Rep. Nadler without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recess at any time. It says that meetings in which individuals assemble for various reasons of the country in large numbers with appropriate social distancing is difficult to maintain. One critical means to reduce a mess. K is to wear not only does it protect you from getting sick from the deadly virus, helps protect the other people in this room from getting sick. After this is over, we will go home to our loved ones. Wearing a mask helps prevent them from serious illness as well. I have the duty to maintain order and a quorum in our proceedings as chairman, which includes making sure we conduct our business in a safe manner. In light of the new guidance, i fully expect all members on both sides of the aisle to wear a mask at all times if youre not speaking. If youre not willing to wear a mask, house rules allow you to participate remotely from your Office Without being physically present in the room. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Pursuant to notice, i now call up hr 7120, the justice in policing act of 2020 for purposes of markup and move the Committee Report the bill favorably to the house. The clerk will report the bill. Hr 7120 holds Law Enforcement accountable for misconduct in court, improves transparency through Data Collection, and Reforms Police training and policies. Chair nadler without objection, the bill is considered red and as read and open for amendment at any point. I recognize myself for an opening statement. Last week, George Floyds sat in thislonese, room and told us of the pain he felt watching the video of his brother being killed in Minneapolis Police officer. He gave voice to the pain all of us have felt over the last few weeks. He also spoke to the anger of knowing that george floyd was only the latest in a too long list of victims of Police Brutality, disproportionately people of color. He spoke that dramatic reform is needed. Congress has done very little. Mr. Floyd charged us with making sure that his brothers death would not be in vain and pleaded with us to turn the pain and anger that we all feel into meaningful change. His words echoed the voices of millions of americans who have taken to the streets in the last few weeks to seek justice and demand action. Today, we answer that call. We value and respect the brave and Honorable Police officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect us and our communities. Those of us who were here in 1998 will never forget the courageous actions and sacrifice that capitol Police Officers mr. Chestnut and mr. Gibson made in this building while protecting others. We owe them and the other officers killed in the line of duty each year a debt we can never repay. That includes officer, patrick underwood, who was shot and killed in the line of duty several weeks ago. But we must acknowledge too many Law Enforcement officers do not uphold the ethic of protecting and serving their community. Instead, the reality for too many americans, especially africanamericans, is that Police Officers are seen as a are perceived as a threat to their liberty, dignity, and too often, to their safety. This is not a new problem. Centuries of systemic and Structural Racism have affected all of our institutions. We see it in the rate of covid deaths, mass incarceration, and in economic inequality, all of which fall disproportionately on the backs of africanamericans. And we see it in the harassment and Excessive Force people of color routinely face by too many Police Officers. An unmistakable message has been sent to africanamericans in this country. That they are secondclass citizens, and their lives are somehow less value. Are somehow of less value. Let me state clearly and unequivocally that black lives matter. George floyd mattered. Breonna taylor mattered. Eric garner, tamir rice, walter scott, Laquan Mcdonald mattered. Rayshard brooks mattered. And the countless other people who have lost their lives at the hands of Law Enforcement mattered. For far too long, police and Justice Reform have fallen on deaf ears in congress, but that changes today. The justice in policing act would finally allow for meaningful accountability in cases of Police Misconduct and reimagine policing in the 21st century. This legislation, which currently has 227 cosponsors in the house and 36 cosponsors in the senate, makes it easier for the federal government to successfully prosecute police thannduct cases, chokeholds, end racial and religious profiling, encourages prosecution independent of local police, and eliminates the dubious courtmade document of qualified immunity of civil rights lawsuits of Law Enforcement officers. At the same time, it addresses systemic racism and works to prevent Police Violence and bias through front end approaches aimed at encouraging departments to meet a Gold Standard in training, hiring, deescalation strategies, bystander duty, use of body cameras, and other best practices. The goal of this legislation is to achieve a guardian, not warrior, model of policing. The public data on key policing matters, including a First Ever National database on Police Misconduct incidents to prevent the movement of dangerous officers from department to department. It ends no knock warrants and the militarization of policing locally, and that lynching is a federal hate crime. The bill does this while using no federal funds for Police Departments, except for mandated Data Collection and repurposes existing funding for the support of these programs. 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 gentlelady bass, whoornia, ms. Chaired the crime subcommittee and who sponsored this legislation, for her work in crafting a bill that is bold and transformative to meet the moment that calls out for sweeping reform while taking a responsible and balanced approach to the many complicated issues associated with policing. I want to thank the members of this committee you have worked on and introduced legislation that is included in the legislation before us today. I want to thank the activists leading protests across the country. 