Bob Goodlatte

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Marino), a member of the Committee on the Judiciary and the chief sponsor of the House companion legislation to the bill before the House at this time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 32) to provide the Department of Justice with additional tools to target extraterritorial drug trafficking activity, 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 materials on S. 32, currently under consideration.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 5052, the Opioid Program Evaluation Act, or OPEN Act, is a bill that would require an evaluation of the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Grant Program that will be authorized by H.R. 5046, and other opioid-related grant programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. This bipartisan bill, sponsored by the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy), the majority leader, and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the minority whip, requires the Attorney General, through an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences and the Secretary of HHS, through an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences, or other entity, to: Identify outcomes that are to be achieved by the activities funded by Congress to address opioid abuse; Develop the metrics by which each program's performance will be evaluated; Complete an interim evaluation assessing the nature and extent of opioid abuse and illegal opioid distribution in the United States; And carry out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the programs. Additionally, to increase transparency and facilitate the evaluation of the performance of the programs, the bill requires grantees to collect and annually report data on the activities conducted pursuant to these programs. Evaluations such as these can be Congress' best measure of how well a Federal program or agency is operating. At their conclusion, we hope to learn, for example, whether a substantial number of criminal justice agency personnel have received training on substance abuse disorders and co-occurring mental illness and adapted their procedures accordingly. We also hope to learn the extent to which offenders offered a treatment alternative to incarceration have benefited from a response that integrates substance abuse services into the traditional criminal justice system. I agree with the bill's sponsors that Congress must demand greater achievement and increased transparency and accountability with respect to our Federal grant programs. Therefore, I thank the bill's sponsors for the contribution this bill makes to the effort to address opioid abuse, as well as to our congressional oversight efforts. I urge support of this important bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC, May 3, 2016. Hon. Bob Goodlatte, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Goodlatte: I am writing to notify you that the Committee on Energy and Commerce will forgo action on H.R. 5052, a bill to direct the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to evaluate the effectiveness of grant programs that provide grants for the primary purpose of providing assistance in addressing problems pertaining to opioid abuse, and for other purposes, so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for consideration. This is done with the understanding that the Committee on Energy and Commerce's jurisdictional interests over this and similar legislation are in no way altered. In addition, the Committee reserves the right to seek conferees on H.R. 5052 and requests your support when such a request is made. I would appreciate your response confirming this understanding and ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the House floor. Sincerely, Fred Upton, Chairman.

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 materials on H.R. 5052, currently under consideration.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this good legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy), the majority leader, who is also the chief sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5052) to direct the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to evaluate the effectiveness of grant programs that provide grants for the primary purpose of providing assistance in addressing problems pertaining to opioid abuse, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. 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 S. 125, currently under consideration.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Since 1999, the Bulletproof Vest Program, or BVP, has awarded more than 13,000 jurisdictions a total of $393 million in Federal funds for the purchase of over 1 million bulletproof vests. The Bulletproof Vest Grant Program is a critical resource for State and local jurisdictions that has proven to save lives. We must be sure that our law enforcement officers are protected from the risks inherent in the job. In 2016 alone, there have been 17 police officers killed by gunfire. In March, a bulletproof vest saved the life of Officer Andy Harris, who was shot when he responded to a shots fired call. He is but one of many officers saved by a bulletproof vest. Based on data collected and recorded by the Department of Justice, protective vests were directly attributable to saving the lives of at least 33 law enforcement and corrections officers in 20 different States in a single year. At least 14 of those lifesaving vests had been purchased, in part, with BVP funds. This bill reauthorizes BVP grants at $25 million per year and extends the authorization through 2020. The bill has the support of all major law enforcement organizations, and has been approved by the Senate. With this authorization, we will immediately be impacting the safety of our law enforcement officers. Law enforcement officers across the United States put their lives on the line every day to protect their communities and fellow citizens. As they continually make sacrifices for us, we must ensure that we provide them with resources to protect their lives as they protect ours. Today's approval of legislation reauthorizing a critical bulletproof vest grant program for State and local law enforcement officers will save lives. I thank Representative LoBiondo and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Leahy for their work on this issue and dedication to our Nation's law enforcement officers. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), a member of the Judiciary Committee, and he will close debate on our side.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 125) to amend title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to extend the authorization of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program through fiscal year 2020, and for other purposes.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, this is a good piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to support it and support our law enforcement officers. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2137) to ensure Federal law enforcement officers remain able to ensure their own safety, and the safety of their families, during a covered furlough.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins), a member of the Judiciary Committee and the chief sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As we honor our law enforcement heroes for the annual Police Week, I rise in support of H.R. 2137, the Federal Law Enforcement Self-Defense and Protection Act of 2015. Federal law enforcement officers face potentially dangerous situations on a daily basis whether they are on duty or off duty. Accordingly, they are permitted to carry their government-issued firearms on their persons even when they are not on duty. However, during the 2013 government shutdown, at least three Federal agencies forbade their law enforcement officers from carrying their government- issued firearms or credentials during the furlough. This decision potentially endangered these officers' lives by putting them at an unnecessary risk. Further, it prevented these highly trained officers from being able to respond to a critical incident or threat. The Federal Law Enforcement Self-Defense and Protection Act will ensure that officers are able to defend and protect themselves on and off duty by allowing all covered Federal law enforcement officers to continue to carry their government-issued firearms during a furlough or a government shutdown. Allowing our highly trained and experienced Federal law enforcement officers to carry their firearms during a furlough not only ensures their safety and protection, but the safety and protection of their families and those around them. As we honor our Nation's law enforcement officers this week during the annual National Police Week, let's ensure that the brave men and women of the Federal law enforcement community have the capability to defend themselves and others and to respond to threatening situations even in a time of furlough. I thank the bill's sponsor, Mr. Collins of Georgia, for his work on this important measure, and I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.