Memphis Standard

U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn, Bill Hagerty, Ted Cruz, and Jim Justice have introduced the Restoring Law and Order Act. This legislation aims to increase funding for law enforcement to address violent crime across the United States.

Senator Blackburn emphasized the need for this bill by stating, "Over the last few years, Democrats have made heroes out of criminals and have villainized police officers who risk their lives to defend us every single day." She noted that the bill aligns with former President Trump's agenda to enhance public safety.

Senator Hagerty criticized past Democratic efforts in Congress, saying, "Unfortunately, for the past four years, Democrats in Congress have focused their efforts on snooping on hard-working Americans through the IRS instead of addressing violent crime." He expressed support for reallocating funds from what he described as wasteful spending on IRS agents to combat rising violent crimes such as homicides and robberies.

Senator Cruz highlighted the importance of providing resources for law enforcement through this act. "The Restoring Law and Order Act provides critical resources for law enforcement to combat crime," he said.

Senator Justice underscored his commitment to supporting law enforcement: "One of my top priorities is making sure law enforcement has the tools they need to effectively protect and serve our communities."

The proposed legislation includes establishing a federal grant program named "Make America Safe Again." The grants would help hire more police officers and detectives, fund drug-related crime initiatives, detain illegal aliens who commit crimes in the U.S., utilize public safety tools like bail and pretrial detention, and reduce investigatory backlogs.

The funding for these initiatives would come from rescinding unobligated funds from the Inflation Reduction Act and reallocating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) funds.