Providing for Consideration of H.R. Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Pregnant Workers Fairness Act; and for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge defeat of the previous question so that we can immediately consider my bill to ensure that those who risk their lives to protect all of us are afforded greater protections as well.

I introduced the Back the Blue Act of 2021 with Senator Cornyn in the Senate and my two original cosponsors in the House, Representatives Stivers and Johnson, during Police Week because this bill is needed now more than ever.

There have been more officers shot and killed in the last 4\1/2\ months of 2021 than all of 2020 and all of 2019. In 4\1/2\ months, we have had more fatalities, more murders of policemen than in the whole year of 2020 and the whole year of 2019. It is clear that we need to enforce greater protections for those who protect us, and that is why my colleagues and I introduced the Back the Blue Act.

The numbers are alarming. In 2018, 83 police officers were shot and 26 were killed. In 2019, 86 were shot and 18 were killed. And 2020, 89 were shot and 18 killed. This year, in 2021, as of April 30th, there have been 91 officers shot so far, and 19 of them killed by gunfire.

Our police are being targeted. We need to defend our law enforcement and public safety officers, and our bill does just that.

Specifically, the Back the Blue Act creates new criminal provisions to Federal law enforcement officers; U.S. judges; and federally funded public safety officers, such as firefighters, chaplains, and members of a rescue squad or ambulance crew.

The Back the Blue Act creates a new Federal crime for killing, attempting to kill, or conspiring to kill a Federal judge, Federal law enforcement officer or a federally funded public safety officer. The offender would be subject to the death penalty and a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years if death results. The offender would otherwise face a minimum sentence of 10 years.

The bill creates a new Federal crime for assaulting a federally funded law enforcement officer with escalating penalties, including mandatory minimums based on the extent of any injury and the use of a dangerous weapon. However, no prosecution can be commenced absent certification by the Attorney General that prosecution is appropriate.

Now, I want to respond to my friend, who I respect, from Colorado. I condemned the behavior and the riot that occurred on January 6. Over one hundred of our policemen were injured. This bill provides extra protections for Capitol Hill law enforcement. Those who injured our Capitol Police on January 6 would be under greater punishment or penalties, if convicted.

Our bill also creates a new Federal crime for interstate flight from justice to avoid prosecution for killing, attempting to kill or conspiring to kill a Federal judge, Federal law enforcement officer or federally funded public safety officer. The offender would be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for this offense.

Lastly, the Back the Blue Act creates a specific aggravating factor for the Federal death penalty prosecutions. It expands self-defense and Second Amendment rights for law enforcement officers. It opens up grant funding to strengthen relationships between police and their communities.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our law enforcement personally. I was a victim of crime twice, and both times I was deployed when I was assigned to the Air Force. My house was robbed once when I was a captain deployed to Bahrain. Another time, someone assumed a false identity when I was a lieutenant colonel during the invasion of Iraq when I was flying combat operations. Thankfully, one of the times the police captured one of the perpetrators and arrested him and he was charged for a crime.

I deployed to go to the battle. Every day our police walk out their front door, after kissing their spouse good-bye, wondering if they are going to encounter a violent criminal. We cannot thank our police officers enough.

During Police Week, I urge my colleagues to support our first responders by immediately considering and supporting the Back the Blue Act.

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