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. To the families of those who have lost their lives at the hands of Law Enforcement, everyone in this room mourns with you. But today, we will offer more than just sympathy. Today, we are proposing meaningful change. Thoughts and prayers are not enough. Pledges to study the problem are not enough. Half measures are not enough. To the members of this committee, the justice in policing act is our opportunity to show the world we are listening and will respond with a real and lasting reform. Withd that we will respond real and lasting reforms. We must not let this moment slip away. If we find ourselves here again, listening to the heartbreaking testimony of another grieving family member, wondering why we didnt act when we had the chance, it will be a stain on our legacy. We must not let that happen. I urge my colleagues to support this vital legislation. I now recognize the distinguished Ranking Member of the judiciary committee, the gentleman from ohio, mr. Jordan, for his opening statement. Rep. Jordan thank you, mr. Chairman. I should point out for the members are calling from kentucky, mr. Barr, lost his wife last evening as well. We want to think about the barr family come also. Family, also. Four fundamental principles should form the framework for Public Policy. First of all, what happened to george floyd was a tragedy. What happened to Pat Underwood is also a tragedy. Wrong cans wrong as be and we should work to make sure it doesnt happen again. Their families deserve to see swift justice for their killers. Second, peaceful protest is important. Its part of our First Amendment liberties. We have all engaged in it. But theres a big difference between peaceful protest and writing, a big difference between peaceful protest and looting, violence, and attacking our Police Officers or forming these new autonomous zones we see in the city of seattle, whatever the designation is. There is a big difference. Third, the vast majority of Police Officers do a great job. They risk their lives every day to protect our community. Our communities. They are the individuals who rushed into the twin towers on 9 11. They are the individuals on capitol hill who protect us every single day. They are the guys in our communities, who put on that uniform every shift and risk their lives, and we should thatp policy and the judiciary committee. Policy here in the judiciary committee. Fourth, defunding the police and dismantling Police Departments is one of the craziest policies i have ever heard. Public policy proposals i have ever heard. Two weeks ago, the president said in his speech in florida, laid out the mission clearly. Laid out the mission clearly. He talked about healing not hatred, justice not chaos. Those words underscore what we heard from George Floyds brother and week ago. Just last week, when he sat here in such a compelling way, talked about three simple words, one sentence. Life is precious. Life is precious. George floyds life, Ahmaud Arberys life, Breonna Taylors life, rayshard brookss life. Each life is precious. And david dorn and Pat Underwoods lives, as well. Everyone understands that. We have an obligation to make improvements to Public Policy that recognize that basic fact that was said so well by word floyds brother last week. By George Floyds brother last week. The president understands it, as well. Yesterday, he gathered the families of fallen Law Enforcement officers and the families of victims of Police Brutality at the white house as part of his executive order that lays the groundwork for beginning to address these real concerns. Even before the executive order, this administration worked with us on good policy, good strong policy. Mr. Collins, mr. Jeffries, all of us on this committee with the first step act. Great piece of legislation. Real prison reform. This administration has worked to support historically black colleges and opportunity zones, support for school choice, where all good policies where we Work Together. I hope thats what happens today. I hope my colleagues on the democrat side of the aisle will work with us on the many amendments we plan to offer that we think function within the four principles i talked about, and will help deal with the situation. But it didnt start off that way. Not one single republican was consulted with the bill we are marking up today. You guys introduced it and didnt talk with us. I hope today you will embrace our thoughtful amendments we plan to offer. Amendments that are consistent with the constitution, the rule of law, those four principles, and consistent with mr. Floyds words that life is precious. That is our goal on the republican side. I look forward to the next several hours that we can adopt republican amendments that we think will make this legislation the kind of legislation our country wants us to develop in the house judiciary committee. With that, mr. Chairman, i yield back. Chair nadler i thank the gentleman. I now recognize the gentle lady from california and sponsor of this legislation for her opening statement. Rep. Bass thank you, mr. Chairman. Let me begin by offering my prayers to representative sensenbrenner. He is my travel partner to africa. We have traveled several times together and have had many conversations about his wife, from the time she first took ill two over the last few years. Through her illness over the last few years. My prayers and thoughts are with him. Two weeks ago, the world witnessed a horrific crime on the streets of minneapolis, the slow, torturous murder of george floyd. I want to acknowledge the murder of dave patrick underwood. Lastly, we were able to meet his sister and hear about him. And members, you may or may not have heard, the person who killed him was arrested yesterday. It turns out that that person had deliberately infiltrated the protesters with the objective to kill Police Officers. And he was a member of a right Wing Organization that believed in creating chaos. And i am very glad that that arrest took place. The tragic death of george floyd has galvanized the nation to look at our history. Because black americans have been sadly marching for over 100 years to bring attention to this gross injustice we have faced for centuries. We have marched against abuse against police abuse and for the police to protect and serve our communities like they do elsewhere. In the 1950s, it was news cameras exposed the horrors of legalized racism. Now it is the cellphone camera that has