Date: 2015-05-20
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Let me thank the distinguished gentleman from Georgia. He is right. We serve on the Judiciary Committee. He serves with great distinction as the ranking member on the Regulatory Reform. Commercial and Antitrust Law Subcommittee. and I have the privilege of working and serving with him on the Crime. Terrorism. Homeland Security. and Investigations Subcommittee. Although we have been working on these issues for any number of years. he is a practicing lawyer. a graduate of the distinguished Thurgood Marshall School of Law. which I have the privilege of representing. We know that we are now in a significant moment of history. and that is. if I might use language that is not particularly legislative. we cant fool around. There are issues that the American public. I believe. want remedies for. and that is persons who are civilians and persons who are law enforcement officers. The police accountability hearing that we just held. Mr. Speaker. held in front of the Judiciary Committee on Tuesdayand we thanked Chairman GOODLATTE and we thanked Ranking Member CONYERS for heeding our voices asking for this hearing. It was a hearing of information. but I think it did evidence that there is a divide that must be bridged. Today. I stand on the floor to acknowledge and honor. Mr. Johnson. a fallen officer in my district. None of us want to consent to actions against law enforcement officers in the line of duty protecting our communities and our Nation. At the same time. I believe that we have the opportunity to confront serious issues developing a roadmap for better police community relations. In addition to the legislation that I know Mr. JOHNSON has already elaborated onand I support him in his effortswe will be looking at legislation that deals with holding the standard matrix to provide a roadmap of training for police officers and law enforcement officers from deescalation. to ideas of interaction with community. professional training. educational training. We will also. hopefully. pass the CADET bill. which talks about gathering the appropriate data related to excessive force being used by civilians or police officers and using that material to be able to formulate the right kind of approach to protect all. In addition. I just introduced today the Private Prison Information Act. which indicates that the same requirements for the Federal prison system should be for the private. nonpublic prison system providing reports of injuries or behavior that should be reported. and we hope that bill will move quickly. We have also introduced a good time. early release bill that argues for the early release dealing with incarcerated persons responding to mass incarceration. which we believe is very important. This deals with a certain age. I am also introducing. Mr. JOHNSON. a bill that indicates 1 day for 1 day. if you have 54 days of good time. then you get 54 days. Now. it is not the case. Let me just say this. as I yield back to you. we will not pass legislation unless we can all understand each others pain. The horrific pain of losing law enforcement officers and them not going home to their families. I mourn- the horrific pain of a Michael Brown or Eric Garner and a Tamir Rice and a Walter Scott and any number of othersand. of course. Freddie Gray. What we need to do is. in understanding that pain. not be accusatory and get bills before the Judiciary Committee to make our system the best justice system in the world. That is what I would like to see happen. I know that you. as a practicing lawyer and who have addressed these issues. would like to see that happen as well. I would like to join you on the floor over and over again for these kinds of Special Orders. to speak to our colleagues about getting something done. passing comprehensive criminal reform. getting it done to answer the pain of all Americans. We honor those who have lost their lives. and we honor the men and women in uniform who wear the uniform on our behalf. to be able to walk alongside us in dignity.