McSally-supported bill providing support services for police officers sent to president

The president on Monday received the bipartisan Supporting and Treating Officers in Crisis Act of 2019, cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ), for his signature to make it a federal law.

The measure will amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand support for police officer family services, stress reduction and suicide prevention, among other purposes, according to the bill’s text.

Sen. McSally is among 21 cosponsors of S. 998, sponsored in April by U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) to restore grant funding for law enforcement support services and to permit grant recipients to use funds to establish suicide-prevention programs and mental health services for law enforcement officers. Original cosponsors of the bill included Sens. Tom Tillis (R-NC) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

S. 998 on July 10 received approval from the U.S. House of Representatives after receiving unanimous consent in May by the U.S. Senate.

“The men and women of law enforcement put their lives on the line every day to protect us,” said Sen. McSally. “I applaud the House for swiftly passing our bipartisan, commonsense legislation to ensure the law enforcement heroes that protect our communities have access to the assistance they need, before they need it.”

Specifically, the bill will authorize $7.5 million for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024 to fund such services, according to the bill’s text.

U.S. Reps. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) and Madeleine Dean (D-PA) later in April introduced the same-named companion bill, H.R. 2368, in their chamber.