Sarah Elfreth

Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 9 wordsI yield myself such time as I may consume.Procedure Mr. Speaker, Claims · 298 wordsH.R. 309, the National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support, and Community Outreach Act, was introduced by my colleagues, Representative Nehls and Representative Panetta, ¹so this is a bipartisan effort. This bill takes an important step toward establishing a program at the Department of the Interior and supports community outreach, public education, and officer safety and wellness programs at the National Law Enforcement Museum. In 1984, Congress passed a joint resolution to authorize the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund to establish the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.² The memorial fund built and continues to maintain the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, the Nation’s monument dedicated to officers killed in the line of duty.³ The fund also maintains the largest, most comprehensive database of line-of-duty officer deaths, conducts research into officer fatality trends and issues, and serves as an information clearinghouse. In 2000, President Clinton signed the National Law Enforcement Museum Act, ⁴which authorized the fund to build and operate the National Law Enforcement Museum. Opened in 2018, the museum tells the story of American law enforcement through exhibits, collections, research, ⁵and education. H.R. 309 would take additional steps toward authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to establish and award a grant to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund for 7 fiscal years to take that work outside of the museum.⁶ Such grants would have an annual $6 million limit during that period.⁷ As a condition of receiving the grant funding, the fund would be required to submit annual reports to the Secretary, documenting and accounting progress and expenditures.⁸ This funding would allow the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and their museum to continue supporting officers and educating the public on the important work our law enforcement officers do every day to keep our communities safe. Positioning · 28 wordsThis bill is an important step forward in continuing Congress’ longstanding support of this important memorial and museum and the men and women who keep our communities safe.Positioning Mr. Speaker, The ask · 6 wordsI urge support for H.R. 309, Procedure · 8 wordsand I reserve the balance of my time.Procedure