[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 16, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S2981]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, too often, Americans are cynical about 
our political system when all they see is legislative gridlock. Yet 
Iowans were able to set themselves apart by working together on law 
enforcement reforms in the wake of George Floyd's murder.
  Every step of the way, the Iowa process was fueled by input from the 
grassroots, including those who demonstrated peacefully. The 
Republican-led statehouse and senate partnered with the Democrats to 
unanimously pass reforms in our State--some of them historic reforms. 
Governor Reynolds signed House File 2647 to bring additional 
accountability to Iowa's law enforcement officers.
  These are some of the things that they did: created stronger 
restrictions on the use of choke holds by law enforcement officers; 
improved the law enforcement decertification process to ensure that 
those who have been fired or who resign after serious misconduct do not 
work in our State; strengthened the authority of the Iowa attorney 
general to prosecute officers whose actions result in the death of 
another; established annual anti-bias and deescalation training 
requirements for officers.
  We are working on some of these very same policies here on the 
Federal level. Washington should follow Iowa's example and pass 
legislation to help correct wrongs and inspire positive change in our 
communities across the country. Senator Lindsey Graham will be leading 
hearings today on this issue before the Committee on the Judiciary. 
Hopefully, we can act.
  I yield the floor.

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