Tuberville Offers Amendment to Eliminate Federal Funding to Localities that Defund Police

WASHINGTON – During today’s debate on the Senate Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget resolution, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) filed an amendment that would reduce or eliminate federal funding to local governments that defund law enforcement departments. Sen. Tuberville released the following statement:

“Americans want safety and security for themselves and their families. But safety and security are at risk when local governments embrace the dangerous rhetoric and policies of the ‘defund the police’ movement.

“More than 80% of all law enforcement in our country is conducted by state and local governments. These men and women who wear the badge are heroes who put their own lives on the line every day to protect their communities, and they deserve the full support of elected officials at every level of government. The woke rhetoric of ‘defund the police’ is dangerous – it puts our law enforcement at risk, and it puts the safety and security of Americans at risk. This must end.

“If local leaders in Minneapolis or Portland are so beholden to the radical Left that they cut financial support for their law enforcement, there is no reason federal taxpayers in Alabama or any other state should have to pick up the tab.

“My amendment is simple: if a city council believes the ‘woke’ thing to do is to cancel the police department, then they shouldn’t expect the federal government to bail them out.”

Sen. Tuberville has been an outspoken champion of law enforcement officers in the U.S. Senate, including introduction of the Empowering Law Enforcement Act, which would allow state and local law enforcement to enforce the nation’s immigration laws.

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.

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