Rep. Nehls Introduces Bill to Increase Public Safety

I recently introduced the Public Safety Enhancement Act of 2021 (PSE), which would provide grant funding to hire an additional 100,000 police officers within the next 5 years. The legislation reauthorizes a portion of then-Senator Joe Biden’s 1994 crime bill used to combat the surge in crime by putting more officers on the streets.

Crime has ravaged our streets for far too long and it has compromised the safety of Americans. Rule of law is the cornerstone of our country, without it we fail to have a country. It has never been more important to enforce and enhance public safety. Our nation’s law enforcement departments are currently struggling amid a national crisis. They face an unprecedented rise in violent crime and a severe problem recruiting and hiring qualified police officers and deputies. This bill would reverse this troubling and ongoing trend and secure our streets.

Many communities are seeing alarming increases in violent crime and drug overdose deaths. According to the FBI, overall violent crime was up 5.6% in 2020. The overall murder rate in the U.S. has increased by nearly 30%, the largest increase in over a century. In the 12-month period ending in April, over 100,000 people died of drug overdoses in the U.S. The bill would attempt to address the recent crime surge we are seeing in communities across America.

The bill has received original cosponsors from Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Reps. Don Young (R-AK), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Brian Babin (R-TX), Ronny Jackson (R-TX), John Carter (R-TX), Brain Mast (R-TX), David Rouzer (R-TX), and Randy Weber (R-TX).