Category: US Senate

Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

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Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

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Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

Legislation Would Enhance Reporting on Gang Data to Help Law Enforcement Strengthen Public Safety 

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced the bipartisan Gang Activity Reporting Act to require the Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to resume regular reporting on criminal gang trends across the country that it previously provided to Congress, but discontinued in 2009 and 2012. While the Justice Department and FBI have established units to address gang activity, critical data is no longer regularly collected and shared with Congress or the public.

“Communities across America have been affected by the nationwide rise in violent crime, and we must take action to reverse this dangerous trend,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m helping introduce bipartisan legislation to provide law enforcement officials with new data on gang membership and trends so they can better understand how gangs are contributing to violent crime and identify solutions to strengthen public safety.”

Senator Rosen has worked to ensure law enforcement across the country and in Nevada have the resources they need to do their jobs keeping communities safe from crime. Last month, Senator Rosen co-sponsored the bipartisan Recruit and Retain Act to support law enforcement agencies’ efforts to hire and retain more police officers amid the ongoing police officer shortage in Nevada and nationwide. As part of the government funding legislation last year, Senator Rosen secured millions in funding for police departments across Nevada. Earlier this year, Rosen also announced federal funding opportunities for local police departments to hire more officers and incentivize community policing efforts. 

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Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

WASHINGTON, DC – Last night, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution recognizing Jewish Heritage American Month. The resolution, introduced by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tim Scott (R-SC), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Rick Scott (R-FL), and cosponsored by 33 Senators, celebrates the many contributions of Jewish Americans to the United States and calls on elected officials, faith leaders, and civil society leaders to condemn and combat any and all acts of antisemitism. 

“At a time of rising antisemitism, it’s important to honor and celebrate the impact Jewish Americans have had on our country’s history and culture,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m glad the Senate has passed this resolution to encourage Americans to learn more about the contributions of Jewish Americans. Let us continue working to build a more inclusive, welcoming nation where Jewish Americans can proudly express their faith and identity.”

“Today’s unanimous passage of our Jewish American Heritage Resolution is a strong declaration of support during a time where antisemitic rhetoric and incidents are at an all-time high,” said Senator Cardin. “Together, we are embodying the Jewish value, ‘Tikkun Olam,’ which in Hebrew means ‘repairing the world.’ I am proud of our resolution and my faith, which has helped inspire and guide my life in public service.”

“I am proud to see the passage of our resolution recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month and honoring the wonderful contributions of Jewish Americans to our great nation,” said Senator Rick Scott. “While it is important to set aside this time to honor the Jewish people, we must also commit to standing resolutely with them every day while shining a light on and condemning anti-Semitism of any kind. In Florida, we are blessed to be home to many vibrant Jewish communities and I will continue my work with leaders at the local, state and federal level to support them and their right to live safely and pursue their American Dream.”

“Jewish Americans are a vibrant part of our nation’s history, and their extraordinary accomplishments have pushed America forward as a beacon of hope, faith, and freedom,” said Senator Tim Scott. “I am proud to stand with the Jewish community, especially as despicable antisemitism is on the rise. We must reaffirm our commitment to not only calling out this hate, but crushing it wherever it rears its ugly head.”

As a co-founder of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, Senator Rosen has been leading the fight against antisemitism in the United States and around the world. Recently, Senator Rosen introduced the bipartisan Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons (HEAL) Act to strengthen Holocaust education at public schools. In 2020, Senator Rosen’s bipartisan Never Again Education Act was signed into law, establishing a federal fund through the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to provide teachers with resources and training necessary to teach students the important lessons of the Holocaust.

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Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Representatives Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.-09) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.-05) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation today to address New York’s flawed Congestion Pricing tax that would unfairly impact New Jersey commuters and businesses.

“What this legislation would do is disincentivize New York from moving forward with their congestion pricing proposal and ensure that New Jersey has a seat at the table on any congestion pricing system that would impact the state,” said Sen. Menendez. “At the end of the day, we are not New York’s piggy bank. This is all about a money grab for the MTA and does not consider the adverse consequences to New Jersey. This is not a one-way street.”

