Issue Position: Public Safety

Issue Position

As a member of the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security with jurisdiction over the criminal code and law enforcement, Judy Chu works tirelessly to keep our streets and our children safe.

Dr. Chu believes that one of the best ways to do that is to support the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in our communities: local police and firefighters. These days, budgets for local public safety personnel are tight, as the state, counties and cities slash their budgets to make ends meet. But we can't risk our safety. That's why Judy has consistently fought for robust federal funding, especially during these tough times, to give local police the equipment and tools they need to do their job best and to hire more local cops and firefighters to police our streets and protect our homes and businesses.

Judy Chu supports laws that keep guns from falling into the wrong hands. But nearly a decade after 9/11, the federal government can stop suspects on terror watch lists from getting on airplanes, but it can't stop them from buying firearms. Rep. Chu supported legislation to block firearm sales to terror suspects, adding them to the list which already prohibits convicted felons and persons with serious mental health problems from owning a gun. And Dr. Chu also supports background checks for every firearm sale. Californians should feel safe knowing that dangerous people such as convicted felons and domestic abusers are being seriously screened when they try to purchase a firearm.

Rep. Judy Chu successfully passed legislation to go after the drug cartels where it hurts the most: their bank accounts. The violence spread by the drug cartels is no longer confined to Mexico alone -- even our community in the San Gabriel Valley has been affected. Tragically, two years ago, Bobby Salcedo, a rising star and Vice Principal and School Board Member, was senselessly murdered by the cartels. The violence breeds pain and fear no family should endure. Dr. Chu's new law allows federal law enforcement to seize the money and property of organized crime leaders here in the United States while they are on trial abroad. Because of this law, the Department of Justice has taken over $50 million dollars of dirty money away from organized crime.

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