Touching moment Biden hands his pen to little boy who's cop father killed himself - as he signs bill to give officers and first responders better benefits, saying 'they need MORE resources not fewer'
President Joe Biden argued that police need 'more resources not fewer resources,' as he signed three bills at the White House Thursday that would expand benefits to first responders.
Biden signed the 'COPS Counseling Act,' the 'Protecting America's First Responders Act of 2021,' and the 'Federal Officers and Employees Protection Act,' surrounded by a number of his former Senate colleagues.
As he signed the COPS Counseling Act, the president handed the pen over to seven-year-old Jake Bomba, whose father, Montgomery County Police Officer Thomas Bomba, committed suicide after surviving flesh-eating bacteria he was exposed to while at a work training.
President Joe Biden (right) hands a pen to 7-year-old Jake Bomba (left), whose father, Montgomery County Police Officer Thomas Bomba, committed suicide after surviving flesh-eating bacteria he was exposed to while at a work training
Montgomery County Police Officer Thomas Bomba was in a decade-long dispute with his Maryland county over benefits after being exposed to flesh-eating bacteria at work. He's seen with his son Jake (left) who attended the White House ceremony Thursday
Thomas Bomba's widow Angela (second from left) and son Tommy Bomba (left) also attending the White House signing
He battled the Maryland County for benefits for 10 years before taking his life.
Before signing the legislation, Biden previewed a new Department of Justice initiative to give $139 million to police departments in order to bring in more than 1,000 new officers.
'Before I turn to the specific of the bills, I want to say that when you look at what our communities need, what our law enforcement is being asked to do, it's going to require more resources not fewer resources,' Biden said.
'That's why my administration is investing in the community policing we know works,' he added.
'Today's investment and the bills I'm about to sign share a goal of helping law enforcement officers and first responders be the protectors and the partners our communities need,' the president said.
President Joe Biden (right) spoke alongside Vice President Kamala Harris (left) at the signing ceremony in the State Dining Room Thursday
Biden has pushed back against calls in his own party to 'defund the police,' a left-wing rallying cry after the May 2020 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The president then went through some of the benefits each of the new bills would provide.
The 'COPS Counseling Act' would expand counseling programs that police departments would have to provide officers.
The bill was co-sponsored by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley and Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, as the law is modeled after a successful law in Nevada.
'When you think about it, law enforcement, as well as the military, all taught to be, "stand on your own, don't ask for anything, you can do it, just take care of yourself," and it's an enormous burden we put on people. And it's really difficult,' Biden said.
'I want you to know that a wound that is imposed on your mind is no different than if you broke your arm or got shot in the leg. It's the same thing. It's the same thing. It deserves to be treated. And it deserves the respect that goes along with that,' the president added.
Biden said that the late Thomas Bomba's 'painful experience helped inspire this bill.'
In addition to Jake Bomba, Thomas Bomba's widow Angela and their other son Tommy Bomba were also at the signing.
'My hope is by giving more officers access to confidentiality and high quality mental health resources we're going to reduce the stigma around seeking help and lead [to] better policing and prevent suicides,' Biden said.
Biden also signed the 'Protecting America's First Responders Act of 2021,' which would expand death and disability benefits to first responders.
The law provides benefits to children born after a parent is deceased, speeds up processing of payments, ensures public safety officers are included and more broadly defines what it means to be permanently disabled.
The final bill, the 'Jaime Zapata and Victor Avila Federal Officers and Employees Protection Act,' expands the Department of Justice's ability to prosecute people accused of killing law enforcement officers abroad.
Zapata was killed and Avila wounded in a scuffle with drug cartel members, with an appeals court tossing out part of Zapata's murderers' conviction arguing that a U.S. law doesn't cover crimes that happened abroad.
'This bill is going to protect agents serving abroad and send a message to drug cartels, terrorists and criminals wherever they operate that if you attack our agents you will not escape our justice,' Biden said.
Before concluding the program, the president asked lawmakers to, 'come together as you've done before, to finally pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.'
No comments