Bob Goodlatte

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close whenever the gentleman from New York is, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to not oppose this very important piece of legislation before us today. It appears their opposition to the legislation is based upon what is not in the legislation rather than what is actually in it. I don't believe there is a single provision in the bill that they oppose. In fact, many of the provisions in this bill are there because they specifically asked for them. For example, Democrats asked for a fix to the way the Bureau of Prisons calculates good time credit. We made changes to clarify congressional intent on that section. They also asked for language on the risk assessments to ensure that dynamic factors were used to evaluate a prisoner's risk of recidivating. That request was honored. Various pilot programs and a prohibition of shackling pregnant inmates were also placed in the legislation at the request of Democrats. Good requests, good changes, and these are only a few of the many requests that were honored. Voting against this meaningful and important bill is a disservice to those men and women currently incarcerated and their families. It is a disservice to those great men and women who work in our Bureau of Prisons, and it is a disservice to the American people. The vast majority of those incarcerated are going to get out one day. Let's make sure they have the tools and the resources to successfully reenter society. H.R. 5682 does just that. I urge my colleagues to support the FIRST STEP Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support fair sugar policy. The sugar program represents a hidden tax on American businesses and consumers and is responsible for the loss of U.S. food manufacturing jobs. Each month, families go to the grocery store, and unbeknownst to them, the sugar in many of the products they buy is subject to a cost that is generally 30 to 40 percent higher than the world cost. Very few, if any, will ever know that a hidden sugar tax has been imposed upon them by the sugar program. This hidden tax totals at least $2.4 billion a year for American consumers. There are more than 600,000 sugar-using industry jobs in our Nation, including thousands in Virginia's Sixth District. I want to stand up and be counted as an advocate for keeping those jobs in the United States. I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for this amendment to help put an end to the hidden costs of the sugar program.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 891, I call up the bill (H.R. 5698) to amend title 18, United States Code, to punish criminal offenses targeting law enforcement officers, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the question of adopting the amendment to H.R. 5698 may be subject to postponement as though under clause 8 of rule XX.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material to H.R. 5698.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. On October 15, 1991, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial was dedicated to honor Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and protection of our Nation and its people. The memorial features two curving, 304-foot-long, blue-gray marble walls. Carved on these walls are the names of more than 21,000 officers who have been killed in the line of duty throughout U.S. history, dating back to the first known death in 1791. Each spring, law enforcement officers from around the country gather in Washington, D.C., for Peace Officers Memorial Day. For a week, these men and women attend events to celebrate and honor those law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Each year, there is a memorial service in which the names of fallen officers are added to the long, curving marble walls of the memorial. Unfortunately, the list of names keeps growing and shows no signs of slowing down. That is why today I am pleased we are considering the Protect and Serve Act. This bill is designed to ensure those who seek to harm police officers face swift and certain justice. In recent years, the brave and dedicated men and women in blue who serve our communities are facing increased levels of hostility and violence. The increasing levels of hostility towards the law enforcement community have given rise to an increase in ambush-style attacks on police officers. In 2016 alone, 64 police officers were shot and killed in the line of duty, 21 of whom were killed in ambush-style attacks. According to CNN, in the first 17 weeks of this year, 21 law enforcement officers across the U.S. have been shot and killed in the line of duty. That averages out to more than one death every week. Only a few weeks ago, on April 19, 2018, two sheriff's deputies were gunned down and killed in a suspected ambush while they were eating at a restaurant in Gainesville, Florida. To address this threat to the brave police, who put their lives on the line each day across our country, the Protect and Serve Act allows for Federal prosecution of criminals who knowingly assault law enforcement officers and cause serious bodily harm or attempt to do so. This bill applies to both Federal law enforcement officers and State and local officers where there is a nexus to interstate commerce. Importantly, Mr. Speaker, this legislation recognizes that most often these crimes are wholly within the jurisdiction of a State to prosecute. Therefore, in addition to other requirements in the bill to ensure a Federal connection, H.R. 5698 