Manuel Lujan: “we are experiencing a nationwide shortage of police officers. Police departments are stretched thin, making our…”

“we are experiencing a nationwide shortage of police officers. Police departments are stretched thin, making our communities less safe. In the worst cases, some small departments have disbanded completely. Small towns need Federal dollars to bolster their ranks. The Musk-Trump freeze took funding away from our police departments and law enforcement officials. The COPS hiring program is a lifeline to many law enforcement agencies. COPS hiring grants provide funding directly to law enforcement agencies to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. On behalf of all Americans who care about public safety, I introduce this amendment to provide increased resources for local law enforcement. This is a bipartisan issue. It should be easy. I hope my colleagues just accept it, and we don't even have to have a vote on it. There is no reason to oppose this amendment. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Carolina.”