Transparency through Data Collection, and Reform Police training and policies. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to House Resolution 1017, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the committee on the judiciary, printed in the bill, modified by the amendment printed in part d of report 116 436 is adopted and the bill as amended is considered as read. The bill as amended shall be debatable for four hours equally divided among and controlled by the chair and Ranking Member of the committee on the judiciary. The gentleman from new york, mr. Nadler, and the gentleman from ohio, mr. Jordan, will each control two hours. The chair recognizes the gentleman from new york. Mr. Nadler. Mr. Nadler i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to evise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on h. R. 7120. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Nadler madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Nadler madam speaker, the tragic and blutal death of george floyd has been a wakeup call for millions of americans. Across the nation and around the world the streets are lined with protestors demanding fundamental change in the culture of Law Enforcement and meaningful accountability for officers who commit misconduct. Today we answer their call. We value and respect the many brave and Honorable Police officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect us in our communities. We know that most Law Enforcement officers do their jobs with dignity, selflessness, and honor. They are deserving of our respect and gratitude for all they do to keep us safe. But we must also acknowledge that there are too many exceptions. Too many Law Enforcement officers do not oppose the ethic of protecting and serving their community. Instead the reality for too Many Americans, especially for too many africanamericans, is that Police Officers are perceived as a threat to their liberties, dignity, and all too often to their safety. To those who do not believe it, look at the tragic statistics. Africanamericans are more than twice as likely to be shot and killed by police each year. And black men between the ages of 15 and 34 are approximately 10 times more likely to be killed by police than other americans. This is not a new problem. Our countrys history of racism and racially motivated violence, rooted in the original sin of slavery, and lynchings and jim crow and systemic racism continues to haunt our nation. We see it in the rates of covid deaths, our system of mass incarceration, and in the vast chasm of economic inequality. All of which fall disproportionately on the backs of africanamericans. We see an harassment in Excessive Force that people of color routinely face by far too many of our Police Officers. An unmistakable message has been sent to africanamericans in this country. That they are second class citizens. And that their lives are somehow of less value. Let me state clearly and unequivocally, that black lives matter. George floyd mattered. Breonna taylor mattered. Eric garner mattered. At that myrrh rice mattered. Walter scott mattered. Mcdonald and so many others mattered. Rayshard brooks mattered. And the countless other people have lost their lives at the hands of Law Enforcement mattered. For far too long pleas for justice and reform have fallen on deaf ears in congress, but that changes today. The George Floyd Justice and policing act would finally allow for meaningful accountability in cases of Police Misconduct and it would begin the process of reimagining policing in the 21st century. This legislation makes it easier for the federal government to successfully prosecute Police Misconduct cases. Effectively bans choke holds. Ends racial and religious profiling. Encourages prosecutions independent from local police. And eliminates the dubious court made doctrine of qualified immunity in civil rights lawsuits against Law Enforcement officers. At the same time, it works to prevent Police Violence and bias through a series of front end approaches aimed at edge courages departments to meet a Gold Standard in training, hiring, dee escalation strategies, bystander duty, use of body cameras, and other best practices. The bill also ends noknock warrants in drug cases. Stops the mill tarization of local policing. And requires the collection of data on a number of key policing matters which would be made public, vug the First Ever National database on Police Misconduct incidents to prevent the movement of dangerous officers from department to department. It also creates a new Grant Program for communitybased organizations to create local commissions and task forces on policing innovation. To reimagine how Public Safety could work in a truly equitable and just way in each community. I want to thank the sponsor of this legislation, the gentlelady from california, ms. Bass, for her tremendous work in crafting a bill that is at once bold and transformative while also taking a responsible and balanced approach to the many complicated issues associated with policing. I also want to thank the activists across the country who are leading the protests. It is because of you that we are here today. Considering the most significant reforms to policing in a