“I’ve said it before and I will say it one more time: New Jerseyans are used to paying our fair share but New York’s congestion pricing scheme is fatally flawed and unnecessarily unfair,” said Congressman Pascrell. “USDOT should have required New York to complete a full Environmental Impact Statement. New York’s plan would saddle Jersey commuters with extra taxes on top of our already-high taxes without the needed financial return for our transit systems. Having the rubber stamp of approval by the federal government is wrong and an affront to New Jersey. This plan as conceived should not stand and today members of our New Jersey delegation are fighting back to give fairness to Garden Staters.”

“I’ve been fighting the Congestion Tax for years, and I’m proud to help lead this new bipartisan, bicameral legislation with Senator Menendez to stop New York’s and the MTA’s anti-environment, anti-commuter, $23-a-day Congestion Tax plan,” said Congressman Gottheimer, Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Anti-Congestion Tax Caucus. “MTA Chairman Janno Lieber’s plan was exposed for what he admitted it was: a cash-grab to bail out the terribly mismanaged MTA and a plan that will increase pollutants, particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and carcinogens like formaldehyde in New Jersey. And it will increase truck traffic in Bergen County.”

The STOP NJ CONGESTION Act, would impose highway sanctions on any state that implements the program described in the final Environmental Assessment for the Central Business District Tolling Program, or any similar program, causing New York to lose 50 percent of their National Highway Performance Program (NHPP) and Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBG) funding if they choose to move forward with the proposal. This would directly disincentivize New York from implementing its congestion pricing system.

The bill would also amend the underlying Value Pricing Pilot Program, which New York is using to implement its congestion pricing proposal, to require that a project sponsor meaningfully engage with, and receive consent from, any state that would be reasonably impacted by a proposal under the program. This essentially guarantees New Jersey a seat at the table on, and veto power over, any future congestion pricing proposal.

The legislation is also co-sponsored in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, (D-N.J.-12), Tom Kean, Jr. (R-N.J.-07), Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.-02), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.-06), Chris Smith (R-N.J.-04), Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.-11), Rob Menendez, Jr. (D-N.J.-08), and Donald Norcross (D-N.J.-01).

“Whether or not New Yorkers want to admit it, New Jerseyans contribute significantly to their state’s economy. New Jersey deserves an opportunity to have a seat at the table and determine how this plan can benefit our state’s commuters as well,” said Congressman Pallone. “Any congestion pricing plan must be fair to the people who travel regularly to the city.”

“New York’s congestion pricing plan is an unreasonable punishment that will double tax the almost 400,000 New Jersey residents who work in New York City and contribute immensely to the city’s economy,” said Congresswoman Sherrill. “Every day, I am fighting to reduce costs for my constituents. It should not cost $40 just to get to work. New York should not be able to unilaterally make decisions that will impact New Jersey without our input. With this bill, we will change that.”

“New York’s congestion pricing plan was designed without any significant input from New Jersey residents and the end result reflects that lack of consideration and involvement,” said Congressman Rob Menendez. “I stand with my colleagues in New Jersey’s Congressional Delegation in sponsoring the STOP NJ CONGESTION Act to halt this ill-conceived plan that will shift traffic and pollution to our cities and towns. Together, we are working to ensure that our constituents’ health, well-being, and access to modern and efficient mass transit options are prioritized in any discussions moving forward.”

“The New York congestion tax will disproportionally and unfairly impact New Jersey families and our small businesses,” said Congressman Norcross. “I am proud to stand with Sen. Menendez and federal, state, and local leaders to fight back against this plan that would burden the hard-working people of New Jersey.”

In addition to $17 tolls to cross into New York through the Holland and Lincoln tunnels, a $23-a-day congestion fee would impose a $5,000-a-year burden on New Jerseyans who work or do business in Manhattan, as well as an added strain to New Jersey’s transit systems and infrastructure. At a time when the budgets of working-class families and small businesses are already stretched thin, New York is trying to balance their budget by squeezing every dollar from out-of-state-residents.

