Today, Rep. Henry Cuellar joined a bipartisan majority to pass H.R. 1700, the COPS Reauthorization Act.  The measure aims to help local law enforcement agencies to hire an additional 50,000 police officers over the next six years.

“I am proud that today, my colleagues and I took the first step to reinstitute the highly-successful and popular COPS hiring grants program.  With crime rates on the rise, it is imperative that we do something to keep our people safe.  I encourage the Senate to act on this bill quickly, and I hope that the President signs it into law,” said Cuellar.

Created in 1994, the COPS hiring grants program helped local agencies hire 117,000 police officers from 1995 to 2005.  To date, $40,505,494 in COPS grants have been awarded to law enforcement agencies in Texas’ 28th District.  Crime-fighting technologies have improved and an additional 544 police officers and sheriff deputies were hired as a result of the funding.  The program, which had enjoyed support from the public and law enforcement professionals, was completely eliminated in 2006 after years of reduced funding.

Under the COPS hiring grants program, our nation’s crime rates significantly dropped.  According to a nonpartisan GAO study, the COPS program was responsible for reducing crimes by 200,000 from 1998 to 2000 alone.  Since the program has been eliminated, violent crime has sparked across the nation. 

“This bill will reinvigorate the COPS program, helping local law enforcement agencies to hire the staff they need to keep the citizens of Texas safe.  By authorizing the COPS hiring grants, COPS technology grants and community prosecutor grants, the COPS legislation will help to bring crime rates back down,” said Cuellar.

The COPS Reauthorization Act has been endorsed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Sheriffs Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National League of Cities.


Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the House Homeland Security, Small Business, and Agriculture Committees in the 110th Congress; accessibility to constituents, education, health care, economic development and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Senior Whip.
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