Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) blocked a bill to improve school safety that Republicans are shaming. After the massacre at Uvalde Elementary School in Texas that left 19 children and 2 teachers dead, Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) asked for unanimous consent to pass the Luke and Alex School Safety Act.
Named after Parkland shooting victims Alex Schachter and Luke Hoyer, the bill would require that the Department of Homeland Security establish a Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Best Practices for state and local education and law enforcement agencies, institutions of higher learning, health professionals, as well as the general public. It would also require DHS to collect data analytics from the clearinghouse and user feedback about the implementation of the best practices and recommendations. Also, any evaluations based on these best practices or recommendations will be required.
With the passage of the bill, the clearinghouse, which is already accessible at SchoolSafety.gov would be codified in law.
Schumer tweeted, “The truth is that there were officers at the Texas school.” They were able to get past the shooter. We need real solutions. We will vote for gun legislation, starting with the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act.
Schumer stated that the legislation could be considered on the Senate floor if Republicans agreed to debate the domestic terrorist bill. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Johnson said it was “a sad day” for the United States Senate.
Johnson tweeted later: “It’s not surprising that the Democrat leader would lie to us about the bill he blocked, which Parkland parents have been trying for years. The Dems don’t want solutions. They want wedge issues to keep them in power. Sick.”
Senator Rick Scott (Republican from Florida), who sponsored the bill, called Schumer “a liar, and a hack”.
The Senate will vote on Thursday whether to approve the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act. This bill was passed by the House last week.