In addition to the legislation introduced today, the Senator, along with Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) also sent a letter this week to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressing ‘serious concern’ about the impacts New York’s congestion pricing plan will have on New Jersey communities. The letter also urges Secretary Buttigieg to abandon the current Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), and instead pursue a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that includes input from, and equity for, all stakeholders, including those in New Jersey.

On Monday, Sen. Menendez joined with advocates, business leaders, and transportation officials, to announce this legislation and to highlight how this congestion pricing tax will negatively impact New Jersey drivers and small businesses.

Find a copy of the bill text HERE.

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Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), a senior member of the U.S. Finance Committee, today questioned witnesses during a hearing entitled “Tax Incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act: Jobs and Investment in Energy Communities” about how clean energy industries, such as offshore wind, create new jobs and opportunities in many underserved communities in New Jersey and across the country.

“The IRA, working alongside other pieces of legislation passed by Congress, has provided, in my mind, needed stability and certainty to the clean energy industry,” said Sen. Menendez. “This has helped to ensure and enable and protect large-scale investments made by the offshore wind industry in communities like my home state of New Jersey that historically have been economically underdeveloped—from the New Jersey Wind Port in Salem County that will support up to $500 million in new economic activity, to the $250 million manufacturing facility at the Paulsboro Marine Terminal. Additionally, the offshore wind projects furthest along in the development process in New Jersey have made strong commitments to using union labor, ensuring that the jobs they create are good-paying union jobs.”

In response to a question from Sen. Menendez during the hearing, Dr. Katie Harris, a Legislative Director for BlueGreen Alliance, highlighted the Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit, which provides incentives for housing clean energy projects in underserved communities, and the Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship Standards, which improve job quality and create accessible jobs for communities that might not have previously had access to those work opportunities.

Sen. Menendez also inquired about how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) contributes to the training and development of the next generation of highly-skilled American energy workers. Dr. Harris referred to the apprenticeships she had previously mentioned and stated that these requirements are extremely important to ensure American energy workers have access to highly trained, skilled union labor to open the pipeline of opportunity for years to come.

“Now, the Inflation Reduction Act isn’t just helping us to meet our emissions reduction targets, but it’s a driver, as we’ve talking about here, of good paying, clean energy jobs. In New Jersey alone, we expect to see over 300,000 new green jobs added over the next decade, demonstrating the need for a strong workforce and manufacturing base over a wide range of diverse clean energy sectors,” added Sen. Menendez. “We’re talking about reinvigorating American manufacturing—a sector that has been devastated by offshoring. Yet, if my colleagues have their way, all this progress would be wiped out.”

The Senator also asked Patty Horvatich, Senior Vice President for Business Investment at Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, if the Inflation Reduction Act facilitated bringing in high-quality, energy jobs, and if she believed that rolling back the majority of these new clean energy tax incentives would impair the ability of her region to see a continued increase in energy sector jobs.

Sen. Menendez concluded his questioning by highlighting the transition from fossil fuel to clean energy will impact the communities most affected by asking Dr. Harris how the idea of a just transition, along with the energy community provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, has enabled workers and environmental advocates to come together to support the vital policy changes necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

“The Inflation Reduction Act creates key incentives to assist energy communities—generally former fossil fuel communities—diversifying their economies and to create new high-paying jobs in cutting edge industries. I think it would be wrong as policy to say ‘Sorry, we’re moving to a new, clean energy economy. And so, you’re just left behind,’” said Sen. Menendez. “That’s one of the challenges we had with trade where we said ‘This is the new economy; some people will benefit from it – others will not. And for those of you who do not, you’re left behind.’ That’s not what we seek to do here.”

In March, Sen. Menendez joined the Biden Administration in announcing the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s approval to expand access to capital for small businesses under the American Rescue Plan’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) which included the Clean Energy Business Financing Program, a loan participation program that provides loans to small businesses to deploy clean energy technologies.

In August of 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law and delivered substantive solutions to address the most pressing challenges our nation faces, including lowering the cost of prescription drugs to help seniors struggling to make ends meet. That same month, the Senator highlighted the impacts the IRA would have on hardworking families across New Jersey by capping the out-of-pocket costs to $2,000 for Medicare beneficiaries, expanding access to health care and creating millions of good-paying jobs.

