Dallas Police Chief David Brown had a message for lawmakers in the wake of the deadly shootings that took the lives of five officers last week.
"Do your job. We are doing ours. We are putting our lives on the line. The other aspects of government need to step up and help us," Brown said.
They were listening. Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz – along with Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina – have now introduced the "Back the Blue Act."
"This is in response to what Chief Brown asked and demanded, and I think he has a right to," Cornyn said.
Cornyn released the background of the bill, which calls for harsher penalties for a person who kills or assaults a police officer. It also calls for grant money to help strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and the community.
"What we saw happen in Dallas last week was just completely unacceptable. This represents a threat to the very glue that holds our society together," added Cornyn.
And while this bill is new, what is known as the "Police Act" is not. That bill had already cleared the U.S. Senate, but on Tuesday, the U.S. House voted to pass it, too. It says grant money can be used for active shooter response training.
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The next step is the president's desk.
U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Dallas, was one of its co-sponsors, and he said passage in the House was also due to Chief Brown's words.
"But I think it's my colleagues on a bipartisan basis, Republicans and Democrats, understanding this is an important response that comes from a lesson learned. And no one wants it in their community," Sessions said.