generation. It is because of your energy, your determination, and your demands for justice that the nation has awakened to the need for action. I know that everyone in this chamber mourns those who have lost their lives at the hands of Law Enforcement. But today is our opportunity to offer more than just sympathy. Today is our opportunity to show the world that we are listening. That we will respond with real and lasting reforms. Thoughts and prayers are not enough. Pledges to study the problem are not enough. Half mesh shurings are not enough. Measures are not enough. Pretend sham measures are not enough. We must not let this moment slip away. If we do it will be a terrible stain on our legacy. I urge all my colleagues to support this vital legislation and i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan thank you, madam chair. What happened to george floyd last month in minneapolis was tragic, horrific, and is wrong as wrong could be. His family deserves justice and i hope they get that swiftly. Bad Police Officers must be held accountable for their misconduct and justice must be carried out. While we focus on rooting ott the bad apples, we need to remember that the overwhelming, emailing majority of Law Enforcement officers are good people who put themselves in harms way to keep the rest of us safe. We need meaningful legislation that increases training, ensures transparency, holds everyone accountable, and guarantees that tragedies similar to what happened in minneapolis dont happen again. This moment in our great nations history demands that we Work Together across the aisle to fashion legislation that works. Legislation that actually makes a real and lasting difference. Unfortunately, democrats havent done that. They show no sign of wanting to do that. They didnt consult us when they put together this legislation. In committee this last week we offered republicans offered 12 thoughtful, good amendments. Every single one voted down. Every single one. And in the senate, just yesterday, democrats voted to not even debate a commonsense proposal put forward by senator scott. Its interesting there was some bipartisan support for moving to debate. Two democrats, one independent voted with republicans, but yet democrats chose partisanship over real reform. We need reform, but House Democrats have delivered a bill that is designed to keep cops in the car. When you do that, when you do that makes our communities less safe by preventing good Law Enforcement officers from being able to do their job. Thats what this bill is going to do. Now is not the time to cripple the men and women who so selflessly serve our communities. This bill has serious due process concerns for Law Enforcement officers. That officers must be held accountable for their crimes, no one disputes that. This bill would punish unadjudicated allegations against officers, including officers who may be innocent of those allegations. This bill will make our Law Enforcement officers less safe by prohibiting them from obtaining surplus equipment from our federal government. We had an amendment in the Committee Says what about just allowing folks on the border dealing with the cartels, dealing with the terrorists they deal with down there, what about letting those Law Enforcement agencies to have access to surplus military equipment . Democrats said no. That was one of the 12 amendments they said no to. This equipment allows officers to protect themselves and the communities they serve. For example, Armored Vehicles in texas were used to rescue vehicle from rising floodwaters during harvey. Helmets saved the lives who were shot while responding to the terror attack in the pulse nightclub in orlando in 2016. This bill does nothing to address the calls for defunding and dismantling Police Departments. Frankly i have never heard such a crazy idea. This concept, most insane Public Policy proposal i have ever heard, i have been in politics a few years, this will make our community, certainly will make our communities less safe. Its a real failure of leadership that the speaker and chairman chose to not even seek any republican consensus, any republican input on the legislation. Rather than working with us in the house to put forward meaningful Bipartisan Solutions, democrats have rushed this bill to the floor and put forward extreme measures knowing these measures will not pass the senate and will not get to the president s desk. Just last week we held a markup for this bill. As i said every single one of the republican amendments were rejected by my democrat colleagues. All 12 of them. Fortunately, President Trump has led the way. Signed an executive order last week that will invest more energy and resources in police training, recruiting, and Community Engagement. Something we we consulted many Law Enforcement folks on our side. Like the sponsor of our legislation, mr. Staub, 20 years as a commander in the Duluth Police department. That Community Engagement is essential. Thats what was also in the president s executive order. This in addition to the many achievements on err over the past years. The usmca, and the list goes on. Senator scotts bill, which as i said mr. Staub introduced in the house gets to the heart of the issue without him stringing the men and women who faithfully serve our communities. Focus on training, accountability, and transparency. It provides additional training four our Law Enforcement for our Law Enforcement officers and dee escalation tactics when officers are observing the excessive use of force. It provides more funding for body cameras and the storage of the footage. It prevents bad officers from Going Department to department and creates an enhanced penalty for the falsifying of police reports. Its a bill with the right answers. A bill that should pass the senate and get signed into law by the president. Now is the time for us to come together. As americans and continue to make this country the greatest nation ever. