[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 28, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H2492]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COMMITMENT TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, 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.

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