[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19434]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCING H. RES. 680, REQUESTING THE PRESIDENT TO RETRACT AND 
 APOLOGIZE FOR REMARKS CRITICIZING OFFICER CROWLEY; AND H.R. 3347, THE 
                           FREEDOM TRADE ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, tonight I have introduced H. Res. 680, 
calling upon President Obama to retract and apologize for his remarks 
regarding the conduct of Cambridge, Massachusetts, police officer James 
M. Crowley, Jr. Mr. Speaker, I view this as a Presidential issue.
  After admitting his bias and inadequate grasp of the facts, the 
President nevertheless stated Sergeant Crowley had ``acted stupidly'' 
when carrying out his duties as a law enforcement officer. 
Subsequently, in a public remark, the President said that Sergeant 
Crowley had ``overreacted.''
  On his part, Sergeant Crowley has steadfastly denied any 
inappropriate conduct.
  Mr. Speaker, this is the crux of the problem, and it is a situation 
patently unfair to Sergeant Crowley and his standing regarding 
potential legal and professional consequences. Therefore, I ask the 
President to retract his premature judgment, apologize for it, and 
allow the appropriate authorities to resolve this issue through due 
process.
  With my view, Kenneth E. Grabowski, legislative director of the 
Police Officers Association of Michigan agrees. I quote Mr. Grabowski: 
``After admitting a bias against the police officer and an ignorance of 
the facts, the President used his bully pulpit to help a well-connected 
friend by unfairly accusing an officer of misconduct in the performance 
of his duties. It must not stand. If it does, what officer will be 
next?''
  And I would add, what citizen will be next?
  Mr. Speaker, tonight I have also introduced H.R. 3347, the Freedom 
Trade Act, which applies human rights as a criterion of trade with the 
United States.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe H.R. 3347 is most timely, for today, in the 
Ronald Reagan Building, President Obama stated how ``the relationship 
between the United States and China will shape the 21st century, which 
makes it as important as any bilateral relationship in the world.''
  On my part, I believe it is therefore imperative that this 
relationship be built upon a common and unbreakable commitment to every 
human being's God-given rights to liberty, including the rights of the 
free exercise of religion and speech and to the ability to form free 
and independent labor unions.
  That is why this bill is necessary. It will show all our potential 
partners throughout the world that the United States remains a beacon 
of freedom that will never forget Natan Sharansky's warning that ``how 
a government treats its own people cannot be separated from how that 
government could be expected to treat other countries.''
  Mr. Speaker, with this I wholeheartedly concur.

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