WASHINGTON-- Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) today urged his fellow lawmakers to reverse funding cuts for school safety programs included in draft legislation funding the Department of Education and other federal agencies. In a letter to Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, Paulsen called on the subcommittee to ensure school safety programs are provided with robust funding as it crafts its Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations legislation.

News reports this week indicate that the draft legislation being considered by the Committee would significantly reduce funding for these initiatives.

“In the wake of a series of school shootings across the nation, I’m greatly concerned that such funding reductions may hinder our ability to keep schools safe,”Paulsen wrote. “We have no higher responsibility to our children than to provide them with a safe learning environment. But instead of making our schools safer and more effectively training our first responders to act should the unthinkable happen, I fear that the reductions in this funding bill will put more students at risk.”

The full text of Paulsen’s letter is below.

June 26, 2018

The Honorable Tom Cole                                                             

Chairman                                                                                            

Committee on Appropriations                                                     

Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services,

Education and Related Agencies               

U.S. House of Representatives                                                    

Washington, D.C. 20515                                                                

Dear Chairman Cole:

It has come to my attention that the proposed fiscal year 2019 spending bill for Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education departments includes funding reductions for programs that aim to improve school safety and ensure that students have access to necessary behavioral health services.

In the wake of a series of school shootings across the nation, I’m greatly concerned that such funding reductions may hinder our ability to keep schools safe. We have no higher responsibility to our children than to provide them with a safe learning environment. But instead of making our schools safer and more effectively training our first responders to act should the unthinkable happen, I fear that the reductions in this funding bill will put more students at risk.

In light of growing nationwide concern over the safety of our schools, I respectfully urge you to reverse these cuts and provide robust funding for National Activities for School Safety (20 U.S. Code § 7281).

Sincerely,

Erik Paulsen

Member of Congress

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