Washington, D.C. - Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) issued the following statement on H.R. 1280: 

"Today, House Democrats again failed to come together on common sense, non-partisan policies that would improve transparency and accountability among our law enforcement community. Our efforts should be focused on improving policing practices and training for law enforcement, rather than taking resources from our men and women in uniform. House Democrats invoked George Floyd's name to advocate for defunding the police, rather than uniting to find solutions that would prevent something like this from ever happening again.

In Minneapolis, crime rates continue to rise due to failed leadership, and our law enforcement continues to be stripped of their ability to do their jobs. We cannot rest after passing this partisan bill. We should focus our efforts on improving the relationships between law enforcement and the communities they protect. That’s why I will be reintroducing the Community Outpost (COP) Outreach and Engagement Act to improve law enforcement communication with the people they serve and provide tools to create positive engagement with the community.

When we defund the police, instead of investing in training and community efforts, we further erode the safety of all Americans." 

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