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Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), alongside U.S. Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.-12) and Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.-31), today reintroduced the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act. The legislation was originally introduced in 2020 following a report from the Congressional Black Caucus’s Emergency Taskforce on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health chaired by Rep. Watson Coleman. The report outlined the state of Black youth mental health and detailed policy recommendations for consideration by Congress.

“The mental health crisis facing our country is one of the biggest challenges we must confront. Unmet mental health needs jeopardize the future of our young people, particularly in minority communities. Providing equity in mental health care access and reducing disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups is critical to how we confront this issue and build stronger, healthier individuals and communities,” said Sen. Menendez. “This legislation is a positive step to ensure that public health agencies prioritize issues of mental health and suicide, especially in communities with high populations of people of color who continue to bear the disproportionate brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is my sincere hope that together, with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, we can finally address this racial inequity in our mental health care system.”

“The crisis of climbing youth suicide rates existed before the onset of the COVID-19 crisis but has no doubt intensified as so many minority youth have lost friends and family members as the coronavirus has decimated their communities,” said Rep. Watson Coleman. “We have an opportunity, right now, to address this crisis and get a generation of young people the help they need.”

“Because of stigma and long-standing health disparities, mental health remains underfunded and misunderstood, disproportionately affecting millions in communities of color,” said Rep. Grace Napolitano. “As our nation confronts this mental health crisis, worsened by the pandemic, it is absolutely critical that we invest greater mental health resources in underserved communities to achieve equity and reach all in need. I commend Congresswoman Watson Coleman for leading this legislation to elevate the topic of mental health, provide vital funding for long-term solutions for America’s communities of color, and help save lives.”

In 2018, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics published a report that found that for the first time in the history of such research, the rate of suicides for Black children between the ages of five and 12 has exceeded that of White children, and more than a third of elementary school-aged suicides involved Black children. A 2019 study published in the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Journal Pediatrics found that self-reported suicide attempts rose in Black teenagers, even as they fell in other groups; and further analysis of the data found these attempts rose 73 percent between 1997 and 2017. The Emergency Taskforce sought to identify causes and solutions, and empowered a working group of academic and practicing experts led by the AAP Pediatrics study’s lead author, Dr. Michael A. Lindsey, Executive Director of the NYU McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research.

The Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act would authorize $995 million in grants and other funding to support research, improve the pipeline of culturally competent providers, build outreach programs that reduce stigma, and develop a training program for providers to effectively manage disparities. It includes:  

• Authorize $750 million annually for 5 years for the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
• Authorize $150 million annually over 5 years for the National Institute of Health to build relations with communities and support clinical research, including on racial or ethnic disparities in physical and mental health 
• Authorize $15 million annually over 5 years for the Department of Health and Human Services to develop an outreach and education strategy to promote behavioral and mental health and reduce stigma associated with mental health conditions and substance abuse among minority groups
• Updates the Primary and Behavioral Health Care Grant Program to ensure that special consideration is given to serving a high proportion of racial and ethnic minority groups. This program will also be reauthorized from fiscal year 2024 through 2029 at $80 million annually.
• Amends Section 597 of the Public Health Service Act to allow funds to be used to promote best practices or core competencies addressing mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups for training students in the behavioral health field. 
• Directs the National Institutes of Health to enter into an arrangement with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine or another body to study mental health disparities in racial and ethnic minority groups and submit the result to Congress

The Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act is supported by the Mental Health Liaison Group and by the following organizations: American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, American Association on Health and Disability, American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, American Counseling Association, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Mental Health Counselors Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, American Society of Addiction Medicine, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs, Children’s Hospital Association, Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder, Crisis Text Line, First Focus Campaign for Children, Fountain House, International OCD Foundation, International Society for Psychiatric Nurses, Inseparable, Lakeshore Foundation, Legal Action Center, Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, Mental Health America, NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness, National Association for Children’s Behavioral Health, National Association of County and Behavioral Health and Disability Directors, National Association of Social Workers, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, National Federation of Families, National Eating Disorders Association, Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, Psychotherapy Action Network, Sandy Hook Promise, Promly, School Social Work Association of America, SMART Recovery, The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health, The Kennedy Forum, The Trevor Project, The Jed Foundation, The Mental Wealth Alliance, and Vibrant Emotional Health.

