Providing for Consideration of H.R. Protect Our Law Enforcement with Immigration Control and Enforcement Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act; and Providing for Consideration of H. Con. Res. Expressing Support for Local Law Enforcement Officers and Condemning Efforts to Defund or Dismantle Local Law Enforcement Agencies

Floor Speech

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Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 398 and ask for its immediate consideration.

The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: H. Res. 398

Resolved, That at any time after adoption of this resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2494) to make the assault of a law enforcement officer a deportable offense, and for other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees. After general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. In lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill, it shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 118-4. That amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be considered as read. All points of order against that amendment in the nature of a substitute are waived. No amendment to that amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be in order except those printed in part A of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution. Each such amendment may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. All points of order against such amendments are waived. At the conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with such amendments as may have been adopted. Any Member may demand a separate vote in the House on any amendment adopted in the Committee of the Whole to the bill or to the amendment in the nature of a substitute made in order as original text. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit.

Sec. 2. At any time after adoption of this resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3091) to allow Federal law enforcement officers to purchase retired service weapons, and for other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees. After general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. In lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill, it shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 118-5. That amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be considered as read. All points of order against that amendment in the nature of a substitute are waived. No amendment to that amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be in order except those printed in part B of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution. Each such amendment may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. All points of order against such amendments are waived. At the conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with such amendments as may have been adopted. Any Member may demand a separate vote in the House on any amendment adopted in the Committee of the Whole to the bill or to the amendment in the nature of a substitute made in order as original text. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit.

Sec. 3. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 40) expressing support for local law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement agencies. All points of order against consideration of the concurrent resolution are waived. The concurrent resolution shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the concurrent resolution are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the concurrent resolution and preamble, and on any amendment thereto, to adoption without intervening motion or demand for division of the question except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees; and (2) the amendment printed in part C of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution, if offered by the Member designated in the report, which shall be in order without intervention of any point of order, shall be considered as read, shall be separately debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question.

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Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mr. Speaker, we are here to debate the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2494, the Protect Our Law enforcement with Immigration Control and Enforcement Act of 2023, or the POLICE Act; H.R. 3091, the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act; and H. Con. Res. 40, expressing support for local law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement agencies.

It provides for structured rules for all three bills and makes in order Democratic as well as Republican amendments.

Given all that our police officers do for our communities each and every day, I am honored to stand here in defense of this legislation to support them.

According to the FBI, assaults on law enforcement officers increased by 11.2 percent from 2020 to 2021. Many of these violent crimes have been committed by illegal aliens. As this administration continues to let the crisis at the border spiral out of control, these types of assaults will continue to increase.

There are things we can do to deter criminal assaults and protect our officers. The POLICE Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to clearly state that the assault of a law enforcement officer is a deportable offense. If those who have been given the privilege of coming here cannot respect our laws or those who enforce them, they should not enjoy the benefit of remaining in our country.

The second bill under consideration today, H.R. 3091, would allow law enforcement officers to buy retired and surplus military service weapons at fair market value, so long as the officer is in good standing with their employed agency. Under current law, Federal law enforcement agencies are required to destroy retired and unneeded firearms. The Fraternal Order of Police estimates that this wastes up to $8 million a year. This bill is a commonsense solution to save taxpayer dollars and support law enforcement officers.

Finally, H. Con. Res. 40 expresses Congress' support for local law enforcement officers and condemns efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement agencies.

Unfortunately, because there are people out there, even some serving in Congress, who want to defund the police and want to continue the anti-law enforcement rhetoric, this bill is necessary.

In a time when police officers are regularly attacked for their profession, 2021 being the deadliest year in two decades for law enforcement officers, according to the FBI, it can never be stated enough that the U.S. Congress supports this country's police officers.

The brave men and women across this Nation who risk their lives every day need to know that we condemn any efforts to defund them, and we support them. They need to know that we stand with them and are here to do everything in our power to protect them in the way they protect and serve our communities. That is why I encourage my colleagues to stand with me and support these pieces of legislation.

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Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues not to make excuses about this legislation, not to say that it doesn't have this, it has this, or you changed this because they are playing word games.

The public is watching, and law enforcement officers are watching. Today, with your ``yes'' vote on this legislation, you can show your support for law enforcement.

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Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I have to mention again, we have legislation in front of us that will honor our law enforcement officers. When we go off on tangents and talk about what words are there and what words are not there, the simple fact is, a ``yes'' vote on this legislation will show our support for law enforcement.

Mr. Speaker, I have a much easier way for the other side to deal with the debt ceiling. Instead of the procedural antics we are going through, maybe what they should do is encourage the President and the Senate leaders to get to the table and negotiate.

The House Republicans did their job. We passed a debt ceiling bill with spending cuts and an increase off of this floor. We have done our job. I think the real message here is National Police Week. That is what we are talking about. We are talking about the support and respect for our law enforcement officers.

I just want to maybe bring it back to what we are really talking about. I, unfortunately, have had the unfortunate honor to have three officers lost in the line of duty in my area, and so I would remember those names: Officer Brian Klinefelter, Officer Tommy Decker, and Officer Josh Owen. Officer Owen was just a few weeks ago.

Present in the Capitol yesterday was Officer Arik Matson, who was shot 3 years ago in the line of duty and survived. Let's talk about that. Let's talk about the officers that we are honoring.

I am honored to be here today to support this rule and this legislation to make sure we honor our law enforcement and that we are moving forward.

This is a completely different agenda from the legislation that my Democratic colleagues were advancing at this time in the 117th Congress last year. By this time 2 years ago, Democrats had already passed legislation that would have removed qualified immunity for police officers acting in good faith, voted to restrict policing methods that keep officers safe, and supported investigations into departments that insinuated that police officers are racists and white supremacists.

Today, House Republicans are changing the narrative and standing up for law and order and for those who enforce it. If my Democratic colleagues don't think this matters, then they clearly are still not listening to what the law enforcement community needs.

Today, they have the opportunity to show their support for law enforcement.

The defund the police movement has been disastrous in the areas that have tried it, emboldening criminals. Cities like Minneapolis and San Francisco have seen dramatic increases in crime, and residents and businesses alike are fleeing in droves.

Crime is skyrocketing throughout the country, and the lack of respect for law enforcement in this country also means fewer people are willing to enter the profession. This needs to change, and we in Congress can pass legislation like the bills today that support our police officers and show them their sacrifices and services are appreciated.

It is time for leaders to stand up for law enforcement and stop the anti-police rhetoric. I ask my colleagues on the other side to join with us in supporting and honoring law enforcement by voting for this rule today and supporting the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I support the underlying legislation, and I urge all Members to do so.
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