Civil Rights & Justice
Protecting the civil rights of all Americans and keeping our families and communities safe is one of the most important responsibilities of government. We must continue the progress we have made in securing equality for all Americans, providing our law enforcement officers with the tools they need to keep Americans safe, and protecting civil liberties in all of our diverse communities.
In Congress, I have been a champion of legislation that guarantees equal rights to all Americans, including the LGBT community. I am a strong proponent of sensible gun violence prevention legislation to keep our families and communities safe. And, as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have worked to provide police officers with the funding they need to do their jobs.
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Contact: Maria Reppas, (202) 225-6631 / (202) 527-0149 maria.reppas@mail.house.gov
St. Paul, MN - Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) issued the following statement in response to the murder of Sgt. Joseph Bergeron of the Maplewood Police Department. While responding to report of a carjacking, Sgt. Bergeron was shot to death during the early morning hours of Saturday, May 1. One suspect in the shooting was killed while attacking St. Paul police officer David Longbehn; the other suspect has been apprehended.
The Commander-in-Chief, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Secretary of Defense all publicly support allowing gay and lesbian Americans to serve openly in the Armed Forces of the United States. This is a significant and long overdue development that I wholeheartedly endorse. It is time for Congress to now act to ensure that every committed and courageous American who wishes to serve our country, regardless of sexual orientation, can proudly wear the uniform of the United States of America.