“Research shows that the nation’s growing mental health crisis has impacted communities of color especially hard,” said Dr. Michael A. Lindsey, Dean of the NYU Silver School of Social Work and Paulette Goddard Professor of Social Work and former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus’s Emergency Taskforce on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health’s working group. “The provisions of the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act are needed more than ever, to fund resources for the mental health needs of hard-hit communities, as well as to enable more clinical research and interventions. We are grateful to Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, the bill’s co-sponsors and the Congressional Black Caucus for taking action to save lives.”

“The American Psychological Association commends Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman for her commitment to addressing longstanding mental health inequities affecting communities of color,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., Ph.D., CEO of the American Psychological Association. “The breadth of these disparities, fueled by social drivers of health, can be addressed by supporting research and increasing funding for culturally and language-appropriate interventions. APA calls on Congress to enact the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act to help provide equitable access to treatment needed to stem our nation’s mental health crisis.”

“Our youth, particularly Black youth and other youth of color, are experiencing a mental health crisis. Congress must continue to prioritize youth mental health and funding for mental health programs,” said American Psychiatric Association CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. “The APA strongly supports the bipartisan Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act, which would authorize funding to support and train a culturally competent healthcare workforce to address healthcare disparities. Further, the Act promotes efforts to integrate mental health and primary care and ensure underserved populations can access the care they need across the health care systems.”

“Suicide is a public health issue that can impact anyone, but mental health care disparities leave certain racial and ethnic groups at increased risk,”  said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “For example, Black youth and non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaskan Natives see higher rates of suicide when compared with the national averages. The Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act will provide critical investments in education, training, and research to address the increase in suicide among at-risk populations. AFSP is grateful to Representative Watson Coleman, Representative Napolitano, and Senator Menendez for introducing this important legislation.”

“Trauma as a result of racism and other adverse experiences is directly related to mental health outcomes,” said Schroeder Stribling, CEO of Mental Health America. “Mental Health America supports the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act because it directs necessary resources for researching and addressing trauma, emotional disturbances, and mental health conditions in children who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), and creates a pipeline of mental health professionals to provide more culturally responsive care.”

“Youth of color face disproportionate challenges when attempting to access mental health resources due to long-standing underinvestment and underrepresentation,” said Zainab Okolo, Senior Vice President of Policy, Advocacy & Government Relations for The Jed Foundation. “The reintroduction of this proposed legislation will allow for renewed investment in our most vulnerable communities by ensuring equity is centered in both the planning and protection of mental health for all young people nationwide.”

“We applaud the reintroduction of Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act during Mental Health Awareness Month. This bill will provide critical funding for research, training, and outreach to support youth mental health and suicide prevention, especially for youth of color as disparities continue to rise” said Mark Barden co-founder and CEO of the Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund and father of Daniel who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. “This legislation will save lives. With suicide continuing to be the second leading cause of death for young people, we owe it to our children to address the inequities to accessing mental health support now.”

“Vibrant is grateful for Rep. Watson Coleman, Rep. Napolitano and Senator Menendez’s vision and leadership in the introduction of the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act,” said Kimberly Williams, President and CEO at Vibrant Emotional Health. “We are pleased to endorse the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act, as it is a first step in addressing disparities in access, care and study of mental health issues among people of color. Importantly, the legislation authorizes funding for outreach and education, a critical step in breaking down barriers.”

“We have an escalating mental health crisis among our nation’s children and youth, but children and youth of color are suffering at much higher rates,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus Campaign for Children. “We must do a better job with outreach and education efforts so youth of color know where to turn when they need help.  When they do seek help, they should find health care teams that understand their unique needs and provide treatment in a culturally competent manner.  We are pleased to endorse  the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act and urge Congress to pass it without delay.”

