The Bost Bulletin

Dear Friend,

This week pays special recognition to our brave law enforcement officers who protect and serve our communities. I was proud to honor our men and women in uniform during National Police Week, which was established in 1962 to recognize the sacrifice and service of our police officers across the country. You can learn more about my work to back the blue, and more, below.

Fully Funding Our Veterans

In the weeks since House Republicans passed a debt limit plan to get our fiscal house in order, President Biden and the Democrats spent every waking minute scaring veterans into believing their benefits would be cut. I said they were lying to you. Well, House Republicans released our Veterans Affairs spending bill this week that will fully fund veterans programs. There will be no cuts to their essential care. When the liberals try to scare you into believing they need more of your money, don't believe them. You can learn more about this legislation here.

Backing the Blue

I was honored to preside over the House Floor as Congress considered a package of legislation to support our brave men and women of law enforcement. Included on the agenda was a bill to make assaulting a police officer a deportable offense and a resolution condemning efforts to defund the police. I'm pleased that both bills passed the House, despite the fact that a majority of Democrats voted against condemning the Defund the Police movement.

Hiring More Officers

I joined my friend and Illinois colleague Rep. Darin LaHood in reintroducing the David Dorn Thin Blue Line Retention Act to raise police officer salaries and hire more police officers. This legislation is named in honor of David Dorn, a retired St. Louis Police captain, who was killed on June 2, 2020, while protecting a friend's store during a violent night of rioting in St. Louis. He served for 38 years with the St. Louis Police Department, and we will not stop fighting to make sure his sacrifice is never forgotten.

Now more than ever, it is critical that we provide our men and women in blue with the resources and training they need to keep our communities safe. I'm proud to once again help introduce this legislation and stand with our law enforcement in Southern Illinois and around the nation.

Stopping Gun Owner Databases

Databases that collect personal information on law-abiding gun owners can make it possible for government bureaucrats to target individuals they disagree with politically. That's why I was proud to cosponsor H.R. 3492, the GRIP Act, a bill prohibiting the federal government from funding state firearm ownership databases. You can learn more about this legislation here.

Supporting Children of Fallen Patriots

It was an honor to speak at the Rolling Remembrance event near the White House this week. This was just one stop on an 8,000 mile, nationwide relay of an American flag benefitting the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation. Using normal business routes, PepsiCo's extensive network of military veteran drivers will pass off a flag to each other at different relay points. This flag was on a UH-60M Blackhawk Helicopter on a combat mission in support of U.S. and Coalition ground forces in the Kandahar Province of Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2012. It was a humbling experience to help pass the flag along during its journey and a wonderful example of the impact our veterans and their families have on every aspect of our lives.

Enjoying National BBQ Day

May 16th was National BBQ Day, and as many of you know, I'm from Murphysboro, the BBQ capital of Illinois. Join me in celebrating one of the many things that makes Southern Illinois so unique. Here's a photo I took in my Washington office of a poster we keep on proud display.

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- Mike