Steve Cohen: “First, I want to take a point of personal privilege. This is the first day that I have walked into the House without Don…”

“First, I want to take a point of personal privilege. This is the first day that I have walked into the House without Don Young being in it. Don Young was an outstanding Congressman and a good human being. He was my friend. Every day I walked in those doors and he sat on the aisle, I would say hello, and we would talk. This is the first day he hasn't been there to say hello. I will join with other Members to memorialize him in the services tomorrow here in the Capitol and also at his church in Virginia on Wednesday. Mr. Young was the dean of the House, just a good human being, and he had a wonderful wife. On this bill, I want to thank Mr. Armstrong for working with me on it. He was a strong proponent of the bill, and it is truly bipartisan and bicameral. It has already passed the Senate in some form, I believe. It has been mentioned that Justice Scalia was a great proponent of this, as was Justice Ginsburg and Justice Kavanaugh. Mr. Bentz and Ms. Jackson Lee have made all the arguments. I have a few pages of speeches here, but there is no reason to read them. A long time ago, I was told if you make the sale, sit down. The sale has been made, I believe. Mr. Speaker, I urge everybody to vote ``aye.'' I rise in strong support of H.R. 1621, the Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act. This bill is a bipartisan, bicameral effort to prevent judges from punishing defendants for conduct they have not been found to be guilty of.…”