exposed the continuation of violence directed at africanamericans by police. The sad truth is when people told stories of police abuse and murder at the hands of Police Officers, they simply werent believed. Even when there were videotapes, questions were asked. Ell, we dont know what happened before the camera went on. When we heard about this person who was killed, we question their background. Maybe they had a police record. Even if that was the case, what happened to arresting someone and the presumption of innocence before Proven Guilty . It has taken technology and active citizen involvement to document and expose this ugly reality. But just understanding the problem is not enough. We need fundamental change. That is why chairman nadler and i, along with 227 cosponsors, introduced the justice in policing act. This bold, transformative legislation will assist Police Departments to change the culture of policing, raise standards of the profession, and hold those officers accountable who fail to uphold the ethic of serving their communities. Serving and protecting their communities. I dont need to repeat whats in the bill, you will hear about it through the day, but im certain that Police Officers want to be free to intervene and stop an officer for using deadly force when it is not necessary. You might have heard about the Police Officer who intervened last year when one of her colleagues had a person in a chokehold, and she was afraid this individual was going to kill this Police Officer this Police Officer was going to kill this person. It was an africanamerican woman, she intervened. Well, she got fired. I believe most Police Officers would have rendered aid like she did and would have stopped what happened. And i believe Police Officers want to be trained in the best practices in policing. So to help support officers, this legislation will create the First National accreditation standards for the operation of Police Departments. National standards for officers. When i met with the fraternal order of police, they requested this and said they had been trying to get National Standards for years. But they were doing it in a retail manner. And if we are able to pass this legislation with teeth in it, it will help them. Despite our best intentions, some officers will cross the line. We know that there will be some officers who will cross the line. That is where there are accountability measures. A profession where you have the power to kill should require highly trained officers who are accountable to the public. Our country is at a crossroads. For the first time, i believe america is finally beginning to question, learn, and understand the hard truths that surrounds the hard truths that surround policing in our country. I say one of the things most painful to africanamericans is when we describe our interactions with police, and when our experience is completely rejected because someone else has not had that experience. To hear people say, i have always had positive interactions with the police. So your interactions, i dont believe they actually happened. Right now, the world is witnessing the birth of a new movement in our country, and this movement has spread to many nations around the world. People are marching to demand not just change, but transformative change that ends Police Brutality and racial profiling. They are marching to demand meaningful and substantive change. Not a fig leaf, not reform life. I dont want this committee to do that, either. That is why we must support the justice in policing act that will be called the George Floyd Justice in policing act. People dont want to see their efforts water down. Their efforts watered down. As i said last week if this had been the law of the land several eric garner and george floyd would be alive because it bans chokehold. Last year, Breonna Taylor would not have been shot to death 12 times in her sleep because no knock warrants for drug arrests would have been illegal. If the National Registry would have been in effect, it would have revealed the officer who killed 12yearold tamir rice had been fired from another department and had a propensity for violence. He never would have been hired by another department, and this may tamir rice would graduate from high school. And this may, tamir rice would graduate from high school. When we do not invest in communities, Police Officers are left to pick up the pieces. Police officers are the first to say this is unfair. They werent trained to be social workers or health providers. Homelessness and Substance Abuse are health and economic problems. In los angeles, we have a jail called the twin towers with hundreds of inmates. And in los angeles, we refer to it as the nations most expensive Mental Health institution, because the majority of the people in the jail suffer from mental illness. This did not happen overnight. 30 years ago, in 1990, i started an organization in South Central los angeles to address a health and economic problem society was criminalizing. Bass was choosing to criminalize. That society was choosing to criminalize. That was the problem with crack cocaine. What we did, we didnt expand drug treatment. We just incarcerated people. Many of those people are in prison today. The justice in policing act reinvests in our communities and empowers them to shape the future of Public Safety through grants and communitybased organizations to develop innovative solutions. Over the years, after 1990, i watched as the federal and State Government slowly divested from communities, reduced resources for services, and we had to increase resources for prisons and police. So we are at a crossroads in our society, and we have to decide. Is the way we are going to proceed is every time there is a health, social, and economic problem is our solution going to be to solve the health, social, and economic problem, or to spend more, more, and more money expanding Police Departments and building prisons . Again, i support the Police Officers, and i support their cry when they say when you dont fix societys problems, you leave us to pick up the pieces. That is unfair to them. They are not trained to do that, and it doesnt solve problems. We all want to be safe in our communities. We all want the police to come to our rescue when we are in trouble, and we support