Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker. I have a speech written for this today. I am going to speak from the heart.

As one of just a few people that have represented their constituents in Congress, I was one of the few that wore the uniform. I was one of the few that was shot while off-duty. I was one of the few that had a gun malfunction when it was pointed at my head. I was one of the few that ran into the fire. I was one of the few that was on our tackle response team.

When they talk about tasers, it is a tool that we can use in law enforcement to save lives, not only the officer, not only the subject or the suspect, but bystanders.

For my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to try to defend the philosophy that we don't need those or this piece of legislation that involves the tax code isn't legit, it is just atrocious.

Here is a list of people that support it: The African American Mayors Association. The Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, Major County Sheriffs of America, Peace Officers Research Association of California, and so many others.

You can ask every law enforcement officer on the streets of America whether they want this to move forward and pass and become law. The answer is yes because the technology continues to grow and grow.

When I first started in law enforcement, we had one shot at the taser. When we would cross draw, flip the switch up, bring it up, taser, taser, taser. We only had one. Later on in my career, we had two options. This gives us, in some cases, 10 options to subdue a subject that is violent and is going to either harm the officer, bystanders, or, more importantly, themselves.

Cross draw, flip up, taser, taser, taser.

This is a good bill, and my colleagues on the other sides of the aisle know it is a good bill. In fact, one of the cosponsors won't even come and talk about it because his majority, Mr. Speaker, doesn't want it. This is the extension of defund the police. I have had it.

We need to protect law enforcement. We are the ones who call them when we are in harm. They come to the fight. They will be there when we call 911.

Yet my colleagues on the other side of the aisle won't support something that defends the cops and helps them with another tool on their tool belt to make sure they are safe, the subject is safe, and any bystanders are safe. It is unconscionable.

This is a great bill. I wholeheartedly support it, and I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will too.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source