“To address suicide and other mental health disparities among Black queer and transgender youth, we must invest resources in the mental health programs and organizations with a track record of success in engaging, treating, and healing them within the context of their lived experiences,” said Victoria Kirby York, MPA, Director of Public Policy and Programs at the National Black Justice Coalition. “Organizations with cultural competence and expertise at the intersection of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics must receive a disproportionate share of funding if they are going to reduce and prevent the disproportionate impact on these communities. The National Black Justice Coalition supports Rep. Watson Coleman’s Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Equity Act because it would spend taxpayer money exactly where it’s needed most.”

“Systemic Racism impacts Black mental health. Our community needs more funding for research, and culturally competent mental health resources,” said Jasmin Pierre, mental health advocate and creator of the minority mental health app The Safe Place. “Our Black youth are currently suffering because of the lack of support and resources. I truly hope this Bill will be highly considered.”

“Having watched the suicide and teen mental health crisis unfold over 20 years, with such little access to quality treatment, we need to do better now,” said Jen Libby, teen therapist and founder of Promly. “I’m grateful to Congresswoman Watson Coleman for continuing to fight for the next generation – knowing that mental health equity means hope for the future.” 

In the Senate, the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act is cosponsored by Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), TIna Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). In the House of Representatives, the legislation is cosponsored by Reps. Nanette Barragan (D-Calif.-CA-44), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio-11), Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.-13), Troy Carter (D-La.02), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas-30), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.-04), Veronica Escobar (D-Texas-16), Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.-04), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.-At-Large), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.-37), Andy Kim (D-N.J.-03), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.-12), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.-02), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.-04), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.-05), Donald Payne, Jr. (D-N.J.-10), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.-07), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.-05), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.-13), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.-20), David Trone (D-Md.-06), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.-24).

Find a copy of the bill text HERE.

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Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

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Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) spoke on the Senate floor today to mark National Police Week and honor the brave men and women serving in law enforcement. During her remarks, Senator Fischer discussed her Recruit and Retain Act, which would help law enforcement agencies tackle staffing roadblocks. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the legislation out of committee by a voice vote today.

Click the image above to watch video of Sen. Fischer’s remarks

Click here to download audio

Click here to download video

Following is a transcript of Senator Fischer’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

Mr. President,

This week is National Police Week. It’s an opportunity to show our gratitude to the men and women in blue who risk their lives every day for our safety, as well as honor those who’ve lost their lives in the line of duty.

This Police Week, I want to tell the story of a police chief in my home state of Nebraska.

Local broadcast outlet KETV recently interviewed the new police chief of Ashland, a city of about 3,000 on the eastern side of the state.

According to KETV, Chief Ryan Brady worked 19 days in a row at one point last year. He logged over 170 hours of work in a two-week period.

Brady clocked more than 800 overtime hours last year — but he’s on salary, so he’s not paid for any of it. 

I’m amazed at Chief Brady’s dedication to the job. He works day shifts, night shifts, and picks up his partners’ shifts when they get sick.

But why does he have to work so much?

Well, because his department has encountered a staffing crisis.

Between retirements and trouble recruiting, the Ashland police department has dwindled down to only a handful of officers.

Chief Brady told KETV: “Somebody’s got to work, so the buck stops here. So, you know, if no one else can work, I work.”

I’ve spoken with police officers and sheriffs all over the state, and I can tell you this is not a problem that’s unique to Ashland. No, it’s not even a problem unique to Nebraska. Severe police staffing shortages are affecting departments across our country.

The Police Executive Research Forum found that agencies are losing officers faster than they can hire new ones. There were 47 percent more resignations in 2022 than 2019, in addition to 19 percent more retirements over the same time period. That means large groups of officers are leaving the force while few are trickling in.

Understaffed departments are doing their best to keep up with these changes, but there are also roadblocks we can help remove when it comes to hiring.

Over the past year, I worked with police departments across Nebraska as well as national law enforcement groups representing departments around the country. From these conversations, I introduced the Recruit and Retain Act, which would help police departments tackle these staffing roadblocks.

This bipartisan bill would boost officer recruitment opportunities through the Justice Department’s Community Oriented Policing Services hiring grants.

