On the recordMay 14, 2024
I thank the gentleman for yielding. I know that he speaks with experience and from the heart, and I speak on behalf of this body when I thank him for his leadership in this important area. Mr. Speaker, we remember Lieutenant Michael Hoosock and Officer Michael Jensen tonight. God bless their families as they mourn. Thinking about what it is we are doing here during National Police Week, my mind goes to how we can best support law enforcement through our work here in Congress. That support can take many forms, but it certainly must be more than just rhetoric. What resources do they need to carry out their work safely and successfully? The madness and stupidity of defund the police is over. In my district in central New York, we worked through the appropriations process while keeping the needs of our district's police at top of mind. Some of the most fulfilling work I have had the honor of doing since coming to Congress has involved sitting down with local law enforcement, hearing about their needs directly from them, and advocating for them here in Washington. When you speak with these folks, you get a real sense of the gravity of their work. They know all too well that they place their lives at risk every time they clock in, and they do so for our sake. At every opportunity I get, I tell them to make sure that they go home to their family at the end of their shift, that they kiss their wife and kids, and that they are able to suit up the next day.…





