John Rutherford: “I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, throughout my life, I have answered a call to public service. For 40…”

“I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, throughout my life, I have answered a call to public service. For 40 years I dedicated my career to serving in law enforcement--12 of which I led as sheriff. I know from firsthand experience that every day law enforcement officers put their lives on the line when they put on their uniform and step out into their communities to keep us safe. That kind of sacrifice is part of the commitment these officers make to protect citizens across the country and is essential to making our communities and neighborhoods safe. Over the past few years, we have seen calls to defund the police sweep across this Nation, and we have heard Members of this very Chamber support efforts to demoralize and delegitimize the brave men and women who enforce our laws to keep us safe. This has made it incredibly difficult for law enforcement officers to do their jobs--not to mention the liberal prosecutors and district attorneys who are failing to do their job to keep criminals off the street. The results? A spike in violent crime that has left cities less safe than they were 3 years ago. I am proud that our House Republicans, led by Speaker McCarthy, are focusing on upholding law and order across America. House Republicans are committed to supporting our law enforcement.…”