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill and reserve the balance of our time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized. R. Nadler mr. Jordan is correct. The democrats in the senate did, indeed, oppose the republican bill because that bill is a sham. Designed to look as if its doing something, designed to look as if its having some reform while in fact doing nothing. Just ore, just more sham, more sham histrionics designed to make sure nothing real passes, that nothing changes. I now yield three minutes to the distinguished gentleman from georgia, mr. Johnson. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. Mr. Johnson i thank the chairman. Madam speaker, i rise in support of the George Floyd Justice and policing act because black lives matter. Police killed george floyd over a counterfeit 20 bill as if his life dew point matter. Police didnt matter. Police in georgia killed Rayshard Brooks for running away as if his life didnt matter. Breonna taylor, katherine johnson, at that myrrh rice tamir rice, walter scott, eric garner, and a long list of others. Each killed by police and robbed of their constitutional right to due process. None of these notorious killings moved congress to act. It took regular folks of all races, creeds, and colors taking to the streets in every part of this country, even in the face of a global pandemic, to tell the world that we have had enough of Police Killing black folks. We hear them. And Congress Knows that on the one hand, President Trumps cronies like roger stone and Michael Flynn can lie to federal investigators only to receive a get out of jail card from the president s protector, attorney general william barr but on the other hand, regular black folks floyd george and Rayshard Brooks get executed by the Police Acting as judge, jury and executioner. The only way that congress can prove to the American People that we believe that black lives matter is for all of us, republicans and democrats alike to ke to take legislation stop killing black people. Not tomorrow, not next year, now. In the fame of Michael Brown and the citizens of ferguson, missouri, lets demill taize Police Departments. In the name of Breonna Taylor bankatherine johnson, lets noknock warpts and ban chokeholds and make it easier for Police Departments to fire. In the name of tamir rice, lets enact a registry of bad cops so the people of the United States, lets pass the george floyd policing and justice act. And i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from ohio. Mr. Jordan the chairman of the Committee Said that democrats rejected senator scotts bill yesterday. Not all of them. Not all of them. Couple of them voted for it. Bipartisan support. Thats the only proposal that has bipartisan support right now, senator scotts bill. One of the independents in the senate voted for it. Its not accurate to characterize senator scotts legislation the way the chairman did. With that, i yield to the the gentleman from North Carolina for four minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from North Carolina is recognized for four minutes. Madam speaker, im disappointed. Im disappointed by the fact that we had an opportunity today to make real bipartisan and meaningful reform, yet thats not the bill that is before us today. Im disappointed the democrat leadership is more interested in passing a bill through the house than having Actual Solutions signed into law. And im disappointed the bill punishes good Police Officers. This is very personal to me. One month ago, our community lost one of our own. I was honored to be asked at a Memorial Service where i promised our community that i would work to create meaningful reform. Mr. Hudson after listening to many leaders, it became clear there is a lot that republicans and dell cats agree on. We agree on banning chokeholds nd increasing training and increasing the use of body cameras. For any legislation to become aw, it has to pass the democratcontrolled house and Republicancontrolled Senate and signed by the president. This bill was jammed through the Committee Without any constructive input or amendments. Many republican amendments would have helped and blocking unions from protecting bad cops and removes qualified immunity. Ta means any Police Officer can be dragged into civil court by any disgruntled person they come in contact with. Bad cops shouldnt be able to hide. Representative kline and i earned a support of the majority of this house and would have solved this problem. But the democrats woul