Karen Bass

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, the Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry Act of 2020 represents a significant step toward ensuring that incarcerated people receive appropriate mental health and substance abuse care while in a correctional facility and that those services are available upon their reentry into the community. I am encouraged by the bipartisan and bicameral support for this bill. I, again, thank Representative Trone, as well as Senators Cornyn and Blumenthal and my colleague from the Judiciary Committee, Representative Reschenthaler. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill today, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 52) to correct the enrollment of S. 3312, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 7146) for the relief of Victoria Galindo Lopez, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 3703) to amend the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act to improve the prevention of elder abuse and exploitation of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 4225) for the relief of Maria Isabel Bueso Barrera, Alberto Bueso Mendoza, Karla Maria Barrera De Bueso, and Ana Lucia Bueso Barrera, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 631) for the relief of Arpita Kurdekar, Girish Kurdekar, and Vandana Kurdekar, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 7572) for the relief of Median El- Moustrah, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8161) to authorize implementation grants to community-based nonprofits to operate one-stop reentry centers, as amended.

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I am proud to be the author of H.R. 8161, The One Stop Shop Community Reentry Program Act of 2020, and I urge my colleagues to support this important reentry measure and pass this bipartisan bill today. I would like to take a moment to give a special thanks to Representative Guy Reschenthaler for his support. H.R. 8161 will provide much-needed resources to especially communities with a disproportionate number of returning citizens. The idea of the bill is to provide grants to establish a centralized process to assist individuals returning to their communities after incarceration. It acts as a bridge by providing guidance to those who are leaving prison and jails on how to become productive members of their communities. The concept of the bill is that funding would be provided to communities and neighborhoods to establish programs where people who are formerly incarcerated can run the program to essentially be a hand- holding bridge for people who are coming out of facilities to help them reintegrate into the community. Many things that we might take for granted, such as getting your ID, getting a driver's license, paying your back child support, learning how to use transportation or the latest technology are things that can lead to recidivism for people if they are not able to reintegrate. If you don't have a driver's license and you come from communities like mine in Los Angeles, without a car, it is virtually impossible to have a job that would allow you to support yourself. Establishing a one-stop center where formerly incarcerated people are involved in every aspect of the management and running of the center will allow people to be reintegrated. This Congress, in a series of hearings, the Judiciary Committee heard the challenges faced by people who are recently released. Sadly, these stories have only gotten worse over the years because, as we have incarcerated more people, we have also passed laws that essentially do not allow them to function in the legal economy, and we shouldn't be surprised when people recidivate. For example, in some prisons, we have training programs. In California, we had a training program to teach people who were incarcerated how to be barbers, but then we passed laws that said we wouldn't allow formerly incarcerated people to get a barber's license. So that type of reintegration bridge is what this bill addressed. As we have passed policies that lead formerly incarcerated people outside of the legal economy, in these communities where there is a disproportionate number, you actually can see an increase in crime rate, because people will do whatever is needed to survive, and many times that means going back to illegal activity. Each year, over 650,000 people are released from custody. Finding jobs, job training, housing, and placement, or even finding a hot meal can be challenging. For many, these barriers seem insurmountable. This is especially true for individuals who are returning to their communities and might have substance abuse, mental health disorders, or educational challenges. We already know that many people who are incarcerated do not have a high school diploma. So a one-stop community center can help them get the resources and the training that they need so that they can become productive citizens. During our hearings, we heard great examples of community leaders who are doing this work with minimal resources. Susan Burton, for example, the founder of A New Way of Life in Los Angeles, transports women as soon as they are released and provides them a safe place to live. Criminal justice advocates Andrea James, Conan Harris, and Big John, from Los Angeles, have testified before the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. They highlighted the importance of starting reentry services on the very first day someone enters into custody. H.R. 8161 transforms obstacles