states specifically that prosecution under this new statute may only be pursued if the Attorney General certifies that, one, the State does not have jurisdiction; two, the State has requested that the Federal Government assume jurisdiction; three, the verdict or sentence obtained pursuant to State charges left demonstrably unvindicated the Federal interest in protecting the public safety; or, four, a prosecution by the United States is in the public interest and necessary to secure substantial justice. This is a critical part of the bill. It will ensure that the Federal power is reserved for particularly egregious cases. At the dedication of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, President George H. W. Bush aptly stated: ``Carved on these walls is the story of America, of a continuing quest to preserve both democracy and decency, and to protect a national treasure that we call the American Dream.'' Today, we continue to recognize this special role police officers play in our society. The Protect and Serve Act sends a uniform message that our country will not tolerate attacks on police which purposefully attempt to undermine the State, sow chaos in our communities, and wreck the lives of many of our finest citizens and their families. I urge my colleagues to send a uniform message today by addressing the grave crisis threatening both our communities and the brave men and women in blue who put their lives on the line each day. I would like to thank my Judiciary Committee colleagues, especially career law enforcement officers Sheriff Rutherford and Chief Demings, for sponsoring this bill. In addition, I want to thank Congressman Buck for his years of tireless work to ensure that those who target law enforcement officers are punished. Finally, I want to recognize the police organizations who have worked with us so diligently on this and many other bills, including the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the Major County Sheriffs of America, the National Sheriffs' Association, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, and the Sergeants Benevolent Association, among many others. I thank them. We all salute them for their steadfast commitment and dedicated service. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford), who is the chief sponsor of the legislation and a member of the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), a gentleman who can speak well of the role that law enforcement officers play in saving lives. He is the chief majority whip of the House of Representatives.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from the National Fraternal Order of Police dated May 9, 2018; the National Association of Police Organizations, Inc., dated May 16, 2018; the Sergeants Benevolent Association, dated May 8, 2018; and the National Sheriffs' Association, dated May 7, 2018, all endorsing this legislation. National Fraternal Order of Police, Washington, DC, 9 May 2018. Hon. Paul D. Ryan, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives, Washington,

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I just want to make it very clear how important this legislation is for protecting law enforcement officers because it sends a message that we are going to handle these cases in a new way. Some have criticized this bill, claiming that it is a hate crime. While I share those individuals' concerns about Federal hate crime statutes, I am pleased to tell the Members of this Congress that this bill before us did not create a new Federal hate crime. That is because the legislation does not use the language from the hate crime statute that requires the government prove the defendant acted ``because of the actual or perceived'' status of the victim. What this bill does is penalize knowingly attacking a law enforcement officer. Given the increase in ambush-style attacks on law enforcement, which was detailed earlier, this bill represents a solution to a growing problem: the killing of police officers. It is narrowly tailored to accomplish that goal. Therefore, I want to assure those Members who may be concerned about its intent that it is definitely not changing our Federal hate crime statutes. This legislation this week, National Police Week, sends an important signal not just to our Nation's law enforcement officers, 900,000 strong, but far beyond that, to all Americans, that we are placing a very, very high priority on saving the lives of men and women who put their lives on the line to protect us, to protect our freedoms, to protect our opportunities, to protect our families, to protect our communities, and making sure that people who ambush police officers and take police officers' lives are held fully accountable, which is what this bill does. It is a good bill. It is an important bill. I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This amendment makes two small, but important changes to the underlying legislation. It first clarifies the language of the bill to assure those who are prosecuted are acting with some level of intent in injuring a police officer. It does this by changing the language from ``knowingly causing serious bodily injury to a law enforcement officer'' to ``knowingly assaults a law enforcement officer causing serious bodily harm.'' This change will avoid covering situations where someone unintentionally harms a police officer. The amendment also amends the definition of law enforcement officer to ensure it covers all law enforcement officers who are putting themselves in harm's way each day, including corrections officers. Mr. Speaker, this amendment is important because it ensures that, in practice, this statute can be used more efficiently to protect law enforcement officers. It also ensures that nobody who wears a badge will be unintentionally excluded from the bill's protections. