Every day, brave men and women kiss their loved ones goodbye and go to work, knowing that day could be their last. These are police officers who work all throughout the year to protect our communities, even under threats like never before.
It’s National Police Week, a time to honor those who have fallen in the line of duty and thank our nation’s law enforcement for all they do to protect this country. Being a police officer is one of the most challenging jobs out there, yet thousands of brave men and women answer the call every day to serve and protect. However, in recent years, our police have not received the resources and respect they deserve.
America is enduring one of the worst crime waves in decades. Violent crime is skyrocketing across the country — homicide rates have increased 48% this year compared to this time two years ago. Similarly, assaults on police have also gone up significantly — attacks on uniformed officers have increased 56% compared to 2020. Despite this, liberal politicians have continued to support a “woke agenda” over the safety of the American public. Progressives in Washington have repeatedly shown this by endorsing radical efforts to defund or even disband the police. And while President Joe Biden has voiced support for law enforcement, he has failed to back up these calls with meaningful action to support police and address the crimewave plaguing our cities.
We need real and urgent action to end the wave of violent crime that is engulfing this country. This starts by rejecting calls to “defund” or “disband” the police and giving these agencies the tools and training they need to do their jobs and keep Americans safe.
Meanwhile, families everywhere also continue to suffer from rapid inflation and severe supply shortages because of misguided liberal policies. Inflation has risen every month since President Biden took office. Transportation costs are up 8.5%, electricity 11.0% and groceries 10.8%. Perhaps worst of all, fuel prices are up almost 43.6% percent. Last week, the national average for a gallon of gas hit a new high of $4.43, while diesel hit a record $5.56.
More alarming, however, is the severe supply shortage of critical goods in this country like baby formula. Record gas prices and inflation are costing families an extra $5,200 this year compared to last. The last thing parents need right now is worrying about how they are going to feed their kids. I can only imagine the fear many of you are now facing as grocery store shelves are empty. In our state, we’ve also seen this impact supplies at food banks and pantries.
Last week, I wrote the President and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) demanding they do more to address the baby formula shortage. This baby formula issue is not new — we have known about recalls and supply chain issues for months. It is unacceptable that the FDA and President Biden have not acted faster to solve these issues, but I will not stop working until they provide us with answers, and it is resolved.
Last week I also continued my commitment to improving health care. I was proud to have three bills advance in the Energy and Commerce Committee to support youth mental health, lower drug prices, and increase accountability of countries like China. These bipartisan bills build on my work as a leader in House Republicans’ Healthy Future Task Force.
Whether it is supporting our police, addressing inflation and supply chain issues, or protecting the health and safety of you and your family, I will continue to fight every day to make sure our communities are healthy and secure. As your congressman, and as a dad, that is my promise to you.
