Florida Senator Proposes Legislation to Take $80 Billion From IRS to Fund Armed Officers at Schools

Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) has introduced a bill that aims to prevent mass school shootings by placing full-time armed law enforcement at every K-12 school in the country. The School Guardian Act proposes $80 billion in funding for the hirings, which would be taken from the Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act.

“Instead of spending billions of dollars to expand the IRS to go after American taxpayers, Washington can send a powerful message to parents about our true priorities by dedicating these funds to the School Guardian Act to provide block grants to states so they can increase school security at every school and keep kids safe,” Scott said in a statement on April 25. “I hope my colleagues agree and support its quick passage.”

If passed, the U.S. attorney general would use the funding to create a block grant program that public and private K-12 schools could participate in. The money would cover the cost of pay, training, and equipment for law enforcement officers.

Why This Bill is Important

• The recent shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, claimed six lives, including those of three 9-year-old children.
• The bill is modeled after legislation that Scott signed into law in 2018 as Florida governor, which created the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program.
• The program was named in honor of Feis, an assistant football coach who died protecting students during a shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

During a press conference to announce the bill’s introduction, Scott said that he will be fighting to get it through the Senate, the House, and to have President Joe Biden sign it. “It’s going to save lives, that’s why I’m doing it,” he said at the briefing.

With the School Guardian Act, Scott hopes to bring effective ideas like the Guardian Program to every school across the nation. These brave individuals are willing and able to step up and protect our kids and teachers from those who wish to do them harm.