[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1023 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1023

    Calling for justice for George Floyd and others, and condemning 
                         violence and rioting.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 2020

 Mr. Steube submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Calling for justice for George Floyd and others, and condemning 
                         violence and rioting.

Whereas the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, at the hands of law 
        enforcement was a horrific act that violated the public trust and was 
        inconsistent with the values and conduct expected of law enforcement 
        officers;
Whereas the law enforcement officers involved in the killing of George Floyd 
        have been terminated from their positions and charged with crimes 
        relating to their conduct and contribution to the death of George Floyd;
Whereas in the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd, peaceful protests began 
        across the United States focused on justice for African-American victims 
        of police misconduct;
Whereas these peaceful protests are protected by the Constitution of the United 
        States through an individual's First Amendment rights of freedom of 
        speech, of peaceful assembly, and to petition the Government concerning 
        grievances;
Whereas what began as peaceful demonstrations have been exploited by violent 
        extremists who have carried out acts of violence, looting, destruction 
        of business and personal property, and additional loss of life, 
        including the deliberate targeting of law enforcement officers;
Whereas due to the actions of violent extremists, certain government functions 
        have been temporarily closed, businesses have been forced to be 
        shuttered, and livelihoods have been impacted;
Whereas these acts of violence are considered criminal activity;
Whereas the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) or Capitol Hill Occupied Protest 
        (CHOP) is a six-block self-declared autonomous area within the Capitol 
        Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, that was established by 
        protestors on June 8, 2020;
Whereas protestors commandeered the Seattle Police Department's East Precinct 
        after a seven-day standoff with law enforcement officers and National 
        Guard soldiers;
Whereas rather than seeking justice for George Floyd, protestors have prohibited 
        law enforcement officers from entering the CHAZ and/or CHOP zone and 
        have demanded anarchistic and socialist reforms, such as the abolishment 
        of the Seattle Police Department, the abolishment of ICE in the city of 
        Seattle, abolition of imprisonment, free public house, free colleges, 
        and rent control;
Whereas when law enforcement officers are prohibited by protestors from entering 
        the CHAZ and/or CHOP zone, they are unable to carry out the oath they 
        took to protect and serve the public;
Whereas, on June 11, 2020, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan proclaimed, ``Capitol Hill 
        Autonomous Zone #CHAZ is not a lawless wasteland of anarchist 
        insurrection--it is a peaceful expression of our community's collective 
        grief and their desire to build a better world'';
Whereas at a press conference the next day on June 12, 2020, Seattle Police 
        Chief Carmen Best directly contradicted Mayor Durkan, saying that 
        ``Rapes, robberies and all sorts of violent acts have been occurring in 
        the area and we're not able to get to them.'';
Whereas members of the Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club (PSJBGC), a self-
        described ``anti-fascist, anti-racist, pro-worker community defense 
        organization,'' were reportedly carrying rifles in the CHAZ and/or CHOP 
        zone;
Whereas a shooting occurred on June 20, 2020, in the CHAZ and/or CHOP zone in 
        which seven shots were fired in under three seconds and a 19-year-old 
        man died and a 33-year-old man was in critical condition;
Whereas the Seattle Police Department attempted to respond and clear the way for 
        emergency medical services, but they were met by a violent crowd that 
        prevented them from accessing the victims;
Whereas another shooting occurred on June 21, 2020, in the CHAZ and/or CHOP zone 
        in which the victim was transported to Harborview Medical Center and was 
        later released;
Whereas these acts of lawlessness take our Nation's focus away from a safe and 
        civil dialogue on issues of importance to our Nation;
Whereas a free society depends on the rule of law, which is the foundation for 
        the preservation of public order, peace, and individual rights;
Whereas the United States has a troubled history of racism that includes 
        slavery, the terror of lynch mobs, segregation, and Jim Crow, which 
        leaves our country with important work to accomplish;
Whereas the just and unbiased enforcement of the rule of law and the protection 
        of innocent individuals against lawbreakers is an essential function of 
        government at the local, State, and Federal levels;
Whereas the law enforcement profession is inherently dangerous and police 
        officers risk their lives every day;
Whereas in 2019, according to statistics reported to the FBI, 89 law enforcement 
        officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents;
Whereas law enforcement officers are entrusted by the public to uphold the law;
Whereas law enforcement officers who abuse their positions, engage in 
        corruption, employ excessive force, or exhibit bias, betray the public 
        trust and undermine the rule of law;
Whereas good law enforcement cannot exist without accountability and justice;
Whereas law enforcement officers swear an oath to uphold the public trust even 
        though, through the performance of the duties of a law enforcement 
        officer, the officers may become targets for senseless acts of violence;
Whereas law enforcement officers have bravely continued to meet the call of duty 
        to ensure the security of their neighborhoods and communities at the 
        risk of their own personal safety in the time of a viral pandemic;
Whereas the resolve to service is clearly demonstrated by law enforcement 
        officers across the country who have tragically fallen ill or passed 
        away due to complications of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty;
Whereas understaffed police departments and undertrained police officers 
        increase the risk of encounters that result in the use of force, 
        including unjustifiable or excessive force;
Whereas a coalition within the New York City Council proposed a $1 billion cut 
        from the New York Police Department budget in the 2021 fiscal year;
Whereas, two Hartford, Connecticut, City Council Members proposed a 25-percent 
        across-the-board reduction for the Hartford Police Department Budget;
Whereas, on June 11, 2020, the Austin, Texas, City Council voted to begin the 
        process of defunding the Austin Police Department;
Whereas, on June 12, 2020, the Minneapolis, Minnesota, City Council unanimously 
        voted to abolish the Minneapolis Police Department, despite the fact 
        that Minneapolis's violent crime rate is one of the highest in the 
        Nation;
Whereas, on June 15, 2020, the Baltimore, Maryland, City Council approved an 
        approximately $22 million budget cut for the Baltimore Police 
        Department, despite the fact that Baltimore saw 348 murders in 2019 with 
        over two-thirds remaining unsolved;
Whereas, on June 16, 2020, the Los Angeles, California, City Council voted to 
        study ways to cut the Los Angeles Police Department's budget by $100 
        million to $150 million dollars; and
Whereas defunding the police would leave police departments understaffed and 
        undertrained, while also increasing the risk of violent crime to the 
        communities of the United States, especially vulnerable communities: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) calls for justice for George Floyd;
            (2) calls for justice for officers and others who have 
        suffered from violence at the hands of extremists;
            (3) strongly condemns the violence, riots, and looting in 
        the United States;
            (4) recognizes that violent opportunists use the cover of 
        legitimate protests by their fellow citizens to sow chaos;
            (5) recognizes that the actions of those committed to 
        violence does not diminish the rights of other Americans to 
        peacefully protest;
            (6) urges peace and order to be restored;
            (7) expresses that those responsible for these violent acts 
        be held criminally responsible for their actions;
            (8) strongly opposes any effort to establish autonomous 
        areas within the sovereign territory of the United States; and
            (9) strongly opposes efforts to defund, dismantle, or 
        disband police forces.
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