Only 29 House Democrats Back GOP Resolution Honoring Police Amid Assault Surge

House Democrats divided over a Republican resolution supporting law enforcement as assaults on officers reached a 10-year high last year.

Only 29 House Democrats voted Wednesday for the GOP measure, which honors the "extraordinary sacrifice" of police officers and condemns the defund the police movement for endangering public safety. In contrast, 173 Democrats sided with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York to oppose it, while all present Republicans backed the resolution.

"We want to take that best practice of respecting law enforcement in Iowa to the nation's capital, and I was thrilled that we got bipartisan support," said Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa, who introduced the measure, in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Nunn had anticipated unanimous support. "I think it unfortunately puts a real spotlight on a chasm we have between those who support law and order and those who are supporting those who undermine it," he added.

The FBI reported Monday that assaults on officers climbed to a decade-high last year, though officer killings dipped slightly from 2024 to 2025.

Some Democrats took issue with the resolution's wording, which states: "Whereas rhetoric and policies from leftist activists and progressive politicians seek to defund or dismantle local police departments undermine public safety and place both officers and the communities they serve at greater risk."

The measure also praised Trump administration policies for driving down violent crime, noting the U.S. homicide rate hit its lowest point in over a century last year.

"We are at a 125-year low for murder rates, 10-year low for drug overdoses," Nunn told Fox News Digital. "These are things that good community policing, that our law enforcement officers are doing every day, have had a really positive impact."

Most Democrats who voted for the resolution face tough re-election races in November. Even so, vulnerable members like Rep. Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico opposed it. A spokesperson for Vasquez did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital.

Reps. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, and Johnny Olszewski of Maryland voted present.

The vote occurred during National Police Week, which recognizes fallen officers nationwide.

"To the families of those fallen heroes and those who continue to stand guard in our communities: we have your back," House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana said Tuesday at a candlelight vigil for fallen officers. "We'll continue to advance policies here that support law enforcement and bring justice to those who seek to harm officers."

House Republicans this week advanced anti-crime bills, including one requiring the attorney general to list state and local governments with cashless bail policies. GOP lawmakers fault those policies for releasing repeat offenders pending trial.