into bridges. That is why having all reentry services in one place is so critical. Trained staff and peer mentors can guide returning individuals through the process of finding a safe place to sleep, apply for benefits, addressing family reunification, and starting the process of gaining employment. Importantly, one-stop centers will be led by and employ formerly incarcerated individuals who can act as mentors. They can provide direct services to recently released individuals. This will give them the wherewithal they need to meet the challenges before them. H.R. 8161 provides support for smaller or rural communities that are not large enough to support a large one-stop operation. So it authorizes the Department of Justice to establish a 24/7 reentry service assistance hotline to direct recently released individuals to appropriate reentry services in their localities. It is important to remember that the vast majority of the 2.3 million people who are currently in custody will be released. Without the right types of support, they are highly likely to recidivate. No reentering person, regardless of where they live, should be left wondering how to establish their life and find gainful employment. Our bipartisan bill provides communities with desperately needed resources to assist returning citizens in their efforts to successfully rejoin their communities. Between the one-stop center and the 24/7 hotline, Congress is again providing leadership on reentry issues and, in turn, promoting public safety. This is a bipartisan effort, and again, I want to thank my colleagues for their cosponsorship and for working with me on this issue. For the foregoing reasons, I urge my colleagues to join in supporting this important bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, the overwhelming majority of incarcerated individuals are released from jail or prison and returned to their communities. This bill would take meaningful steps to make the reentry process more efficient and, ultimately, more successful. Along with the 24/7 reentry hotline, community-funded reentry programs, like the services included in this bill, will reduce recidivism and improve overall community safety. These individuals will be able to successfully rejoin and contribute to their families and communities. That is why this bill is so important. In our Nation, we used to believe that, if you committed a crime and you served your time in prison, you were able to reenter society. This bill is a return to that time period. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. I thank my colleague, Representative Armstrong, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 155th anniversary of the ratification of the 13th Amendment. On December 18, 1865, the 13th Amendment was ratified, officially ending more than 256 years of enslavement in the United States for nearly 4 million enslaved African Americans. The 13th Amendment provides that: ``Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.'' After the Civil War, the 13th Amendment was the first of three reconstruction amendments adopted. The loophole sentence, however, ``except as a punishment for crime,'' allowed for African Americans to continue cruel, involuntary labor under what is known as the Black Codes. To be enslaved, specific laws were passed to ensure that African Americans would be constantly arrested, and then the government would lease human beings out. As African Americans continued to be viewed as property, the government leased people out to businesses, farms, and other types of profit-making ventures. I would like to acknowledge the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and the CBC's resident historian, to lead this Special Order hour acknowledging this very important anniversary.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize an African- American physician, teacher and entrepreneur, who has made significant contributions to my district and to the city and county of Los Angeles. For over 60 years, this man has worked to improve healthcare, especially for minority residents, throughout Greater Los Angeles. Dr. Ludlow B. Creary earned his MD from Howard University after completing a chemistry degree at Long Island University, Brooklyn. He later earned a Master of Public Health from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he would eventually serve as adjunct professor from 1986 to 1998. Early in his career, however, he saw a need too big to fill with his private practice and evolved to spearhead the opening of the historic West Adams Hospital. He went on to serve on staff at Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital, Los Angeles Doctors Hospital, Broadway Hospital, and rose to serve as Professor and Chair of the Department of Family Medicine within the MLK, Jr. Hospital--Charles R. Drew Medical Center for more than two decades. He was also involved in the creation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital. Upon retirement, Dr. Creary turned to meeting the needs of the elderly by serving as Medical Director and Owner of Visiting Angels in Los Angeles, which provides elder care and in-home care services. A theme for his life's work might be ``see a need, fill a need.'' From meeting gaps in care by building new facilities; to developing training opportunities for aspiring health professionals; to advising on culturally-appropriate care for minorities; to serving seniors and others at home, he has worked to set up, strengthen and expand structures to meet the needs of African Americans and all vulnerable populations in our hodge-podge healthcare system. Dr. Creary's many honors include the Distinguished Physician Award from the Minority Health Institute, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Special Needs Network, and the Distinguished Service Award from the National Medical Association. In addition to six decades dedicated to improving healthcare and health outcomes for the most vulnerable, I want to express my gratitude for his remarkable family, who have been deeply important to me over the years. Happy 90th birthday, Dr. Creary.