the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for us. And when we interact with police, we want to be treated with respect, not suspicion, and we shouldnt be in fear for our life interacting with officers. It took me many years to get over the fear of those lights coming on behind you. Not fear that i was going to get a ticket, but fear that my interaction with police might result in me not surviving. This is not just an issue for black men. This is an issue for black women, as well. Millions of people in this country and around the world are marching and raising their voices to call out for police reform. We are here to answer those calls. Today is an opportunity to reimagine Public Safety so it is just and equitable for all americans. I am hopeful that my colleagues on the others of the aisle, when i hear many of our proposals have been incorporated in what i hear coming out of the senate in a different way, not as strong or powerful, but it makes me feel like there is a pathway for us to do this. And the American People are waiting for us. And the whole world is watching us. I yield back the balance of my time. Chair nadler i now recognize the Ranking Member of the , the gentleman of louisiana, mr. Johnson. Rep. Johnson thank you, mr. Chairman. One thing has become clear over the past several weeks. Americans have looked to this committee to lead in working together regardless of Party Affiliation to find Common Ground on the issues before us. Our constituents and people of this country expect and deserve that. In my opening remarks last week, i and others made clear the willingness of republicans to work with the democrat majority on the committee to find Meaningful Solutions that will help build trust in communities and restore faith in our institutions. I think we all agree on three Core Concepts improvements are needed in transparency, training, and termination policies for the rare bad apples in Law Enforcement who violate the law and legitimacy that uphold the character of our legal system. At the same time, congress has to be careful to uphold the respect and appreciation due to every American Patriot who serves us on the thin blue line. On that thin, blue line. Some of the progressive base and democratic base, and even some liberal members of congress and city councilpersons, are calling for the defunding of american police. This is pure insanity. Every day, our Law Enforcement officers are putting their lives on the line to protect our communities from violent crimes, home invasions, sex trafficking rings, gang violence, and domestic terrorism. It was noted yesterday in 2018 alone, the Police Arrested 12,000 people for murder in our country, 25,000 people for rape, and nearly 1. 5 Million People for assault. Who will do this if we dismantle and dissolve our Police Departments . This is a recipe for disaster, and every reasonable person can see that. A proposal that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. The second problem is with the broken process and flawed product it has produced. While this bill has important and wise provisions, the legislation presented from this markup is not the result of deliberative proceedings at all. Despite the fact that we had clear bipartisan consensus on the need for meaningful reforms and a rare opportunity to set an example of working together across party lines for the best interest of all americans. The democratic majority has locked us out of the room, and instead, produced a bill that includes provisions that will have a negative impact on communities most affected by crime, and on the safety of the officers who put their lives on the line to serve them. I serve as the Ranking Member on the constitutional civil rights and Civil Liberties subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over key areas addressed by this legislation. But the bill was released 10 days ago, and my subcommittee, which could have been an ideal venue to build consensus, has been afforded zero opportunity to meet and consider the complex issues before us. And specific constitutional questions before us. My colleagues and i will introduce key amendments to try to repair and improve this bill. I hope they will be duly considered and adopted by our friends on the other side. What we need and the American People deserve is a thoughtful dialogue, common sense, and valuable input from both the majority and minority. Minority on this committee. This Common Ground is key we are going to accomplish the ground of keeping our community safe, upholding the Civil Liberties of individuals, and protecting the legitimacy of Law Enforcement. Yesterday in the rose garden, president signed his executive order and mentioned, americans know the truth. Without police, there is chaos. Without law, there is anarchy. Without safety, there is catastrophe. We need leaders at every level of government with the moral clarity to state these obvious facts. Americans believe we have to support the brave men and women in blue who keep our streets safe. Americans believe we should improve accountability and increase transparency, and increase funding in community engagement. Reducing crimes and raising standards are not mutually exclusive. They Work Together. The president has done his part and now we must do hours. I pray we Work Together at this important moment to solve these pressing problems. Thank you. I yield back. Chair nadler without objection, all other Opening Statements will be included in the record. Announcer some of the opening remarks this morning for the house judiciary committee. They are meeting today to mark up the justice in policing at legislation that is expected on the house floor next week. The committee is in a lunch break and should be back sometime shortly after 2 00 p. M. Eastern. Will havereturn, we live coverage returning here on cspan, as well. Until then, we will show you more comments from the meeting this morning, starting with congressman Eric Swalwell of. Alifornia the gentleman from rhode island . I move to strike the last word. The gentleman is recognized. I want to begin with this prescience i want to begin with my sympathy with sensenbrenner for the loss of his wife. I would like to recognize the chair of the crime subcommittee and the Congressional Black Caucus on this historic legislation