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EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Mike Johnson Calls On Biden To Issue Formal Rule To Provide Local Police Budgets With Money From American Rescue Plan

Daily Caller: Henry Rodgers

Republican Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson sent a Thursday letter to President Joe Biden calling on him to issue a formal rule that would provide local police budgets with money from the American Rescue Plan.

The Daily Caller first obtained the letter to Biden, which requests the administration issue formal rulemaking specifying that some of the $350 billion in state and local funding in the American Rescue Plan be earmarked for what Johnson says is hurting local police budgets. Currently, the legislation leaves it up to jurisdictions to use that money how they deem necessary, not specifying it goes to law enforcement.

A number of Democrats have continued to push for defunding the police, and as a result, police departments are struggling with budget cuts. Biden signed his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan into law March 11.

“I was encouraged to see the Biden Administration finally express its support for funding the police, but despite that claim, the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion partisan spending legislation does not specifically direct funding to local law enforcement agencies. I’m urging the Administration to correct that error now in the rulemaking process. It’s time for them to put their money where their mouth is,” Johnson told the Daily Caller.