John Conyers: “The arguments against germaneness coming from the chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime would carry much more resonance…”

“The arguments against germaneness coming from the chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime would carry much more resonance if, through his agreement, and the Committee on Rules, we have already made measures germane that would have clearly been nongermane. The question is: What shall we make germane and what shall we make not germane? And to argue that these kinds of crimes that clearly call out for criminal penalties should not be included merely because they are not violent in the traditional sense of violence, there are many crimes that occur that are not physically violent. There is no physical act of violence when a person is murdered by poisoning. There is none. They are not excluded. They do not fall to the argument of being nongermane. And so, Mr. Chairman, I would say that this amendment relates to the subject matter as the legislation does before us. The subject before us, of the bill before us, is limited to crimes of violence which are committed against the elderly, young people, and other vulnerable persons. My amendment is limited to these same precise categories. The crime involved must be a crime of violence and it must be committed against a child, elderly person or other vulnerable person. On that basis, I urge that the point of order be rejected.”