Memphis Standard

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today offered an amendment to a partisan Republican Congressional resolution to include measures supported by major police organizations aimed at protecting the public and police officers. Congressman Cohen was the legal advisor to the Memphis Police Department early in his career.

In explaining his amendment, Congressman Cohen said in part:

“This resolution doesn’t go far enough…If we want to support the police, which I think we all want to do, we should come up with…proposals that protect the police and that are indicative of the actions that police organizations have supported to protect police officers from losing their lives while protecting us.”

See his entire remarks here.

In an unprecedent abuse of power, the Republican majority continually ruled amendments from Democratic members out of order and refused to debate them.  Congressman Cohen’s amendment was offered three times before eventually falling on a party-line vote.

The amendment noted that “police officers face increasing danger as guns proliferate across our nation” and that police organizations, including the Fraternal Order of Police, International Association of Chiefs of Police, and Major City Cities Chiefs, have supported legislation to curb gun violence by expanding background checks and enacting extreme risk protection orders, while opposing bills that would require States to recognize all concealed carry permits from other States.

It also said that, despite the objections and safety concerns expressed by State and local police agencies, organizations, and officers, right-wing State legislatures have eliminated permit and training requirements to carry handguns in public. It added that high-powered firearms with armor-piercing bullets pose a continued risk to police officers.

It said that strengthening background checks, enacting extreme risk protection order policies, and requiring safe storage practices, can help keep dangerous weapons out of the wrong hands and police officers safe.

Original source can be found here.