Today, Congresswoman Deborah (NC-02) released the following statement after attending today’s House Judiciary Committee field hearing in Charlotte, North Carolina:
“Crime is a real issue in our country and it deserves good-faith, bipartisan, attention from Congress. Unfortunately today’s hearing was not focused on using our federal resources and power to prevent violent crime.
“Mere hours after yet another deadly mass shooting in North Carolina, Republicans still steadfastly refuse to take any action whatsoever that might stem the horrific tide of bloodshed in America. And despite all of their tough talk on crime, Republicans continue to starve local cops, sheriffs’ offices, prosecutors, and prisons in our state of the resources they need to do their job. Republicans consistently say one thing for the cameras and another behind closed doors — praising cops at home while defunding the police in Washington and Raleigh.
"In addition to the cuts they have already enacted, if the federal government shuts down, the Trump administration is now poised to fire untold numbers of critical personnel from our federal law enforcement agencies. That’s great news for criminals and terrible news for our communities. Our law enforcement officers deserve support and appreciation from their elected representatives, not empty promises and fake slogans."
Republican Cuts to Critical Public Safety Programs
In their bills to fund federal public safety programs, House Republicans have proposed:
- Cutting Byrne-JAG funding, the leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, by almost $100 million ($499 million in Fiscal Year 2025 to $403 million in FY 2026)
- Zero funding for the Community Violence Intervention & Prevention Initiative
- Deep cuts to Juvenile Justice grants, hate crimes grants, and other resources that prevent violence in our communities
- Cuts to the Office of Violence Against Women (OVAW) of almost $100 million. ($739.5 million in FY25 to $640.5 million in FY26)
- Zero funding for the program that provides emergency housing to survivors of domestic violence, effectively throwing victims out on the streets or sending them back to their abusers