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Floor Speech
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Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in recognition of National Police Week.
This week is a time for our Nation to collectively recognize and honor the bravery and dedication of the men and women who keep our communities safe.
I want to give special thanks to the law enforcement officers across my State of Nevada who serve every day with honor, integrity, and courage.
In Nevada, while we are a State that welcomes visitors from around the world, our policemen and women are critical for protecting our communities--not only our communities but also all of those visitors. It is a task that they have proven time and time again that they stand ready for.
More than 6 years ago, Las Vegas experienced the deadliest mass shooting in American history. And in that moment--in that moment--local police and first responders ran toward danger to neutralize the threat, to get people to safety, and to save countless lives. Do you know why? That is what they are trained to do.
Whether it is a major emergency or a domestic dispute or a routine traffic stop, every day they put on their uniform and leave their homes--the brave men and women of Nevada's law enforcement community-- and put their lives on the line. These officers know the risk of the job, but their sense of service is even stronger.
I want Nevada law enforcement to know: I have your back.
As I have met with police officials across my State of Nevada, they have consistently told me one of the biggest challenges they are facing is the dire shortage of officers and support staff. We must tackle this head-on. That is why I am working across party lines to make sure we take action here in Congress to hire and to retain more officers.
I signed on to bipartisan legislation--the Recruit and Retain Act-- which will establish a Federal pipeline between local police departments and schools to help facilitate recruitment activities and encourage young people into these careers.
It is going to also help cover some of the costs associated with recruitment and onboarding, making it easier to bring on these new officers.
I was proud to help pass this bipartisan legislation here in the Senate nearly a year ago, and I call on the House of Representatives to take action on this critical legislation as soon as possible.
I will keep pushing to see that our law enforcement officers have access to resources, training, and recruitment support--the kinds of things that they need to do their jobs safely.
While we work to support our police, we must also remember to honor fallen officers. These are our heroes who left behind families, friends, colleagues, and communities they serve and help to protect.
Earlier this month, my team attended an annual Law Enforcement Officers Memorial ceremony to pay our respects to the memory of the five new officers whose names were added to the memorial this year.
Mr. President, to honor their lives and their bravery, I ask unanimous consent to submit a list of the names of the five fallen law enforcement officers who were added to the Nevada Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to be printed in the Congressional Record.
Trooper Alberto Felix, Nevada Department of Public Safety, Highway Patrol. Trooper Clifford Fontaine, Nevada Department of Public Safety, Highway Patrol. Officer Anthony Francone, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Police. Corrections Officer Victor Hunter, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
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Ms. ROSEN. These brave officers--these brave officers--they made the ultimate sacrifice for our communities, and they deserve our eternal gratitude.
I promise that I will keep working with my colleagues across the aisle to support our police departments, support the officers who serve, to support our staff, and to support all of their families.
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