Feb 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 2

AROUND THE COUNTRY

AROUND THE COUNTRY WASHINGTON, D.C. Video created to help promote awareness of the Protect & Serve Act (H.R. 743 By Paula Fitzsimmons The Protect & Serve Act (H.R. 743) needs to be enacted because our guardians are being attacked in greater numbers and it’s not letting up. This isn’t something that can wait, either. I’m not naive to think that this bill will stop all the carnage. You can’t legislate morality, and people intent on doing harm will always find a way. What this bill can do is punish offenders (the Feds don’t mess around). It will send a resounding message that attacks on officers of the law will not be tolerated. There are currently few, if any deterrents for assaulting local or state police officers. While most states in the union have laws to penalize these attacks, they vary in their wording. And depending on the political persuasion of a district attorney, justice can be arbitrary. What You Can Do The sad fact is that we’re losing the info war. In fact, Joe Gamaldi, vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) recently stated that META, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, refused to run ads that highlight attacks on officers. We need all hands-on-deck, and that, dear reader, includes you! Please don’t think for a moment that you’re not making a difference. By sharing this video (or article), you’re helping to plant another seed. Even if a small percentage of viewers take the time to call their Congressperson, you’ve helped us get closer to making H.R. 743 a reality. With that, please consider doing the following : • Watch and Share the Video with your friends, family members, on social media, and on forums where links are allowed. You can either share this article or the link to the video. • Lobby Your U.S. Congressperson If you haven’t already, please urge your Congressperson to co-sponsor H.R. 743. If short on time, feel free to use FOP’s convenient automated form. If you prefer not to share the video, please still ask your network to contact their House Representatives. The list of co-sponsors is here. House Judiciary Committee Update As mentioned in a previous post, H.R. 743 is being held up because a group of House Judiciary Committee Republicans informed Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (OH) that they wouldn’t support the bill. Yes, Republicans; you read that correctly. {Sigh} After reaching out to several people knowledgeable about the Protect & Serve Act, I still haven’t received any answers about which specific Representatives made this statement. This is so wrong. Not just that this group won’t support the bill, but that I have to jump through hoops just to get names that should have been made public. So for now, the list of Representatives who haven’t yet signed on as co-sponsors provides important clues. If you live in the district of a Congressperson on this list, can you please make a quick call or send an email urging that the Committee prioritize the Protect & Serve Act? 44 The Blues - February ‘24

The Blues - February ‘24 45