Garden State Times

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) joined a broad bipartisan coalition of 78 Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution designating the week of May 14 through 20, 2023 as National Police Week. The resolution honors the 444 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty during 2022.

“Every day, our brave men and women in law enforcement work hard and put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe,” said Sen. Menendez. “With the increasing challenges faced by law enforcement, including officer recruitment and retention it is more important now than ever to honor these hardworking public service workers who tirelessly and fearlessly answer the call of duty every day in New Jersey and all across our nation.”

The bipartisan Senate resolution:

1. Expresses unwavering support for law enforcement officers across the United States in the pursuit of preserving safe and secure communities;

1. Recognizes the need to ensure that law enforcement officers have the equipment, training, and resources that are necessary in order to protect the health and safety of the officers while they protect the public;
2. Recognizes the law enforcement community for continual unseen acts of sacrifice and heroism;
3. Acknowledges that police officers and other law enforcement personnel, especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, should be remembered and honored;
4. Expresses condolences and solemn appreciation to the loved ones of each law enforcement officer who has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty; and
5. Encourages the people of the United States to observe National Police Week by honoring law enforcement personnel and promoting awareness of the essential mission that law enforcement personnel undertake in service to their communities and the United States.

Along with Sen. Menendez, the resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), John Kennedy (R-La.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Angus King (I-Maine), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ben Lujan (D-N.M.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Eric Schmitt (R-Miss.), and Katie Britt (R-Ala.).

Sen. Menendez has been a long-time supporter and advocate for our men and women in law enforcement. Earlier this month, he reintroduced the Homes for Every Local Protector Educator and Responder (HELPER) Act, which would create a first-time homebuyer loan program under the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) for teachers and first responders who have served at least four years in their respective role. Last month, the Senator also introduced legislation that would help members of law enforcement access student loan relief by removing a burdensome provision in federal law that makes it harder to access PSLF benefits.

During the pandemic when state and local governments were making difficult budgetary decisions, Sen. Menendez fought tooth and nail to secure $350 billion in direct, flexible aid for every state, county, and municipal government, modeled after his SMART Act, to help cover the increased costs and lost revenues due COVID-19, while keeping essential public workers such as police officers and firefighters on the job and maintaining critical services for residents. Sen. Menendez has also long advocated for funding Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) programs, securing $512 million in the FY22 spending package for such programming in New Jersey and another $50 million in the FY23 spending bill for community violence intervention efforts in the state.

Original source can be found here.