III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. CON. RES. 38 

Expressing the sense of Congress that Operation Legend was successful 

in reducing and combating violent crime in the largest cities of the 

United States and that a future presidential administration committed 

to enforcing and maintaining law and order should consider implementing 

a similar policy. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 24, 2024 

Mrs. BLACKBURN (for herself, Mr. BRAUN, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. 

CRAMER, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. SCHMITT, Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina, and 

Mr. YOUNG) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress that Operation Legend 

was successful in reducing and combating violent crime 

in the largest cities of the United States and that a 

future presidential administration committed to enforcing 

and maintaining law and order should consider implementing a similar policy. 

Whereas, in the wake of a surge in violent crime throughout 

many of the largest cities in the United States, Attorney 

General William Barr announced the launch of Operation 

Legend on July 8, 2020; 

Whereas this groundbreaking operation was named in honor 

of LeGend Taliferro, a 4-year-old boy from Kansas City, 


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•SCON 38 IS 

Missouri, who was tragically shot and killed while he was 

sleeping; 

Whereas, throughout the summer of 2020, violent crime—including homicides, aggravated assaults, and firearm offenses—rose dramatically in large cities like Chicago, 

New York City, Kansas City, Philadelphia, and Memphis; 

Whereas the Trump administration took decisive steps to 

curb the rampant violence occurring in these cities by instituting Operation Legend; 

Whereas Operation Legend was a measured, coordinated, and 

effective initiative that deployed Federal law enforcement 

agents to work in conjunction with State and local law 

enforcement officials to fight violent crime; 

Whereas, over the course of 6 months, Operation Legend provided Federal law enforcement agents to 10 of the largest 

cities in the United States: Albuquerque, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, 

Memphis, Milwaukee, and St. Louis; 

Whereas Operation Legend was tremendously successful in 

targeting the surge in violent crime, resulting in over 

6,000 arrests—including an estimated 467 arrests for 

homicide—in addition to the seizures of over 2,600 illegal 

firearms and over 17 kilograms of fentanyl; 

Whereas, 4 years after the launch of Operation Legend, several major cities in the United States continue to struggle with waves of violent crime; 

Whereas Kansas City recorded its deadliest year on record in 

2023 with 185 homicides and, between 2022 and 2023, 

violent crime increased by 11.5 percent in Chicago, the 

homicide rate in Memphis rose by 50 percent, and WashVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:38 Jul 25, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SC38.IS SC38

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ington, DC saw a significant increase in homicides, 

carjackings, and armed robberies; 

Whereas several of the largest cities in the United States continue to bear the brunt of violent crime surges, with their 

citizens feeling increasingly unsafe; 

Whereas, according to Attorney General Merrick Garland, 

‘‘there is no acceptable level of violent crime. Too many 

communities are still struggling, too many people are still 

scared’’; 

Whereas, according to a recent Gallup poll, 63 percent of 

people in the United States, the highest rate in decades, 

view crime as a serious problem; and 

Whereas, given the continuing scourge of violent crime in several cities in the United States, an initiative similar to 

Operation Legend is essential to reducing violent crime in 

those areas: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that a future 

3 presidential administration committed to enforcing or 

4 maintaining law and order should— 

5 (1) consider instituting a policy similar to Oper6 ation Legend that deploys Federal law enforcement 

7 agents to systematically target crime in cities still 

8 plagued with rises in homicides and other violent of9 fenses; and 

10 (2) provide significant grant funding to State 

11 and local governments that shall be used to— 


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•SCON 38 IS 

1 (A) hire and train more law enforcement 

2 officers, including by awarding bonuses to law 

3 enforcement officers; 

4 (B) prevent violent crime by prioritizing 

5 stringent sentences for repeat offenders; and 

6 (C) utilize public safety tools such as bail 

7 and pretrial detention to prevent dangerous of8 fenders from returning to communities. 

Æ 


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