[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 162 (Tuesday, November 3, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H12208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PROTECTING INNOCENT AMERICANS FROM EXECUTION

  (Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today I introduced H.R. 3986, 
the Effective Death Penalty Appeals Act, to protect innocent Americans 
from execution. Under current law, a death row inmate can be stranded 
in a procedural no-man's land condemned to die, even if there is 
compelling new evidence of innocence.
  Justice Stevens recently wrote that the law as it stands is arguably 
unconstitutional. It is also wrong. My bill would empower Federal 
courts to entertain and grant habeas corpus petitions for death row 
inmates who present new evidence that demonstrates probable innocence.
  This bill will help us discern the innocent from the guilty when the 
stakes are highest. I look forward to broad support for this bill.
  I will also say that health care, this new proposal, H.R. 3986, is 
fabulous reform to this problem.

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