Senate Democrats on Wednesday blocked two bills from Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) that would have used COVID-19 stimulus funds to bolster school security and mental health resources for students.
The Securing Our Schools Act, which was cosponsored by Sen. John Barrasso (R., Wyo.), would double the number of police officers in public, charter, and private schools, strengthen physical security measures like alarms and locks, and put thousands of mental health professionals in public schools. The Protect Our Children’s Schools Act would fund that effort, appropriating billions of dollars in unspent education-related COVID funding. Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.) objected on the Senate floor to both, killing the legislation after Cruz sought unanimous consent.
Murphy called Cruz’s legislative push "theater." Cruz responded he was "genuinely flabbergasted" Murphy would object to the bill without debating its merits.
"If another lunatic attacks a school, and there’s not a police officer at the front door to stop it, remember right now," Cruz said. "Remember this moment when the Democrats said, ‘No, we will not protect our kids.’"
The bills are the latest school safety measures Senate Democrats have blocked since the deadly shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, in May. Days after the shooting, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) axed a bill that would have tasked Homeland Security with collecting school safety data and providing recommendations to law enforcement....
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