Congressman Tim Ryan Votes for $343 Million in Funding for Police Departments and $270 Million in Federal Defense Funding

Press Release

Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) today secured $343 million in police funding and $270 million in federal Defense funding.

Today, the House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2021 government funding package that included six Appropriations bills: Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development. Ryan is a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and is set to become Vice Chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee next Congress.

Criminal Justice:

Ryan was able to secure $343 million in police funding through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, $231 million of that funding will go towards grants to hire new police officers. In order to be eligible for this funding police departments must comply with certain conditions aimed at improving police practices, which include training on racial profiling and implicit bias, de-escalation tactics, and eliminating "no-knock" warrants in drug cases. Ryan also secured additional funding to provide immersive, reality-based training programs that utilize role-playing and live action scenarios for law enforcement officers through the Bryne Justice Assistance Grants.

"Over the course of my career, I am proud to have been able to secure for the Ohio 13th Congressional district $17 million in COPS funding and hire 98 new police officers. COPS funding has been extremely important here in Ohio and across the country and I will do everything in my power to ensure that this important program continues. It is our job as leaders to provide our nation's police officers with the resources and training they need to do their jobs," said Congressman Ryan. "As we continue to work to improve community policing and address systemic racism in our criminal justice system, I am also proud that this legislation makes much needed investments that will improve relations between police and the communities they serve. I am especially encouraged that this legislation makes eligibility for the COPS grant program conditioned on police departments adhering to certain criteria to improve community policing."

Additionally, Ryan was proud to secure $5 million for training, peer mentoring, and mental health program activities as authorized under the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act, $35 million for the Anti-Heroin Task Forces, and $53 million for STOP School Violence program.

Defense:

Ryan secured $270 million in Defense funds, which will go towards many local, state, and national programs championed by Ryan, including funding in the bill for two additional new C-130J aircraft for the Air Force Reserve. The two additional planes replace two planes that had likely been destined for the Youngstown Air Reserve Station that were later canceled by President Trump to fund his border wall instead.

The $270 million in Defense funding that Ryan was able to secure will create an additional $675 million to $1.59 billion in private sector investment. According to an MIT study, each dollar in publicly funded R&D leads to an additional $2.50-$5.90 in private-sector investment.

"I'm extremely proud to leverage my senior position on the House Appropriations Committee to fund a three percent pay raise for our troops and to bring hundreds of millions back into our local economy to create jobs, improve our nation's competitiveness, and keep our servicemembers safe from harm. These federal funds will create an additional $675 million to $1.59 billion in spinoff private sector investment, which will help our economy come out of this crisis stronger than we entered it," said Congressman Tim Ryan.

"We are elated that the hard work and diligence of Congressman Ryan and his staff have lead to an additional appropriation to replace those C-130's lost to reprogramming earlier this year. Congressman Ryan and our local elected leaders have prioritized YARS, and those efforts have delivered an increase in mission capability, readiness, and the overall military value of the 910th. These efforts will pay dividends toward the long term viability of Trumbull County's number one employer," added Vito Abruzzino, Executive Director of the Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission (EOMAC). "The Commission is a project launched by the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber to preserve and promote the value of military operations between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, with an emphasis on the Youngstown Air Reserve Station and Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center."

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