Cruz Introduces Legislation, Empowers Local Officials with Resources To 'Keep Our Children Safe'
In the wake of all-too-frequent school shootings, almost everyone has had a comment to add to the national conversation.
Many are jumping to the extreme of abolishing the Second Amendment and banning guns.
Others are wringing their hands over the rampant evil running amok in the country.
Just about everyone has mourned for the lives lost.
But amid all of that has been the legislation to try and prevent anymore mass shootings to bloody the soil of the United States.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz has become one of the most prominent political figures to offer tangible legislation on the matter.
Tuesday, Cruz introduced a school safety amendment to the Defense-Labor-HHS appropriations bill.
The bill allows schools and communities to use Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants to help improve school security.
“Americans have become all too familiar with the horror of school shootings,” Cruz said in his statement.
He went on to explain the importance of expanding all resources for the sake of improving security.
“In the face of evil, horrific, violent attacks on our students, local school boards, teachers, and communities across the county have united to find a solution,” said Cruz. “By expanding the use of these grants, this amendment empowers our local community leaders and education officials with the resources they need to harden our schools and hire school safety officers to keep our children safe.”
Cruz’s new legislation (which can be viewed in full here) involves a multi-pronged plan to improve school security.
First, the legislation proposes to regulate school entrances and exits. Metal detectors or other “evidence-based” detection were both suggested.
Second, the legislation proposes to improve means of covering and concealing students within the school in an active-shooter situation.
Third, it was proposed to implement technology that can instantly notify law enforcement and first responders in the event of a shooter.
The legislation also proposes more general school reinforcements, including bullet-resistant doors and windows.
The last part of the legislation doesn’t actually improve student safety per se, but would be a much welcome boon for parents whose children are caught up in a shooting.
The final nugget aims to implement technology that can greatly improve and reduce the time to pass along pertinent information to parents regarding their children’s safety both during and immediately after a shooting situation.
All in all, Cruz has come up with the plan to, at the very least, lessen the impact of a mass shooter situation. From all indications, it seems to be a promising first step, and it will be interesting to see if it passes.
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