On Monday, May 2nd, U.S. Representative Mike Garcia (R-Palmdale) spoke to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland during a Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Fiscal Year 2023 budget request. During the hearing, Garcia urged Attorney General Garland to support law enforcement by removing the federal stipulation that caps the overtime local law enforcement can charge to “the federal grant buckets of money”. Garcia cited the experience of the Los Angeles County Marijuana Eradication Team, which focuses on combating illegal marijuana growing operations. He stipulated that the overtime cap harms these eradication efforts by forcing experienced members of the Marijuana Eradication Team to cycle off the team once they reach the cap.
