As President Biden heads to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania today to highlight initiatives to make our communities safer, let’s not forget that every Republican in the commonwealth voted against the American Rescue Plan, which provided states critical funding for law enforcement and public safety. DNC spokesperson Brooke Goren released the following statement on Republicans’ weak-on-crime stance:

“Every Republican lawmaker in Pennsylvania turned their backs on police and safer communities when they voted against President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which provided hundreds of billions of dollars for states to help fund law enforcement and public safety programs. These lawmakers talk a big game, but they are weak on crime.”

Every Pennsylvania Republican voted against the American Rescue Plan’s crucial aid that is helping support Pennsylvania law enforcement:

White House Fact Sheet: American Rescue Plan funds in Mercer County will provide nearly $12 million for a county-wide radio system and improved 911 system.

In Philadelphia, these funds are being invested in a new co-responder program and mobile crisis unit that partners police and mental health professionals to deescalate mental health calls.

In Allegheny County, $10 million in American Rescue Plan funds are providing radio equipment to over 300 fire, EMS and police departments.

But voting against American Rescue Plan dollars hasn’t stopped Republicans from trying to take credit for President Biden and Democrats’ wins for the American people:

NBC News: “House Republicans who opposed Covid aid still see funds flow to local police departments”

Pennsylvania Capital-Star: “U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly and Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson voted against the American Rescue Act. That didn’t keep them from touting its benefits to the folks back home.”

Many of these same Republicans also backed Trump’s budget plan that proposed to defund the COPS program — which provides funding to state and local law enforcement agencies.

Jonathan Allen, NBC News: “When Trump was president, he proposed slashing federal funding for local police forces.”

Wall Street Journal: “The [Trump] administration’s 2021 budget, like all its previous budgets, recommended eliminating the Community Relations Services and Community Oriented Policing Services and placing their functions under other parts of the department to ‘improve efficiency.’”

While they may claim to “Back the Blue,” Pennsylvania’s MAGA Republicans have made it obvious that they are weak on crime, will vote against funding for public safety and are willing to mislead Pennsylvanians instead of voting in their favor.