Public Safety

My principal duty as a Member of Congress is to ensure residents of Oregon’s Sixth District are safe and protected in their communities. America’s leaders are failing when a parent feels apprehensive about letting their child walk down the street or play outside with friends.

Like many in Oregon, I’m troubled by the recent uptick in violent crime since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal government should not sit idly by and watch these trends escalate. 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 gun violence, mental health and addiction, and homelessness. 

With these issues in mind, I cosponsored the National Law Enforcement Remembrance, Support, and Community Outreach Act, bipartisan legislation to establish a formal program within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to support and enhance community outreach, public education, and officer safety and wellness programs of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF or “the Fund”).

Congress must also address emerging public safety issues beyond criminal activity, including roadway accidents. Over the past few years, the U.S. has experienced rising numbers of roadway deaths (nearly 43,000 in 2021), which marks a stark divergence from other similarly developed countries. Our nation must act to reverse these trends and once again lead the globe in supporting the safety and wellbeing of our citizens.