Bill Summary
The Concurrent Resolution expresses strong support for law enforcement professionals in the United States. It acknowledges the risks and challenges faced by over 800,000 officers who serve their communities, highlighting their role in reducing crime rates and the tragic toll of over 24,000 fallen officers honored at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The resolution points out the increasing hostility towards law enforcement, with record-high assault rates and significant officer fatalities in recent years. It emphasizes the mental and emotional toll of the job, noting a higher suicide rate among officers compared to other workers. The resolution calls on Congress to respect and appreciate law enforcement personnel, honor those injured or killed in the line of duty, and advocate for measures that enhance officer safety, including more personnel, better training and equipment, stricter penalties for assaults, and improved mental health resources. It urges all levels of government to provide the necessary support for law enforcement to maintain public safety.
Possible Impacts
The concurrent resolution expressing support for America's law enforcement professionals could affect people in various ways, including:
1. **Increased Funding and Resources for Law Enforcement**: By calling for increased measures to maximize the safety and well-being of law enforcement officers, the resolution may lead to enhanced funding for police departments. This could mean better training, improved equipment (like body armor and vehicles), and more personnel on the streets. Citizens may experience a greater sense of safety, knowing that law enforcement agencies are better equipped to handle emergencies and reduce crime.
2. **Stronger Legal Protections for Officers**: The resolution advocates for tougher penalties for those who assault or kill law enforcement professionals. If enacted, this could create a stronger legal framework that deters violence against officers. While this might increase the perceived authority and protection of law enforcement, it could also raise concerns about the potential for excessive policing or misuse of power, impacting community relations.
3. **Mental Health Support for Officers**: The resolution emphasizes the need for increased mental health resources for law enforcement officers, given their exposure to traumatic events and the higher rates of suicide among this group. Improved access to mental health services could lead to better overall mental well-being for officers, which may translate into more effective policing and improved interactions with the community. However, it's also important to consider the stigma that may still exist around mental health issues within law enforcement, which could affect the resolution's implementation and efficacy.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 31 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 31
Expressing support for America's law enforcement professionals.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 13, 2025
Mr. Ezell (for himself, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Nehls, Mr. Calvert, Mr.
Moore of Alabama, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Huizenga, Mr. Rogers of Alabama,
Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mrs. Radewagen, Mr. Collins, and Mr. Riley
of New York) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing support for America's law enforcement professionals.
Whereas more than 800,000 law enforcement officers in the United States risk
their lives daily to serve and protect their communities;
Whereas the law enforcement officers of the United States perform their
difficult and dangerous job honorably and professionally, with the
overwhelming majority of Americans having a positive opinion of their
interactions with police;
Whereas innovative and dedicated efforts by law enforcement officers
successfully brought down crime rates over the past three decades from
the historic highs experienced in the 1990s;
Whereas there are now over 24,000 names of America's fallen law enforcement
heroes listed on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial dating back to the first death in the line of duty in 1786;
Whereas the environment for officers has become increasingly more hostile and
their safety having become more precarious, with over 79,000 law
enforcement officers having been assaulted by criminals in 2023, the
highest officer assault rate in the past 10 years, and 1,055 officers
having been shot during the past three years, 172 killed in the line of
duty;
Whereas more than 2,500 law enforcement officers in the United States have died
in the line of duty during the past decade;
Whereas law enforcement officers typically encounter between 400 and 600
traumatic events during their careers, compared with three or four for
the average citizen;
Whereas the unusually high number of traumatic events experienced by law
enforcement officers has contributed to a 54-percent higher suicide rate
among officers than among other American workers;
Whereas the number of full-time State and local officers dropped by 5.3 percent
between 2019 and 2021, the equivalent of nearly 37,000 fewer officers,
leaving behind a dangerously low level of sworn officers to serve and
protect our communities; and
Whereas supporting law enforcement officers with the equipment, training, and
funding needed to protect American communities from criminal violence
has long received overwhelming public support from across the political
spectrum: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) highly respects and values our Nation's law enforcement
professionals;
(2) greatly appreciates all that they do to protect and
serve our communities;
(3) remembers and honors those officers and families who
have experienced a death or injury in the line of duty;
(4) calls for increased measures to be taken to maximize
the safety and well-being of our officers, including more
policing personnel, improved training and equipment, tough
penalties for assaulting or killing a law enforcement
professional, and increased mental health resources for
officers; and
(5) calls on all levels of government to ensure that our
law enforcement professionals receive the support and resources
needed to keep America safe.
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