Congressman Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), founder and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan School Safety and Security Caucus, hosted a caucus roundtable alongside Co-Chair Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) as the school year resumes across the nation. Members of the caucus, led by Co-Chairs Gonzales and Moskowitz, work with educators, law enforcement personnel, school safety experts, and parents to foster safer classrooms for children across the United States. The Bipartisan School Safety and Security Caucus was founded in 2023. 

 

The event coincided with the introduction of Congressman Gonzales' bill, the Funding Officers and Resources to Increase Facility Youth Protection Act (FORTIFY) Act. The FORTIFY Act would allow STOP School Violence Act funding to be used to hire School Resource Officers (SROs) and purchase protective equipment, transportation support, and other resources for SROs. 

 

“Recently, I visited a school in South Texas and met with one of the school district’s School Resource Officers. When he shared with me that he didn’t have body armor because of budget shortfalls, I knew that this wasn’t a one-off case. Our SROs are placed in schools to protect and support our kids, and the lack of adequate resources for SROs is detrimental to school security efforts. That’s why I introduced the FORTIFY Act to expand grant funding to school districts across the nation to support needs specific to SROs,” said Congressman Tony Gonzales. “I’m incredibly grateful for the work that was put into this legislation. This bill came together with input from educators across South and West Texas, law enforcement, and school safety advocacy leaders. To break the chain of violence in our schools, we need all hands on deck. The Bipartisan School Safety and Security Caucus has been a long-time priority of mine. Through the caucus, we’ve been able to bring more individuals to the table to address school violence and help school districts obtain more resources to keep our kids safe in the classroom. It’s time for Congress to prioritize passing bills that address every parent and grandparent's worry—the safety of our children.” 

 

Congressmen Gonzales and Moskowitz were joined by leaders from the National Council of School Safety Directors, National Council on School Facilities, and the National Association of School Resource Officers. In addition to Co-Chairs Gonzales and Moskowitz, U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Suzie Lee (D-Nev.), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Eugene Vindman (D-Va.), and John Rutherford (R-Fla.) serve on the Bipartisan School Safety and Security Caucus. 

 

BACKGROUND: 

 

Earlier this month, Congressman Gonzales’ National Strategy for School Security Act advanced through the House Homeland Security Committee. Committee passage is the final step required before a bill is brought to the full U.S. House of Representatives for a vote. The National Strategy for School Security Act requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop best practices for schools across the nation to scale and implement to protect students and school faculty from acts of violence. He also serves as a Congressional Co-Chair of Camila and Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights Grants Initiative Advisory Board. The Greenlights Grant Initiative helps connect school districts with grant-writing services to increase the likelihood of being awarded grant funding for school safety purposes.

 

Through Congressman Gonzales’ seat on the House Appropriations Committee, he has secured over $20 million in funding to improve school security, mental health services, and emergency response capabilities in Uvalde and across South and West Texas. 

 

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