The "Protecting America’s First Responders Act of 2021," authored by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and co-sponsored by Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, would better ensure that law enforcement and first responders who are disabled in the line of duty have prompt access to benefits.
Despite persistent anti-police sentiment, American law enforcement continues to watch over the American public, like sheepdogs protecting the flock from the wolves.
Among the issues that lawmakers were discussing were changes to "qualified immunity" that protects police officers from some lawsuits.
After a White House meeting Monday, Eric Adams rejected President Biden’s plan that cities should use COVID money for law enforcement. Adams said Monday, “The first thing we need to do is to do an assessment of how we are using our police officers now. Far too many police officers are doing clerical duty.”
The White House said the group's discussion focused on the Biden administration's strategy to reduce gun crimes and other violent crimes, encouraging state and local governments to use funding from the $350 billion in the COVID relief package to combat the violence.
The meeting comes amid a rise in gun violence over the past few years. One of Biden's weakest areas in recent polling has been his handling of crime, with just 38 percent of people approving of the job he is doing in that area and 48 percent disapproving.
Biden boasted of "historic funding for crime prevention" in the $350 billion for state and local governments, from the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, that can be used by cities to hire law enforcement officers, pay overtime, invest in technology to make law enforcement more efficient, and prosecute gun traffickers.
After meeting with Pelosi and Bass, Floyd's relatives traveled to the White House for a more than hour-long meeting with President Biden and Vice President Harris. Afterward, Floyd's family members said the president is eager to sign the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and urged Congress to pass the bill.
Biden's plans to host Floyd's family come as talks focused on the police reform bill named after Floyd — the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act — have stalled on Capitol Hill.
The proclamation included some talking points from the anti-police movement. "This year, we also recognize that in many of our communities, especially Black and brown communities, there is a deep sense of distrust towards law enforcement; a distrust that has been exacerbated by the recent deaths of several Black and brown people at the hands of law enforcement."
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