Rep. Nehls Introduces the BLUE Act to Deter Democrats From Defunding Local Police Departments

Washington, DC—Congressman Troy E. Nehls(R-TX-22) introduced the Blocking Lawlessness from Undermining Enforcement (BLUE) Act to prevent local and state governments that have defunded their police departments from using National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) program grants to fill in the gaps of their depleted law enforcement budgets.

NHTSA grants are used for a variety of roadway safety activities, including developing safety plans and safety priorities, undertaking initiatives to reduce risky driving, and awarding subgrants to law enforcement for traffic enforcement activities. These grants are important for keeping drivers safe on the road and should not be used to bailout city council's far left agendas.

Despite skyrocketing crime rates, liberal cities have chosen partisan politics instead of the safety of their citizens by stripping law enforcement of their funding. Congressman Nehls' bill would close a potential loophole that could allow a jurisdiction that has defunded their police force to continue to fund law enforcement activities with these essential NHTSA dollars.

"What started as a leftist rallying cry turned into real world policies that has left police departments with a limited ability to carry out their duties," said Congressman Nehls. "Liberal cities played politics with lives. Now, those cities are paying the price with rising crime. Radical local leaders should NOT be bailed out for their insanity by exploiting federal grants."

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.

"Federal police grants should go to towns and cities that actually need the assistance, not to bail out city councils that put their citizens in greater danger to show their liberal purity," said Dr. Cassidy.