[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 84 (Thursday, May 18, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S1738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            COMPREHENSIVE POLICING AND JUSTICE AMENDMENT ACT

  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I rise today as the Senate considers 
this week the resolution to rescind the Comprehensive Policing and 
Justice Amendment Act, passed by the DC City Council on January 19, 
2023.
  As a general matter, I believe that the people of Washington, DC, and 
their elected representatives should have the autonomy to govern 
themselves. For years, I have cosponsored and fought to pass the 
Washington D.C. Admission Act, which would admit the District of 
Columbia as a state.
  I have also long supported funding for the police, as well as 
reforms, to help ensure that our justice system works for everyone. 
That includes being the lead sponsor of the COPS Reauthorization Act to 
provide Federal funding to law enforcement departments across the 
country to hire and retain police officers. I also support police 
reform measures focused on holding officers who break the law 
accountable for misconduct, increasing transparency in police 
practices, and improving police conduct and training.
  The DC City Council's bill included many changes to strengthen 
accountability measures and improve conduct, including reforms to 
prevent the use of chokeholds, limit the use of force, and expand the 
use of de-escalation tactics. The bill also takes steps to prevent 
officers who have committed serious acts of misconduct or were fired 
for disciplinary reasons from serving on the DC police force. I support 
these efforts, which is why I oppose the resolution.
  It is also important to note that the Comprehensive Policing and 
Justice Amendment Act does not include changes to qualified immunity. 
As Congressman  Jim Clyburn has said, as we work toward common ground 
on police reform, we cannot ``sacrifice good on the altar of perfect'' 
and let disagreements about qualified immunity stand in the way of 
reform. The men and women in law enforcement who risk their lives every 
single day must have the confidence to make split-second decisions that 
can make the difference between life and death. I would not support 
this measure if changes to qualified immunity were made that put law 
enforcement officers who act in good faith at risk.
  While there are a significant number of critical reforms included in 
DC's police reform bill, I am not in agreement with the provisions that 
prevent the unions that represent DC police officers from including 
disciplinary procedures in their collective bargaining agreements. All 
other unions that represent public servants in the District of Columbia 
negotiate for fair disciplinary proceedings, and while police officers 
serve a unique role that requires oversight, we should not deny police 
unions the same opportunity. The DC Council should ensure that police 
officers who break the law are held accountable, but it should not do 
so by undermining the right of law enforcement to collectively 
negotiate.
  I also think changes could be made to provisions that set a fixed 
timetable for the release of data related to incidents involving the 
use of force. Law enforcement, working with City officials, should have 
some measure of flexibility to determine the appropriate timing for 
releasing information to protect public safety.
  It is my hope that DC government officials will address these issues 
as they continue to work with law enforcement and other interested 
parties to make needed reforms to their justice system.

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