WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) joined Senator Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) bill to restrict taxpayer funding from going to cities that allow violent anarchist jurisdictions. The Ending Taxpayer Funding of Anarchy Act is also supported by Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.).

This Fourth of July weekend, gun violence and a spike in shootings besieged cities like New York and Chicago, where calls to defund the police have gained support from local authorities. The Ending Taxpayer Funding of Anarchy Act would restrict federal funding jurisdictions that abdicate their constitutional duty to their citizens to uphold the rule of law and provide police, fire, or emergency medical services for their communities. The bill would restrict federal funding to these anarchist jurisdictions until they do their duty and ensure the rule of law prevails.

“Anarchist jurisdictions – like sanctuary cities – encourage lawlessness and mob rule at the expense of law-abiding citizens. Cities that do not act to quell the anarchy we are seeing in places like Seattle’s CHAZ should not receive the same federal funding as cooperative cities that abide by the rule of law,” said Senator Blackburn.

“Enough of the anarchy; law and order must be restored on our streets,” said Senator Ernst. “Local officials are letting chaos continue, and in some cases, preventing law enforcement from protecting the public. If these leaders fail to do their job and protect their citizens, the federal government – American taxpayers – aren’t going to pay for it. My colleagues know this is the right thing to do, that’s why our support is growing.”
 
“The rule of law cannot fade in and out with the fashions of the radical left,” said Majority Leader McConnell. “The inexplicable passivity and weakness of local leaders in our own country has denied some citizens peace and security. If left-wing politicians would rather bow to the Twitter mobs and politically-correct thought police than do their jobs, then federal taxpayers should rethink how they subsidize that kind of leadership. I’m proud to join Senator Ernst and our colleagues in introducing this legislation to ensure the mob will never allowed to overtake our communities.”
  
“If state or local leaders allow anarchist jurisdictions – like we have seen in liberal-Seattle, Washington – then they don’t deserve a dime of federal funding until law and order is restored,” said Senator Braun.
 
“This bill holds our local and state officials accountable for protecting our citizens and stopping the violence and anarchy that has overtaken our communities,” said Senator Daines. “We cannot let mob rule dominate our cities. Our tax dollars should go towards restoring public safety, not enabling chaos and destruction.”
 
“We cannot allow our cities and communities to fall into a state of anarchy," said Senator Loeffler. “The Ending Taxpayer Funding of Anarchy Act will restrict federal funding from municipalities that foster or turn a blind eye to chaos in their jurisdictions. We owe it to the American people to stand strong with the rule of law to help keep our country safe. I applaud Senator Ernst for leading this commonsense legislation to protect the public and hold leaders accountable.”
 
RELATED
Last month, Senators Blackburn and Cotton introduced a resolution calling for justice for George Floyd and opposing calls to defund the police.