[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 19, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H4392]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            ILLINOIS HISTORY MADE AS IT ELIMINATES CASH BAIL

  (Mrs. RAMIREZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. RAMIREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the proud Representative 
of a congressional district in Illinois, a State committed to progress, 
justice, safety, and human rights.
  Yesterday, Illinois made history as the first State in the Nation to 
eliminate cash bail, a standard used to punish poverty instead of 
upholding justice. A standard that kept those without means, especially 
Black and Brown Illinoisans, in jail for months as they awaited trial, 
while letting slip those who could afford bail independent of the crime 
that they were accused of.
  Some may say we are reforming our criminal justice system, but we are 
doing more than that. I especially thank Senator Robert Peters, who led 
the effort in the Illinois General Assembly. We, unlike other States, 
are creating a justice system that protects the victims, ensures equal 
due process for everyone independent of their means. The Pretrial 
Fairness Act is a historic win for civil rights advocates across our 
Nation, and it is time Congress followed Illinois' lead toward 
progress.

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