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I have the honor of recognizing a public servant who has given 40 years of outstanding service to my state: California Highway Patrol Commissioner Warren Stanley, who retired on November 16, 2020. He is one of only a few people in the history of the CHP to hold every position, from Officer to its top executive. Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. appointed him as the 56th Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in 2017, the first African American to attain the rank of Commissioner in the history of the agency. I first worked with him when he became Chief of CHP's Southern Division while I was the California Assembly Speaker. I greatly valued his ability to serve as a bridge between the CHP and local residents, a role he would play for his entire career. Warren's career focus led to his assignment as a member of the Protective Services Detail and as a Field Training Officer. He excelled and rose through the ranks, supervising the CHP's Border Division Investigative Services Unit as a Lieutenant, and then serving as Commander of the CHP Academy. He has completed many elite training programs, including the FBI National Executive Institute. He reached the rank of Chief in 2008 and assumed command of Coastal, then Southern division. Before his appointment as Commissioner, he served as Deputy Commissioner, responsible for the day to day operation of the largest state law enforcement agency in the' nation, with more than 11,000 employees in his charge. As a law enforcement leader, Commissioner Stanley has spearheaded a number of innovative highway and traffic safety initiatives, including the Impaired Driving Section, responsible for implementing new laws facilitating new research into how cannabis affects driving behaviors. Commissioner Stanley worked to bolster the Highway Safety Corridor Program, which has promoted education, enforcement and coordination on California's roadways with high crash rates. Under his leadership, the CHP achieved a national profile in addressing the special needs and concerns of elderly drivers, as well as collaborating on initiatives to promote responsible driving among teens. Warren's first commitment has always been to the people, both those under his command and the communities that they serve. He will be remembered for his humility and for his compassionate leadership style. I wish him and his family all the best wherever the next chapter of life may take him.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Madam Speaker, I would like to call attention to bravery that has gone unrecognized until now. Sergeant Rene Talbott served honorably in the United States Air Force from November 2, 1967 to November 1, 1973, including two tours of duty in Vietnam. In 2018, Mr. Talbott requested his service records from the National Archive and discovered in an evaluation from 1968 that his superior officer had recommended him for a Bronze Star Medal. No further action was taken at the time, and Sgt. Talbott was not informed. Upon discovering the recommendation, former Sgt. Talbott, now in his 80s, took immediate action and applied to have his service record changed to reflect the Medal. Unfortunately, the passage of over half a century between then and now means that Airmen and others who witnessed his actions and who could provide evidence of his valor have all died. His request to have his record amended was denied. Though he has appealed, the likelihood of a change is very small. Nonetheless, Rene Talbott deserves to have his actions acknowledged. With this entry into the official proceedings of the Congress of the United States, I call attention to the strength and courage he displayed during his active duty service with this excerpt from Airman Talbott's evaluation: During his training, he showed an outstanding ability to learn and to retain what he learned. This was demonstrated on 30 May 1968, when as assistant machine gunner during a fire fight with an enemy of unknown strength and size, he reacted in a professional manner. He assisted the machine gunner in spotting targets and directing his fire. His self- control under fire showed his good discipline and outstanding ability to react under adverse conditions. For his action in this incident Airman Talbott was recommended for the Bronze Star. While I still hope that Mr. Talbott will succeed in having his service record reflect the awarding of the Bronze Star, with this entry into the official record of the Proceedings of the U.S. Congress, I call attention to his dedication, his courage, and his integrity. The heroic actions that originally inspired Airman Talbott's chain of command to recommend him for the Bronze Star are now on full display for public recognition.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7718) to address the health needs of incarcerated women related to pregnancy and childbirth, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.