06/05/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/05/2026 11:19
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) in putting forward an amendment to the Republican budget reconciliation bill that would make funds from the Department of Justice "Anti-weaponization Fund" - which were previously available to violent January 6th insurrectionists - only available to law enforcement officers who were injured or faced losses as a result of defending the Capitol on January 6th as well as their families.
"The true heroes of January 6th are the men and women who put their lives on the line, defending our Capitol from violent insurrectionists. While the Trump Administration set up a taxpayer-funded slush fund to reward those who attacked them, after facing the horrors of that day, it's our law enforcement officers and their families who deserve to be compensated for their sacrifice. Our amendment would do just that - turning the Trump Administration's corrupt scheme into a compensation fund for those officers who were injured or faced losses as a result of January 6th, as well as their families. If my colleagues can't vote to support this amendment, I don't know how they can look at themselves in the mirror at night."