defense from transferring surplus equipment to local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies. We all remember the tragic Pulse nightclub shooting in my home State of Florida. During their response, law enforcement officers set off a controlled explosion to distract the shooter and used an armored vehicle to breach the walls of the nightclub to gain entry. One of the entry officers was literally shot in the head, but his life was saved by his antiballistic helmet. Now, I believe had the gentleman across the aisle been an entry officer that night, he might have a different opinion on the equipment that is necessary at those scenes. Under this amendment, those officers would not have had the explosives, the armored vehicle, or the antiballistic helmet to save their lives and many more lives that night. This program works to get our law enforcement officers what they need to protect themselves and to protect our communities. I always promised my community that our law enforcement officers would be men and women of character, well equipped, properly deployed, and skillfully managed. The 1033 program helps achieve that goal with significant reductions of cost to hardworking taxpayers. We must not take that away. I urge a ``no'' vote.”