Every American in every community should have the freedom to live safe from violence, harm, and fear. Yet before President Biden and I took office, too many families were experiencing crime as our nation witnessed the highest increase in murders in recent history. That is why we immediately got to work to get our counties, cities, and local police departments the resources they need.
As a former District Attorney who prosecuted homicide cases, I was proud to walk into the U.S. Senate and cast the tie-breaking vote on the largest ever federal investment in fighting and preventing crime. Our American Rescue Plan - that every single Republican in Congress voted against - helped deliver over $15 billion to cities and states to fund public safety and violence prevention strategies, hiring and keeping police officers on the beat while investing in community violence intervention and taking other critical steps to keep our families safe. As someone who got illegal firearms off the streets as Attorney General of California, I also worked alongside President Biden to enact the most significant gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years - expanding background checks, investing in mental health supports in our schools, and helping states implement red flag laws.
Today's new data submitted to the FBI confirms that our dedicated efforts and collaborative partnerships with law enforcement are working; Americans are safer now than when we took office. Last year, we saw the largest ever one-year decrease in the homicide rate, which now stands 16 percent below its 2020 level. Violent crime is at a near 50-year low. Our progress is continuing this year and builds on substantial decreases during the previous years of our administration.
While we have made great progress, we are not stopping now. I am committed to continuing our work to support local law enforcement, invest in proven crime prevention and community violence intervention, and address gun violence with commonsense gun safety laws. As a former courtroom prosecutor who took on perpetrators of all kinds, I will always work with anyone, anywhere, anytime to keep our children, families, and communities safe.
