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The Leader’s Floor Lookout: Week of May 12, 2025

Washington, May 11, 2025
Here’s what to watch for on the House Floor this week:
 
Comprehensively Combating Violent Crime Against Law Enforcement

Over the last few years, Democrats’ embrace of the radical “Defund the Police” and “No Cash Bail” movements and anti-police rhetoric have made our communities less safe and fueled violence against the dedicated law enforcement officers working to protect Americans. 

In 2022, 64 police officers were killed in the line of duty, with the leading cause of death being ambush-style attacks that claimed the lives of 11 officers. 30 percent of these casualties were caused by unprovoked attacks or ambushes on officers.

As they are being targeted for simply doing their jobs to protect our communities, police are also facing violent crime and reductions in police funding and staffing. Across the country, Democrat mayors defunded their city’s law enforcement agencies, which are struggling to keep departments staffed amidst the rise in anti-police sentiment and threats to police officer safety. 

As many of these cities have learned the hard way, defunding police and perpetuating anti-police sentiment have devastating consequences on both the safety of our officers and our communities. We should be standing up for the brave men and women who risk their lives to defend our streets, not implementing soft-on-crime legislation or stirring up animosity towards police.

Currently, however, data collection surrounding violent and ambush attacks on law enforcement is lacking or too narrow. By expanding the types of data collected surrounding violence against police and gaining a better understanding of the circumstances, we could improve preventative measures and methods of addressing the physical and mental impacts on our law enforcement.

Rep. Tim Moore’s legislation, H.R. 2240, the Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act of 2025, requires the Attorney General to assemble reports on violence against law enforcement officers and the effectiveness of programs meant to provide law enforcement with wellness resources and protective equipment so we may comprehensively enhance the safety of police officers.

House Republicans won’t stop standing up for our men and women in blue as they face increasing challenges and threats to their safety.
 

Expanding Concealed Carry Rights for Qualified Law Enforcement Officers 

The Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act, otherwise known as LEOSA, permits qualified active or retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms.

A qualified law enforcement officer, as defined by LEOSA, is a government agency employee who is legally authorized to “engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and has statutory powers of arrest or apprehension,” in addition to meeting other standards.

LEOSA, however, contains many exceptions, such as bans on carrying a concealed weapon on certain state, local and federal property and in school zones. These restrictions place burdensome red tape on concealed carry rights that can hinder law enforcement officers from keeping our communities safe.

Whether police officers are on duty or off, they diligently serve and protect America’s communities at their own risk. By expanding LEOSA and removing troublesome regulations limiting concealed carry rights for qualified active and retired officers, we would help brave officers keep both our communities and themselves safe. 

Rep. Don Bacon’s legislation, H.R. 2243, the LEOSA Reform Act, broadens the ability of qualified active and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms in areas such as school zones, national parks, federal facilities open to the public, and state, local, or private property open to the public.

House Republicans are working to alleviate restraints on concealed-carry rights to ensure brave and qualified officers are able to protect American communities without undue burdens. 
 

Allowing Federal Law Enforcement to Purchase Service Weapons

Right now, federal regulations require that service weapons be destroyed after they are retired from official use – making it impossible for police officers to purchase retired weapons. 

These regulations state that the service weapons must be made “completely inoperable and incapable of being made operable,” and that the weapon’s destruction must be carried out by someone authorized by the head of the agency and witnessed by two agency employees.

The result is a massive waste of taxpayer dollars, as these firearms are paid for both when they go into circulation and when they are retired. Between fiscal years 2010 to 2017, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) review found that federal law enforcement agencies reported spending at least $38.8 million on firearms.

By selling these weapons to law enforcement instead of destroying them, we could save millions of wasted dollars, offset purchasing costs for new weapons, and potentially subsidize other agency expenses.

House Republicans are bringing legislation to allow federal law enforcement to purchase retired weapons they owned, allowing agencies and taxpayers to avoid the cost of destroying these service weapons and recovering some of the cost for the weapon’s initial purchase.

H.R. 2255, the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act, sponsored by Rep. Russell Fry, directs the General Services Administration to allow current and retired federal law enforcement officers to buy their retired service weapons at salvage value.

Let's stop wasting millions of taxpayer dollars and instead strengthen our law enforcement by offsetting the cost of buying new firearms and investing in other law enforcement needs.