[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 113 (Monday, July 11, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3193-S3194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           Police Departments

  Madam President, on to my last statement, it wasn't too long ago I 
came to the Senate floor to talk about the dangers of bad blue city 
policies, ideas like defunding and degrading the police, progressive 
prosecutors, and bail reform. These policies are dangerous for our 
citizens, our children, and our communities.
  Well, a few weeks later, I am up here again with an update. Americans 
agreed with those statements I have made. Americans are concerned about 
the nationwide rise in violent crime, and they don't trust politicians 
who allow crime to continue. I don't blame them, and most Americans 
don't blame them for being upset.
  New York Governor Kathy Hochul was forced to change bail laws to 
allow judges to set bail for more repeat offenders and those accused of 
gun crimes. About 66 percent of the registered voters in New York 
overwhelmingly support that change that took place in New York. Why 
wouldn't they? Keeping dangerous criminals away from the innocent 
public makes our communities safer, and New Yorkers now know that and 
probably did always know it.
  Across the country, in San Francisco of all places, another 
referendum on safety happened. Voters there recalled their progressive 
prosecutor, Chesa Boudin. Boudin refused to charge or prosecute certain 
violent crimes, like felony domestic violence. After only 2 years on 
the job, even liberal San Franciscans rejected his soft-on-crime 
approach, and he was fired. Why wouldn't they? Prosecuting dangerous 
criminals for the crimes they commit makes the community safer, and San 
Franciscans now know it.
  Nationwide, it looks like Americans have cause for hope when it comes 
to violent crime. Compared to last year, many cities are a bit safer, 
but a few cities are getting worse, sadly to say. Why? Because they are 
still using the bad ideas that Americans are rejecting.
  Homicides in Los Angeles are up compared to this time last year. 
Well, they have a progressive prosecutor, George Gascon.
  Homicides in Washington, DC, are up. Well, we have police defunding 
to thank for that statistic. Now the city is trying to play catch-up to 
fix its mistake while their citizens are still in danger.
  Homicides in Milwaukee are up. Well, they have bad bail reform 
policies. These policies led a dangerous man who should have been 
locked up run his car through a parade last year.
  I will spend a few minutes focusing on bail reform.
  We know that only a few hundred people commit most of the murders in 
any given cities. These criminals get arrested an average of 12 times. 
Most Americans know what logic tells us: Keeping people who commit 
crimes off the streets increases public safety. It seems pretty simple 
to me. If most crimes are committed by a small group of individuals who 
commit crimes over and over again and we can keep these repeat 
offenders away from innocent people, innocent Americans, then we should 
do just that. The best way to do this is through effective bail 
policies. The Federal bail system assesses the risk to society posed by 
the individual who is arrested. States would do well to mirror the 
Federal system.
  Americans are paying the price for bad policies that they don't want. 
It is time to stop these terrible, progressive blue city ideas to make 
Americans safe again.
  I yield the floor.

[[Page S3194]]

  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.