Public Safety

A core duty as a Member of Congress is to ensure residents of Oregon’s Sixth District are safe in their communities. When a parent is worried about sending their child to school or letting them attend events with their friends out of fear of a mass shooting, we are not truly safe. As the daughter of a police officer and a parent, the safety of my community – and every community across this nation – matters to me.

I strongly support commonsense solutions to combat gun violence in this country. I support legislation that would establish a national Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and I support reinstating a ban on assault weapons, which we have seen used in mass shootings time and time again.

Congress must play a role in supporting states and local governments in adopting comprehensive approaches to public safety, including by promoting community-based policing and confronting systemic issues like mental health, addiction, and homelessness. I have secured federal funding to support a Homelessness Community Service Officer in Tigard, who will serve to monitor city encampments, escort Community Outreach coordinators from multiple service providers to and from encampments, attend community meetings, and help connect those experiencing homelessness with resources.

Oregonians are all too familiar with the harm fentanyl and other illegal drugs have caused to our communities. I strongly support increasing resources along America’s borders to halt the flow of these drugs into our country, as well as proposals that would improve law enforcement’s ability to crack down on the production and distribution of these drugs. I have crossed party lines to support legislation like the HALT Fentanyl Act, which would provide law enforcement the tools they need to keep fentanyl-related substances off our streets.

I will continue working with my colleagues from both parties to ensure local law enforcement agencies receive the federal funding and support they need to keep our communities safe.