[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 150 (Wednesday, December 10, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6579-S6580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 DEATH IN CUSTODY REPORTING ACT OF 2013

  Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 604, H.R. 1447.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 1447) to encourage States to report to the 
     Attorney General certain information regarding the death of 
     individuals in the custody of law enforcement agencies, and 
     for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today Senators have finally come together 
to pass the Death in Custody Reporting Act, which will provide 
important transparency to law enforcement efforts and our prison 
system. At a time

[[Page S6580]]

when our Nation is having an important conversation about police 
encounters that result in the loss of life, we know that hundreds of 
police-related deaths are unaccounted for in Federal statistics. The 
Death in Custody Reporting Act will require that State and Federal law 
enforcement officials report deaths in their custody, including those 
that occur during arrest. The Justice Department will then have the 
opportunity to analyze the data and see what we can learn from it. The 
American people deserve as much.
  Too many communities across our country are losing faith in our 
justice system. This bill provides a step toward accountability, and it 
is my hope that it may ultimately lead to restoring some measure of 
trust in these communities. If we are ever able to truly embody the 
words engraved in Vermont marble above the United States Supreme Court 
building, ``Equal Justice Under the Law,'' then more of course must be 
done. I look forward to continuing these efforts in the next Congress.
  The prior authorization for the Death in Custody Reporting Act 
expired in 2006, and after too many years of inaction, I am glad that 
Democrats and Republicans have come together and sent this 
reauthorization bill to the President for signature. My appreciation 
goes to Congressman Bobby Scott, who sponsored and has long championed 
this legislation, as well Senator Richard Blumenthal, who sponsored a 
Senate version.
  This has been an important week for transparency. On Monday, the 
Senate came together to pass my bipartisan FOIA Improvement Act and I 
hope the House will soon take up this bill. On Tuesday, I spoke on the 
Senate floor in favor of the release of the executive summary of the 
Senate Intelligence Committee Study of the CIA's Detention and 
Interrogation Program. Both of these actions did not come easily, but 
in both instances the interests of the American public and our values 
as a democracy prevailed. Today, we have again come together in the 
interest of transparency for the betterment of our Nation.
  Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or 
debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 1447) was ordered to a third reading, was read the 
third time, and passed.

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