John Conyers: “The motion to recommit is essentially the Conyers-Schumer substitute which we will now offer as the motion to recommit.…”

“The motion to recommit is essentially the Conyers-Schumer substitute which we will now offer as the motion to recommit. It is both smart and tough. We have almost brought juvenile justice law to the point where the only thing left on the other side was to offer an amendment abolishing the distinction between juveniles and adults in our system. Because of a determination on germaneness made by the Speaker and the leaders, we have taken out the child safety lock provision. Sixteen children are killed every single day in the United States of America, and that provision now cannot be debated or voted on in any provision, neither the base bill or the substitute. The funding, great, $1.5 billion; but only five States meet the qualifications. Five States. It will be years before anybody will ever receive any money at the State and local level in this regard. Then, of course, we take the question of whether juveniles should be prosecuted as adults out of the judge's discretion and given to the prosecutors; great day in America in fighting juvenile crime. We have, most importantly, the only meaningful prevention in a juvenile justice bill, meaningful prevention based on research, which is cost-effective and which provides States and local governments maximum flexibility. It rejects the Washington-knows-best approach. It is smart and tough and compassionate, and I urge Members to join us in the motion to recommit.”