North Baltimore Journal

(Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger on May 18, 2023 voted for legislation expressing support for local law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to “defund” the police. Ruppersberger was among more than 80 Democrats to support H. Con. Res 40, which was considered during National Police Week, and passed the U.S. House of Representatives in a bipartisan 310-119 vote.

The bill was far from perfect, drawing understandable opposition from many Democrats for omitting support for the 137,000 federal law enforcement agents and officers in the 50 states, including the U.S. Capitol Police. The intentional oversight leaves room for extreme conservatives to call for defunding agencies with which they have political disagreements, like the FBI. It also wrongfully singled out “leftist activists” for harming police officers without mentioning right-wing insurrectionists who attacked the U.S. Capitol Police on January 6, 2021. 

“Support for law enforcement at all levels should never be a partisan issue,” Congressman Ruppersberger said. “We must also put our words into action, actually funding police officers, technology and training, rather than just saying we should.” 

President Biden’s budget proposal for the 2024 fiscal year includes funding to put another 100,000 officers on the streets, but House Republicans have proposed a 22 percent reduction for essential law enforcement and public safety programs.  

A former Ocean City police officer and Baltimore County prosecutor, Congressman Ruppersberger is a House Appropriator who serves on the subcommittee that funds federal law enforcement initiatives. He has consistently supported increased funding for police at the federal, state and local levels, including grants and earmarks for Maryland agencies.

Original source can be found here.