On the recordMarch 4, 2015
As a member of the Homeland Security Committee and one who was in a security briefing this morning, I cannot celebrate more to the brave men and women of the Department of Homeland Security that many of us stood up collectively together as Americans and provided for full funding. Let me thank them for their service. Let me move on. Yesterday, another very provocative and important action was done. The Department of Justice report came out regarding the city of Ferguson, where it found that Blacks account for 85 percent of traffic stops, 90 percent of tickets issued, and 93 percent of arrests. Mr. Speaker, this is not about Ferguson, though many are trying to heal--and we offer sympathy again to Michael Brown's family--but it is about America. I call upon my Republican friends and Democratic friends. We act on facts. These are facts that are probably implicated across America. I have introduced the Build TRUST bill. I hope we can come together to find a way, both in terms of our law enforcement and making sure that they go home to their families, but also have a just and fair pattern, if you will, of treating the citizens of every hamlet and town and city and State in this Nation. We owe that to our beliefs in the Constitution, Mr. Speaker. I encourage a bipartisan effort to look at how we can address these questions across America. We deserve that as Americans. ____________________
