Last week, we celebrated National Police Week and took several steps to honor and recognize the brave men and women who keep our communities safe.

First, our office in the United States Capitol was lit up blue last week to honor law enforcement across the nation who put their lives on the line to protect all of us

To show our support, and thank them for their work, we hosted our second annual Pizza for Police event in the United States Capitol. We were honored to be joined by FBI Director Kash Patel, members of the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office, and the Blaine, Minneapolis, and Burnsville Police Departments, and hundreds of United States Capitol Police Officers during the event.

As Congress works to craft government funding bills for Fiscal Year 2026, we sent a letter to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) urging the subcommittee to include language fully funding the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) Program in the government funding bill.

The nonpartisan LEMHWA Program was created in 2018 and provides resources and grants for law enforcement agencies to develop internal mental health and peer monitoring programs, tools for suicide prevention, as well as support and resources for officers’ families.

Minnesota’s law enforcement officers represent the very best of our communities. They are heroes who go to work every day without any guarantee of returning home safely to their families. This reality came into sharp focus last year as we lost five Minnesota law enforcement officers in the line of duty. These men were more than their badges: they were husbands, fathers, and friends. During the 37th Annual Candlelight Vigil at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., the names of Burnsville Police Officers Elmstrand and Ruge, along with Minneapolis Officer Mitchell, were added to honor their sacrifice. As we continue to grieve their loss, we will continue to seek out ways to honor their memory and recognize their courage.

As the 119th Congress continues, rest assured, that our office will seek every opportunity to support the brave men and women who keep our communities safe.