WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and U.S. Representative Will Hurd (TX-23) released the following statements after their bipartisan legislation, the American Law Enforcement Heroes Act, was signed into law by President Trump today. The legislation prioritizes U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant applications of state and local law enforcement agencies who use that funding to hire military veterans.

The bill is part of a joint initiative led by Sen. Cornyn and Rep. Hurd, who announced their plans to introduce companion bills in both the House and Senate at an event with the San Antonio Police Department and Bexar County Sheriff’s Office in late 2016. The legislation was also cosponsored by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and U.S. Representative Beto O’Rourke (D-TX-16).

“This law will support our military veterans’ transition to civilian life and help the folks charged with protecting our communities,” said Sen. Cornyn. “By prioritizing existing federal funding, our state and local law enforcement partners will get the highly trained individuals they need to keep our communities safe, while giving our veterans an opportunity to continue serving their country.”

“This is just one of the many ways I am committed to giving back to the veteran community. I was proud to lead this legislation in the House to provide an opportunity for veterans to continue their service in their local communities after they transition out of the military,” said Rep. Hurd, who served alongside members of the Armed Forces during his nearly decade of service in the CIA. “With Fort Bliss, Joint Base San Antonio and Laughlin Air Force Base all having a presence in TX-23, this has a significant impact for my constituents. We should capitalize on these existing relationships to further strengthen our neighborhoods. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank all our men in women in uniform for your willingness to serve your country and community.”

“U.S. Representative Hurd and Senator Cornyn’s bill will help boost our recruitment efforts and provide our military veterans with more opportunities to become a San Antonio police officer,” said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.

Earlier this year, Sen. Cornyn held separate roundtables with the Houston Police Department and the Fort Worth Police Department, which both included several officers who had transitioned from the military, to discuss local efforts to hire more veterans for law enforcement and how this bill can help.