John Rutherford: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge defeat of the previous question so that we can…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge defeat of the previous question so that we can immediately consider the Protect and Serve Act, my bipartisan bill to increase penalties for individuals who deliberately target law enforcement officers with violence. Throughout my 40 years of law enforcement, including 12 as sheriff, I have seen firsthand the dangerous situations our men and women in law enforcement face every day. In Jacksonville, in fact, our memorial wall is filled with the names of many good police officers who laid down their lives in service to their community. This Police Week, we are honoring the memory of the 394 officers our Nation lost last year. We pause to remember their sacrifice and pledge to support policies that keep our officers safe. These policies should include harsh penalties for violence targeted against our men and women in blue. When I first introduced the Protect and Serve Act in 2018, it was overwhelmingly passed by the House 382-35. Police Week has always been a unifying time to honor those lost, but now, now the majority will barely acknowledge it. What is going on? I think the answer is simple. Supporting our police has become unpopular in the Democratic Party. Pressure from online radicals, political pundits who have never worn a badge, never been on a ride- along, they are dictating what policies the House majority will support.…”