[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 103 (Thursday, June 25, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4626-S4628]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             BALTIMORE ACT

  Mr. CARDIN. Now, as I travel around Baltimore, and particularly the 
neighborhoods that are trying to recover, I hear a recurring theme from 
constituents: They don't feel their government truly represents them 
and their interests. They don't feel government has fully invested in 
recovery efforts in

[[Page S4627]]

their communities. They don't feel fully enfranchised.
  So what steps have the local government and Federal Government taken 
so far? We have seen our State's attorney in Baltimore indict several 
police officers on numerous criminal charges as a result of the death 
of Freddie Gray. Mr. Gray suffered a severe spinal cord injury while in 
police custody, which ultimately led to his death.
  The judge in this case has scheduled a trial to begin in October. At 
the Federal level, even before the Freddie Gray case, I had called for 
the Justice Department to intervene regarding allegations of brutality 
and misconduct by the Baltimore Police Department. In October 2014, the 
Maryland congressional delegation sent a letter to the Justice 
Department in support of greater Federal involvement with our local 
police force.
  DOJ agreed to this request and opened a collaborative review process 
with their COPS Office in Baltimore City. Shortly after the Freddie 
Gray case came to light in April of 2015, I sent a letter, along with 
the Maryland congressional delegation, asking the Justice Department to 
open a pattern or practice investigation into civil rights violations 
in the Baltimore Police Department.
  DOJ agreed to this request and opened the investigation, which is 
still ongoing, at the same time that the State trial for the police 
officers is occurring. For those of us who live in Baltimore, the 
events over those last couple of weeks have been heartbreaking. The 
city we love has gone through very difficult times. I wish to thank my 
colleagues who have contacted Senator Mikulski and me for offering 
their help, for offering their understanding, and for their willingness 
to work together so we can deal with the issues that have been raised 
in Baltimore and other cities and other places around our country.
  It is our responsibility to move forward. The people of Baltimore 
understand that. We understand the national spotlight will be leaving, 
and we are going to deal with the issues that are left behind. I want 
to thank the administration for their high-level involvement as 
Baltimore gets back on its feet. Our congressional delegation and Mayor 
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has had the opportunity to meet at the White 
House with senior administration officials and Cabinet Secretaries to 
support our local priorities, including jobs, economic growth, 
education, housing, and law enforcement.
  I thank President Obama for making Baltimore a top priority. Team 
Maryland is committed to working with the White House and Cabinet 
agencies to ensure that the tools and resources available from the 
Federal Government--from improving housing and increasing quality jobs 
to supporting our schools and small businesses, to providing citizens 
with second chances and expanding programs to rebuild the trust between 
neighborhoods and law enforcement--are brought to bear in Baltimore as 
a national model for the restoration of hope and opportunities in our 
cities.
  As Congressman Cummings has said: This is a transformational moment 
for Baltimore. It is finally time that we look at comprehensive steps 
to restore hope and trust in our neighborhoods. We need to ensure that 
all our citizens' rights are preserved, while giving police the tools 
they need to reengage with families and individuals that they are there 
to protect.
  Last week, I introduced the BALTIMORE Act, S. 1610, with Senator 
Mikulski as my cosponsor. The legislation stands for Building and 
Lifting Trust in Order to Multiply Opportunities and Racial Equality. 
The components of the BALTIMORE Act are powerful antidotes to many of 
the long-term ills facing our city and others. We must simultaneously 
promote economic development and opportunities for our cities.
  But this bill gives individuals and law enforcement a second chance 
to do the right thing and contribute in a positive way to their 
families, their neighborhoods, and the larger community. The BALTIMORE 
Act contains legislation from this Senator and other Senators as well 
as new legislative ideas. The BALTIMORE Act consists of four titles. 
The first title deals with law enforcement. The BALTIMORE Act contains 
the text of my legislation, S. 1056, which is the End Racial Profiling 
Act. I have talked on the floor before about ending racial profiling. 
It should have no place in law enforcement in our communities. It is 
counterproductive, it turns communities against law enforcement, it is 
costly, and it can be deadly.
  Now, if you have specific information about a person who has 
committed a crime, you can use that. That is not profiling. But when 
you target a community solely because of race, that has to end. The 
first title of the BALTIMORE Act also contains several reforms 
championed by Senator Mikulski, as part of the Commerce, Justice, 
Science appropriations bill, approved by the committee for fiscal year 
2016.
  The legislation would require local law enforcement officials 
receiving Byrne-JAG and COPS Hiring Program funds to submit officer 
training information to the DOJ, including how their officers are 
trained in the use of force, countering racial and ethnic bias, 
deescalating conflicts, and constructive engagement with the public. It 
requires State and local police departments to promptly submit the use-
of-force data to the FBI.

  The legislation requires the Department of Justice to issue a report 
on a plan to assist State and local law enforcement agencies to improve 
training in the use of force, in identifying racial and ethnic bias, 
and in conflict resolution through the course of officers' careers.
  The final piece of this title I act establishes a pilot program to 
assist local law enforcement in purchasing or leasing body-worn cameras 
and requires privacy study. I thank Senators Schatz and Paul for 
introducing this legislation as the CAMERA Act, S. 877.
  The second title involves voting rights reform and civil rights 
restoration. It includes the text from my legislation, S. 772, the 
Democracy Restoration Act.
  My legislation will restore voting privileges for those who have 
completed their prison terms. I know I have support on both sides of 
the aisle. We have had a vote on this, and a near majority have agreed 
on it. Those who opposed it said it was on the wrong bill. Well, let's 
move it forward.
  Once individuals have completed their sentencing, they should be 
welcomed back to our community so that they can be productive, law-
abiding citizens, so they know they have become part of our community 
and they believe they have a future.
  They should be able to serve on our juries. There is not a person in 
the Senate who didn't have a second chance sometime in their life. We 
should look at second-chance opportunities. In part our legislation 
provides additional funding for second-chance type programs that would 
employ those who have had criminal convictions. We also have the sense 
of Congress to end ``check-the-box'' so that in Federal contracts all 
persons have an opportunity to participate.
  The third title deals with sentencing reform. I have spoken to some 
of my colleagues about some of the sentencing guidelines we have in 
this country. We need to take a look at our criminal justice system and 
the sentencing guidelines to recognize that if a person is of a certain 
race, a certain religion or ethnic background, that person is much more 
likely to end up in prison today even though the instance of violating 
the laws are not different in that community than in other communities 
in the country. We have to deal with it. The country has to deal with 
it.
  The fourth title of the bill--the last title--deals with the reentry 
programs that I have already talked about. We need to finance those.
  It may take time for Baltimore to recover fully from the damage done 
to its business and national image by the tragic events following the 
recent death of Freddie Gray, but this great city will come back. I am 
optimistic when it comes to Baltimore's future. From its earliest days, 
Baltimore's industrial and financial business sectors have proven 
themselves resilient and innovative, and these same qualities will be 
vital in the days ahead.
  I am confident that together we can find ways to help Baltimore 
recover and grow all sectors of its diverse economy, spurring community 
improvements along way.

[[Page S4628]]

  We also need to have a serious discussion about sentencing reform and 
finding ways to restore the lost trust between law enforcement and the 
communities they serve. The BALTIMORE Act will allow us to move 
decisively in that direction by ending racial profiling, increasing 
accountability, collecting critical crime data such as officer-related 
shootings, and providing real strategies and resources to strengthen 
police-community relations. These measures will help protect the rights 
of every American on every side of our justice system.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority whip.

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