WASHINGTON — Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, moved to pass a school safety bill by unanimous consent Tuesday but was blocked by an objection from Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York.
What You Need To Know
- The Luke and Alex School Safety Act creates and structures a clearinghouse of school safety best practices within Department of Homeland Security
- Sen. Ron Johnson first introduced the bill in 2019 and re-introduced the bill in 2021
- The legislation is named after Alex Schacter and Luke Hoyer, two victims of the 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida
“There’s nothing partisan about this bill whatsoever,” Johnson said on the Senate floor. “It’s just a good idea that could save lives.”
Johnson first introduced the legislation in 2019, when he chaired the Senate Homeland Security Government Affairs Committee. His bill, the Luke and Alex School Safety Act, would codify into law a clearinghouse of information on improving school security.
“It's just a website with resources,” Max Schachter said. “For Congress not to pass it after [the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas], and for Chuck Schumer to object it, it's really unconscionable.”
For years, Schachter has shopped around the bill on Capitol Hill for support. The legislation was named after his son, Alex Schacter, and his classmate, Luke Hoyer. Both were killed in the 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
The latest school attack at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas that killed at least 19 children and two adults, has Schachter frustrated.
“It's absolutely heartbreaking that after four years of losing Alex and 16 others in the Parkland school shooting, this continues to happen and Congress has just done nothing to save Americans lives,” Schachter said.
Schumer, blocked the bill because he believes it lacks teeth.
“Hardening schools would’ve done nothing to prevent this shooting,” Schumer said on the senate floor. “In fact, there were guards and police officers already at the school yesterday when the shooter showed up.”
Democrats are instead interested in pushing control measures. The House H.R.8 passed the Bipartisan Background Checks Act in March 2021 with support from only eight Republicans.
Johnson did not respond when asked by press on Tuesday if he would support the bill.
“I hear people tell us they want policies and actions,” Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, said. “And we've done that in the House. We pass a number of bills and sent them to the senate. And unfortunately because the Republican [filibuster] there, they can't advance. And Ron Johnson wants to do some minor bill rather than actually tackling the gun crisis we have in this country.”
As this Senate stalemate continues, Schachter said families are crying for federal help.
“How does that help Americans?” he said. “It doesn't and and while we're getting slaughtered out here, they're doing nothing.”