Biggs and Buck vote against police resolution they sponsored due to amendment

Two Republican representatives voted against their own resolution on police Thursday, citing a last-minute amendment.

Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and Ken Buck (R-CO) co-sponsored a resolution that Buck called a “long-overdue recognition of the men and women in blue who selflessly put themselves in harm’s way and keep our communities safe.” The resolution also condemned calls to defund or abolish the police, and its vote fell on National Police Week.

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“Unfortunately, I had to vote against my own police resolution honoring them today because my Republican colleagues significantly changed its intent,” Biggs explained in a tweet after voting against the resolution. He went on to say that the amendment “federalizes … certain aspects of local police enforcement.”

Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY), who also sponsored the resolution, added an amendment stating in nonbinding language that local law enforcement officers “should have certain rights to ensure a fair administration of justice” when investigations into the officers occur.

The amendment went on to advocate that states “adopt a ‘Bill of Rights’ for local law enforcement personnel for protections related to investigation and prosecution arising from conduct during official performance of duties.” D’Esposito did not speak on the matter on the House floor.

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“Now, people say, ‘Oh Andy, it’s only a resolution,’ but the point of it is the federal government should not be getting into the policies and procedures of local law enforcement unless there’s some kind of violation of the 14th Amendment or other civil rights that the state’s not tending to,” Biggs said. He implied that Buck voted the same way for a similar reason.

The House approved the resolution in a 301-119-3 vote. There were 87 Democrats who supported it, 117 who opposed it, and three who voted present.