July 10, 2024

New Democrat Coalition Endorses 15 Public Safety Bills to Support Law Enforcement, Tackle Gun Violence, and Make Communities Safer

New Dems will fight to find the common ground needed to get these bills across the finish line and make our communities safer

The New Democrat Coalition is proud of our long record leading on and advancing commonsense legislation to support and enhance public safety and security for all of our communities. Continuing that leadership, today, the New Democrat Coalition unveiled an endorsement slate of New Dem-led public safety legislation. Through these 15 bills – the majority of which have bipartisan support – New Dems are working to advance federal policies that reflect a pragmatic, commonsense approach to policing and public safety. 

From increasing resources for law enforcement agencies and cracking down on gun violence to improving community violence prevention initiatives and getting illicit drugs out of our communities, these endorsed bills will build upon Democrats’ vision for a safer America.

NDC Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02), Vice Chair for Communications Brad Schneider (IL-10), and Vice Chair for Policy Derek Kilmer (WA-06) issued the following statement on the endorsement slate:

“While Republicans work to stoke the fires of culture wars when it comes to crime and public safety, they hardly do anything to actually make American communities safer.

“In Congress, Republicans are in reality working to defund law enforcement and crucial public safety programs, and it’s President Biden and Democrats who have been advancing policies that support both law enforcement and our communities, giving them the resources they need to prevent and respond to crime. Because of Democratic efforts, violent crime is decreasing across the country.

“Despite the progress we’ve made, there is so much more Congress can and must do to make sure all Americans feel safe in their communities. That’s why New Dems are putting the full weight of our Coalition behind advancing these 15 endorsed bills. 

“For the remainder of this year and into the 119th Congress, New Dems will continue working with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the Capitol to ensure Congress delivers real, bipartisan public safety solutions that make the American people safer.”

You can find the full list of New Dem-endorsed bills here, and below:

Community Safety

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 847: The Auto Theft Prevention Act

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Sherrill (NJ-11)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill provides state and local law enforcement agencies with federal grant funding to help them combat auto theft and stolen vehicle trafficking. 

Committee: Judiciary

Cosponsors: 9Ds/3Rs

 

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 3658: Joint Task Force to Combat Opioid Trafficking Act

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Vasquez (NM-02)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill establishes a joint task force led by the Department of Homeland Security to combat opioid trafficking. 

Committee: Homeland Security

Cosponsors: 4Ds/5Rs

 

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 5003: Break the Cycle of Violence Act

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Horsford (NV-04)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill would provide federal grants to communities for evidence-informed community violence intervention and prevention programs designed to interrupt cycles of violence.

Committee: Judiciary; Education and Workforce

Cosponsors: 115Ds (Bicameral; led by Sen. Booker)

 

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 6319: 911 SAVES Act

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Torres (CA-35)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill would direct the Office of Management and Budget to reclassify Public Safety Telecommunicators (otherwise known as 9-1-1 dispatchers) as a protective service occupation under the Standards Occupation Classification. 

Committee: Education and Workforce

Cosponsors: 103Ds/30Rs (Bicameral; led by Sens. Klobuchar, Blackburn, Heinrich, Thune)

 

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 7009: SAFE Parking Act

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Caraveo (CO-08)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill would allow airports to use Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds for security measures at their parking lots to combat car theft.

Committee: Transportation and Infrastructure

Cosponsors: 1R

 

Law Enforcement Support

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 1649: EAGLE Act of 2023

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Pappas (NH-01)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill would require the Department of Justice to provide grants to eligible local law enforcement agencies for activities related to obtaining qualified accreditation or recertification provided by a professional law enforcement organization involved in developing standards for law enforcement at the national, state, regional, or tribal level, such as the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

Committee: Judiciary

Cosponsors: 11Ds/5Rs

 

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 3184: Invest to Protect Act of 2023

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Gottheimer (NJ-05)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill would invest in officer safety, de-escalation, and domestic violence response training; create grants for small departments to recruit and retain new officers; allow departments to provide mental health resources for their officers; and authorize $50,000,000 of existing funding per year for five years for local police departments.

Committee: Judiciary

Cosponsors: 53Ds/19Rs (Bicameral; led by Sen. Masto)

 

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 3376: Enhancing COPS Hiring Program Grants for Local Law Enforcement Act

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Landsman (OH-01)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill would allow funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services grant program to be used to provide bonuses for the recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers or career law enforcement officers.

Committee: Judiciary

Cosponsors: 30Ds/10Rs

 

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 4911: Supporting the Health and Safety of Law Enforcement Act of 2023

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Harder (CA-09)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill would establish a three-year pilot program through the Department of Justice to provide grant funding up to $300,000 over three years to community mental health centers for the purpose of embedding social workers within law enforcement agencies. 

Committee: Judiciary

Cosponsors: 7Ds/1R

 

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 5029: Strong Communities Act

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Ross (NC-02)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill would provide federal grants for local law enforcement recruits and officers who agree to attend school or academy and then serve in a law enforcement agency in their respective communities.

Committee: Judiciary

Cosponsors: 5Ds/4Rs (Bicameral; led by Sens. Peters, Cornyn, Tillis, Klobuchar)

 

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 8420: Filling Public Safety Vacancies Act

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Carbajal (CA-24)

Bill Summary: 

  • The bill would provide a one-time emergency boost of $162 million through the COPS hiring program for the hiring or rehiring of police officers and sheriffs’ deputies, helping public safety agencies fill key vacancies. Additionally, the legislation establishes a new vetting requirement for officers hired using the supplemental funding provided in the bill, ensuring that they undergo background checks and mental health evaluations.

Committee: Appropriations; Budget

Cosponsors: 2Ds/3Rs (Bicameral; led by Sen. Ossoff)

 

Gun Violence Prevention

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 816: Safety Enhancements for Communities Using Reasonable and Effective (SECURE) Firearm Storage Act

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Schneider (IL-10)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill would require all firearms to be securely stored when a federally licensed gun dealer is not open for business to prevent smash-and-grab gun store burglaries.

Committee: Judiciary

Cosponsors: 14Ds (Bicameral; led by Sen. Durbin)

 

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 1595: State Firearms Dealer Licensing Enhancement Act

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Morelle (NY-25)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill would establish a grant program for states to develop or improve firearm dealer licensing programs. These funds would allow states to put additional resources towards conducting gun dealer inspections, as well as invest in new technologies and systems that will optimize existing inspection and licensing regimes.

Committee: Judiciary

Cosponsors: 27Ds (Bicameral; led by Sen. Schatz) 

 

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 2870: Raise the Age Act

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Ivey (MD-04)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill would prohibit the sale or transfer of certain semiautomatic firearms to individuals under 21 years of age. The bill also requires the FBI to report on the operation of its public access line, including a description of information sharing protocols and recommendations for improving such protocols.

Committee: Judiciary

Cosponsors: 142Ds

 

Bill Number and Title: H.R. 7272: Shining a Spotlight on Safer Communities Act

NDC Sponsor: Rep. Brown (OH-11)

Bill Summary: 

  • This bill would require reports on the progress and implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to inform further potential legislative and/or administrative action.

Committee: Judiciary

Cosponsors: 31Ds

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