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, that is good news, and I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4854) to amend the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to provide additional resources to State and local prosecutors, and for other purposes.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 613) to amend title 18, United States Code, to require that the Director of the Bureau of Prisons ensure that each chief executive officer of a Federal penal or correctional institution provides a secure storage area located outside of the secure perimeter of the Federal penal or correctional institution for firearms carried by certain employees of the Bureau of Prisons, and for other purposes.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 613, currently under consideration.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in 2004 Congress passed and President Bush signed into law the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, LEOSA. LEOSA allows certain law enforcement officers, including correctional officers of the Bureau of Prisons, the right to carry a concealed firearm throughout the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and all other U.S. territories for self- defense and the defense of others. LEOSA also allows law enforcement officers to carry their firearms while off duty. These laws help keep citizens safe, but there is still room for improvement. For example, the Bureau of Prisons does not permit its correctional officers to safely store their personal firearms in a secure locker at its facilities, and employees are otherwise prohibited from storing them in their personal vehicles while parked on Bureau of Prisons property. This leaves correctional workers vulnerable to attack during their commutes to and from work. Sadly, an attack on a correctional officer while commuting to or from a prison is not a hypothetical situation. On the evening of February 26, 2013, Bureau of Prisons Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati was ambushed and murdered while on his way home from work. According to court documents, the shooting was a hit ordered by Federal inmates housed at the Metropolitan Detention Center, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Authorities believe that Lieutenant Albarati's murder was a direct result of his work at the prison; specifically, in retaliation for his investigations into cell phone smuggling at the MDC and the seizure of contraband. Lieutenant Albarati was ambushed during his drive home, shot 16 times, and died at the scene. He was 39 years old. On January 28, 2015, a Federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a six-count indictment charging nine individuals for the murder of Lieutenant Albarati. In January of 2016, Federal prosecutors notified the district court of their intention to seek the death penalty. Trial preparation is ongoing in that case. Mr. Speaker, Lieutenant Albarati's family has yet to receive justice for this senseless, despicable act, but we, as a legislative body, can do our best to ensure this never happens again. To that end, H.R. 613 makes a commonsense amendment to Federal law to address the problem highlighted by this tragedy. This bipartisan bill, cosponsored by 54 of our colleagues, would direct the Bureau of Prisons to provide a secure storage area located outside the secure perimeter of each Bureau of Prisons facility where correctional officers will be able to store their personal firearms and allow employees to store firearms in a vehicle lockbox approved by the Bureau of Prisons. This is important, reasonable legislation. With its passage, the House honors the life of a brave man who served his community faithfully and one day made the ultimate sacrifice. I want to thank the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley) for introducing this legislation. I also want to thank Lieutenant Albarati's widow, Helen, who is here with us today in the gallery, for her tireless efforts to ensure her husband's death was not in vain. We salute you and we thank you. Mr. Speaker, as we begin the 2018 Police Week, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Let us do our best to protect those who protect us. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley), the chief sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, the chairman does not have any additional speakers. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the remainder of my time. Mr. Speaker, I think it is very fitting, as we begin Police Week, that we pass this important piece of legislation that makes it very clear that our sworn officers, who keep people safe but risk their own lives and work in our Bureau of Prisons, have the opportunity to have a firearm when they are traveling to and from work. It is not practical the way the current rules work. This law is vitally needed to help save lives. I know that Mrs. Albarati is here to see that that happens, and I commend her. I admire her courage, and we should not allow her husband's life to be lost in vain. Let's pass this legislation and make sure it doesn't happen to others in the future. I urge my colleagues to vote for the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.