John Ratcliffe: “I strongly oppose the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), my friend. Her amendment would…”

“I strongly oppose the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), my friend. Her amendment would sunset the very modest, yet necessary and appropriate, authority that we are seeking to grant Federal probation officers today. No valid reason has been given for the need to sunset this provision. In fact, ample evidence is available showing why probation officers need this authority to perform their duties safely and effectively. Just last year, over one-third of the safety-related incidents reported by Federal probation and pretrial staff involved third parties encountered by officers while performing their official duties. For example, during an unannounced home visit to an apartment by officers, as they approached the apartment, two unidentified subjects entered the hall from another unit. Officers knocked on the resident's door and there was no answer. One third party stated: ``Hey, five-oh, who are you looking for?'' And they began approaching the officers in a menacing manner. One of the third parties pulled out a cell phone and started videoing, yelling obscenities, and making other statements to the officers. Another individual, in response to the commotion, entered the hallway possessing a knife and drew it as he moved toward the officers. These types of threats, Mr. Speaker, are very real and very dangerous to the brave men and women who serve the criminal justice system as Federal probation officers.…”