Senator Scott Condemns President Biden’s Partisan Policing Executive Action

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott joined Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and several Republican colleagues in writing a letter to President Biden expressing serious concern about a proposed executive order (EO) that would take a partisan approach to the nonpartisan issue of police reform.

“When my counterparts across the aisle walked away from the negotiating table during police reform, I said that I feared Democrats would pursue a partisan route that creates problems in search of solutions,” said Senator Tim Scott. “President Biden’s executive action makes clear that Democrats are more interested in using the issues of safety and policing as political tools rather than delivering substantive results for communities and the officers who serve them. This shouldn’t be a Republican or Democrat issue—it’s an American issue. I am still at the table ready to continue this important work with any partner who is serious about reaching common ground to improve justice, fairness, and safety in neighborhoods across the country.”

The proposed EO would limit law enforcement access to nonlethal and lifesaving resources and impose greater restrictions on federal grant dollars. The planned EO comes amid a national surge in violent crime and a shortage of recruits in police departments across the country.

Click here to read the full text of the letter. 

Background:

• The EO coincides with a violent crime wave sweeping the nation. Homicides in U.S. cities reached near record highs in 2021.
• According to the FBI, the number of law enforcement officers who were intentionally killed in the line of duty was the highest since the 9/11 attacks 20 years ago.
• The Fraternal Order of Police reports that ambush-style attacks on law enforcement increased 115 percent in 2021.

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