[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S428-S429]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Violent Crime

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, everybody knows that violent crime is 
rising in America. Killings of police are at a 20-year high, the 
world's worst record since 9/11. Homicides, carjacking, and retail 
crime are all very high. Criminals are pushing people in front of the 
subways, looting entire trains filled with packages, and stealing so 
much from stores that the stores can't afford to stay open.
  I have already come to this Senate floor many times to describe the 
horrors of increased attacks on police and the surge in murders. These 
tragedies cry out for action.
  These are the results of campaigns to defund the police. Our streets 
are lawless because blue cities have pulled the

[[Page S429]]

police back. The consequences of depolicing extend far beyond the 
violence that ``defund the police'' rhetoric inspires. It extends 
beyond criminals emboldened to commit crimes like murder and armed 
carjackings.
  We have all seen the images of a California train yard littered with 
opened boxes as far as the eye can see. Train robberies are up by 160 
percent in Los Angeles County, and that is just over the past year. The 
Governor of California compared the scenes to a Third World country. I 
have seen them, and I agree with the Governor of California.
  Organized retail crime is out of control. Criminals rely on the lack 
of active policing to commit large-scale theft. According to the 
National Retail Federation, 69 percent of retailers say that they have 
had an increase in theft in the last year, and 78 percent say more law 
enforcement would help stop the crimes of retail theft.
  Why would people not expect more law enforcement? Everybody knows 
that government is established for the public safety, among other 
reasons, but that is foremost.
  It still isn't a secret what liberal cities need to do to keep crime 
out of their cities, out of their railways, out of their subways, out 
of their streets, and out of their stores. Send police where the crime 
happens. Tell the police to arrest criminals. Prosecute those 
criminals. Do not release dangerous criminals out on bail. It is a very 
simple and effective way to reduce the amount of crime.

  Do you know what won't work? Some of my colleagues on the other side 
of the aisle think that the solution is gun control, but here is the 
issue: Gun control won't stop a criminal from pushing an innocent 
victim in front of a subway, let alone keep a criminal from obtaining 
an illegal gun.
  The real problem is enforcement by the police. The crime spike began 
in June 2020 when blue cities nationwide pulled the police off their 
streets, progressive prosecutors at that time stopped prosecuting, and 
these blue cities started bail reform policies that released violent 
criminals into the street. No police on the streets but a lot of 
criminals on the streets--it is no surprise that crime has risen.
  The problems are depolicing, political--progressive prosecution, and 
ineffective bail policies. Blue city mayors depoliced until some 
realized that was a bad, bad decision to make.
  This liberal attitude toward criminality may now have a light at the 
end of the tunnel. It seems to be changing for the better.
  Just two or three examples: New York City's new mayor, Eric Adams, 
announced that he would revive a plainclothes anticrime unit to combat 
the violence, and he is also suggesting better bail policies. A couple 
of months ago, we heard San Francisco Mayor London Breed declare a 
state of emergency over crime in her city. And then, maybe a month ago, 
we saw Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot ask for Federal resources to fight 
crime.
  The Nation's crime spike is the result of less law enforcement. 
Criminals are feeling bold--very bold--because they know they will go 
uncaught and, if uncaught, unpunished.
  Far-left mayors need to use a simple solution with a very proven 
record of success. They need to bring police back to our streets and 
keep the criminals off of our streets.
  (Mr. MURPHY assumed the Chair.)