On the recordApril 28, 2015
We all watched with great concern and horror the tragic funeral of Freddie Gray and then the enormous outpouring of violence and young people taking to the streets in Baltimore. We commend our colleague Congressman Cummings and the many other citizens--pastors--who went to the streets and called for peace, but it is important for this Congress to stand up and call for criminal justice reform because, as we move into the summer, I express great concern as to the reactions of young people who are unemployed, who feel oppressed, and feel that no one cares. I will be introducing--and have introduced--the Build TRUST bill; the CADET bill that collects data on lethal force between civilians and police; a bill on prison reform--giving good time, 1 day of incarceration, 1 day of good time--to provide for early release of nonviolent prisoners. At the same time, I will be asking for legislation that will provide the same reporting requirements for private prisons as public prisons, as well as grand jury reform, among others. The important point is that the Nation needs to hear this Congress make a statement of their commitment to criminal justice reform. I look forward to working with my colleagues and introducing legislation that will draw bipartisan support so that we can respond to these tragedies and get America on the right footing and rebuild the trust between police and the community. ____________________
