{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://labrador.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=922", "Labrador, Johnson introduce bipartisan bill demilitarizing police", "2014-09-17", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "ID", "Ra\u00fal Labrador", "L000573", "labrador.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tFOR MORE INFORMATION:\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tTuesday | September 16, 2014\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tDan Popkey (Labrador) \u2013 208-800-1565\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tAndy Phelan (Johnson)\u00a0404-593-9125\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\tREPS. LABRADOR AND JOHNSON INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO DEMILITARIZE POLICE\r\n\r\n\tMembers of Congress move to reform program that gives military-grade weapons to local law enforcement departments\r\n\r\n\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Reps. Raul Labrador (R-ID) and Hank Johnson (D-GA) introduced the bipartisan Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act of 2014,\u00a0H.R. 5478, which would place restrictions and transparency measures on the Department of Defense program that transfers surplus military equipment to state and local law enforcement agencies.\r\n\r\n\t\u201cOur nation was founded on the principle of a clear line between the military and civilian policing,\u201d Labrador said. \u201cThe Pentagon\u2019s current surplus property program blurs that line by introducing a military model of overwhelming force in our cities and towns. Our bill would restore the focus of local law enforcement on protecting citizens and providing due process for the accused.\u201d\r\n\r\n\tUnder the Pentagon\u2019s \u201c1033\u201d program, the Department of Defense has provided $4.2 billion in surplus military equipment \u2013 often from warzones in Iraq and Afghanistan \u2013 to state and local law enforcement agencies without charge. Recently, a large number of small towns have been given tank-like Mine Resistant, Ambush-Protected vehicles (MRAPs). Many others have received grenade launchers and high-caliber assault rifles. Even college campus police are receiving advanced equipment and weaponry. While vital in war, much of this equipment is not suited for civilian law enforcement.\r\n\r\n\t\u201cMilitarizing America\u2019s main streets won\u2019t make us any safer, just more fearful and more reticent,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cBefore another small town's police force gets a $700,000 gift from the Defense Department that it can't maintain or manage, it behooves us to press pause on the Pentagon's 1033 program and revisit the merits of a militarized America.\u201d\r\n\r\n\tThe Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act would:\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Prevent transfers of equipment inappropriate for local policing, such as high-caliber weapons, long-range acoustic devices, grenade launchers, weaponized drones, armored vehicles, and grenades or similar explosives.\r\n\r\n\t\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 End incentives to use equipment in circumstances when the use is unnecessary. Under the 1033 program, local police are required to use the equipment within a year, incentivizing towns to use it in inappropriate circumstances.\r\n\r\n\t\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Require that recipients certify that they can account for all equipment. In 2012, the weapons portion of the 1033 program was temporarily suspended after DOD found that a local sheriff had gifted out army-surplus Humvees and other supplies. This bill would prohibit re-gifting and require recipients to account for all equipment received from DOD.\r\n\r\n\tThe \u00a0bill adds requirements to enforce tracking mechanisms that keep up with and control transfers of the equipment, implement policies ensuring that police agencies can\u2019t surplus the equipment for resale and define drones more clearly.\r\n\r\n\tOriginal co-sponsors are: Reps. Justin Amash (R-MI), Tom McClintock (R-CA), John Conyers (D-MI), and\u00a0Jim Moran (D-VA).\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t####", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://labrador.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=922"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0429159738123417, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}