These grants can keep departments afloat, but recruitment expenses like background checks, psychological evaluations, and other tests are not currently included as eligible expenses. The bill would allow COPS grants to cover these specific costs and make it easier to onboard new officers. Reducing the cost of hiring would go a long way in helping law enforcement raise staffing levels.

My bill would also establish the Pipeline Partnership Program, a new initiative aimed at fostering youth interest in law enforcement careers.

Departments and local schools would work together to launch mentorship opportunities, job fairs, and other activities that give young people better insight into law enforcement work. This program would bolster community relationships and open up a stronger local hiring pipeline for police departments.

Finally, the bill would direct the Government Accountability Office to study both the causes of these latest recruitment and retention challenges, as well as the effects they have on public safety.

I want to thank Senator Coons for working with me on this bill for many months, as well as Senators Cornyn and Klobuchar. It was great to see that the Judiciary Committee passed this bill by voice vote today, and I look forward to its advancement.

I was also glad to join my colleague Senator Cornyn to help introduce two bills that further support law enforcement’s tireless work.

The Project Safe Neighborhoods Act of 2023 would reauthorize the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program through fiscal year 2026.

The PSN program is an effective, bipartisan solution to violent crime that’s been working since 2001. 

In Nebraska, PSN coordinates enforcement and prosecution partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement, in addition to involvement to Nebraska communities, to bring violent offenders to justice.

The second bill, the Back the Blue Act, would protect police officers by creating new federal criminal penalties for attacking federal law enforcement officers. 

Too often, police officers are harmed rather than honored in our country. It’s time we made a federal statement that attackers will be punished.

Another vital area to continue addressing is the mental health of police officers, who face daily strains from the intensity of their jobs. I’m planning to reintroduce a bill that would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to create a publicly accessible online dashboard so that organizations, including law enforcement groups, can easily search for federal funding opportunities that support mental health.

Potential applicants would be able to search for the right mental health grants and track the status of those grants.

This bill could truly be a lifeline to officers reeling from staffing issues or difficult cases.

In his interview, Ashland police chief Brady said: I love this community. The hours that I’m putting in are because of my care for the people. 

That dedication is what we honor during National Police Week. But let’s not leave our appreciation for our selfless, hardworking police officers behind on Saturday when Police Week ends. I urge my colleagues to continue backing the blue throughout the year and especially to pass these critical bills.

Thank you. I yield the floor. 

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Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), members of the Senate Commerce Committee, today introduced legislation requiring the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to issue a report on the extent and effect of the current pilot shortage on regional carriers. 

“The ongoing pilot shortage is causing flight cancellations and service reductions across our country, and Essential Air Service airports here in Nebraska are being hit the hardest. Our legislation is a commonsense approach that would help identify more solutions to these challenges so the flying public doesn’t continue to lose access to such an essential mode of transportation,” said Senator Fischer.

“Pilot shortages affect everyone’s air travel, but rural communities are often the first ones to take the hit. This is the first step in improving reliable air service to our smaller airports so local economies can continue to thrive,” said Senator Hickenlooper.

“Western Nebraska Regional Airport is in support of any legislation that would help alleviate the pilot shortage. If Congress doesn’t make this a high priority, communities like mine may lose connectivity to the national air transportation system and that would be detrimental to our local economy, as well as the economies for all EAS cities,” said Western Nebraska Regional Airport Executive Director Raul Aguallo.

Background:

The aviation industry has endured a series of challenges over the past few years, with pilot workforce shortages being one of the most common. Currently, there is a lack of data identifying which factors are contributing to this shortage.

The Senators’ legislation would direct the GAO to examine the extent and effect of the pilot shortage on regional carriers and issue a report to Congress outlining the issue. Regional air carriers, including those who offer Essential Air Service (EAS), have cited pilot staffing shortages as the reason for terminating service to select markets. 

Last July, Senator Fischer helped introduce legislation raising the mandatory commercial pilot retirement age from 65 to 67. Senator Fischer also questioned Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at a hearing last year about the importance of EAS to communities across Nebraska.

Click here to view text of the legislation. 

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