Hank Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my anger at what I saw on the video that was taken of the event down in McKinney, Texas, on Friday, in which a big and burly police officer, wearing white socks, manhandled a young, 15-year-old Black girl in a bathing suit and man-handled other young Black people who were there simply to attend a pool party. That kind of heavyhanded, out-of-control police misconduct must be stopped in this country. We must do something about it. I was so angry that I could not be there to do something about it, but I am here to do something about it. I pledge to the people to do everything I can to make sure that we eliminate those kinds of officers from police forces throughout the country.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

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

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I appear here tonight to talk about police and community relations throughout our country. The purpose of this Special Order is to talk about how the relationship between police and local communities can be repaired. Over the last year, we have witnessed tensions rise between local law enforcement officers and local communities. The events we have witnessed across the country have highlighted the need for mending the strained relationships between police and communities across the country. This week, the Judiciary Committee in the House held a hearing entitled, Policing Strategies for the 21st Century. The purpose of this hearing was to look at how law enforcement is trained and how it is received in our communities across the country. The Senate also held a hearing this week. Their focus was on the use of body cameras. I applaud my colleagues for holding hearings on criminal justice reform this week, but I hope that this is just the beginning and not the end of the hearings that need to be held on so many different and very important and fundamental issues on the topic of criminal justice reform. All of these issues scream out for public attention and for new solutions by this Congress. There are many conversations that need to be had about the best ways to improve policing practices, including ways to curb the use of excessive force, the use of body cameras, and mental health evaluations for law enforcement. The list goes on and on. I would like to start out by talking about three of my bills: the Grand Jury Reform Act, the Police Accountability Act, and the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act. Police militarization is an important subject that President Obama even weighed in on yesterday with the issuance of an executive order that incorporates my Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act. Both my bill and the President's executive order call for a ban on the transfer of certain surplus military-grade weaponry and both impose strict oversight and transparency measures to ensure that the equipment that is transferred is used properly. President Obama's Law Enforcement Equipment Working Group called for law enforcement agencies to ``embrace a guardian--rather than a warrior--mindset'' to build trust and legitimacy both within agencies and with the public. This statement is at the very core of what we need to change in our country. Military-grade weapons are made for one purpose, and that is to conduct war. When we see tanks and grenade launchers and this type of equipment being used by police, it enforces a message that we are at war in the streets of our very own country, the same way that we are at war in the streets of other countries. This has to change because our streets are not war zones, and we should not allow the unbridled proliferation of military weaponry onto our streets. When we allow our streets to be flooded with surplus weaponry from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we set the stage for a military mindset to take hold throughout the law enforcement community. We should not allow things to get twisted. There is a big difference between the law enforcement mentality and the military mindset. The creed of an Army soldier is to ``deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.'' Conversely, the classic police motto is ``to protect and serve.'' So when we start flooding our streets with military-grade weaponry, we start to allow the creeping in of a different mindset. And when we factor in the fact that many of our law enforcement officers have actually had to be deployed to war zones during the last 12 or 13 years because the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been fought by a volunteer Army, with a healthy dose of deployment of Reserve and National Guard units to the battle--when we consider that, we consider the fact that many law enforcement officers are also reservists or National Guardsmen or -women, and they have been deployed to war zones. Then they come back to their jobs in the Nation, and sometimes they could get it twisted in terms of what their actual goal and mission should be. On the streets of America, the mission is not to deploy and to engage the enemy and destroy the enemy in close combat. That is not what law enforcement officers should be about. And we don't need to let that mindset creep into law enforcement. When you have the experience and when you have the equipment and when you have inherent biases and prejudices that exist in the mindset of all Americans, regardless of whether or not it is law enforcement or civilian, then you get a situation where your minority communities can then be at severe risk. And that, I am afraid, is what has occurred in this country because so many of our young people have lost confidence in our police departments and in our law enforcement community. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is definitely unhealthy. It is not good for our democracy. We need to try to do something to change it. And we can't make effective changes without understanding the problem. Now some would say that we need a military solution on the streets of America because the streets have become so lawless, but I would beg to differ. I would beg to differ strongly, as a matter of fact. We are dealing with citizens who still need to be protected. By the way, most people in America are law-abiding citizens. There are some who become criminals, who stray and commit criminal acts. Sometimes those criminal acts actually place people's lives at risk. And police and law enforcement are there to make sure that we keep people safe. All people want to be safe and secure in their homes and walking down the streets and in doing their business, in their life, work, and play pursuits. All of us want to be safe, and all of us realize that we must have law enforcement enforce the laws. All of us should have a responsibility to each other to stay within the boundaries of the law, and we are partners in that regard. We, the citizens, partner among ourselves; and then we must partner with our law enforcement community to enable law enforcement to do the job that we need them to do. So it is a relationship that is built on trust, and it is built on communication because law enforcement can only be as effective in enforcing the law as it is with respect to the relationships that it has among people in the community. That is why community-oriented policing is so important, to get police officers involved in the communities within which they serve; for them to get out of the car, go meet people, go develop relationships, and start the flow of dialogue. The citizens are who enable law enforcement to be most effective because that is where they get most of their information. I will admit that people don't communicate with law enforcement as much as they should, and it hurts us all. The reasons for that are this breakdown in trust, which is exacerbated by the military equipment and by the military mindset, both of those going hand in hand. Now, how do we stop it? First, by stopping the flow of that free military equipment onto our streets. We must cap that. I am not here to say that law enforcement should not have what it needs in order to do what it is supposed to do, and that is to protect and serve, but it should not have a pipeline directly between the Department of Defense and law enforcement which supplies equipment to law enforcement, leaving out the civilian authority to make the determination of whether or not the equipment is needed. So that is what the 1033 program does. That is what President Obama's executive order, which tracks the language of the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act, does, and that is to stop that flow and return control of the process of acquisition of law enforcement equipment back to the hands of the civilian authority. So that is the first thing that we need to do. Mr. Speaker, the second thing we need to do is to ensure good analysis of the personnel that we have doing the law enforcement, because as I said, if you have been to a war zone, the statistics show that many of those who return from the battle suffer from post- traumatic stress and other illnesses that affect the mental health of the people. So we must take better care of the mental health of our law enforcement personnel, having been deployed or not. Being involved in law enforcement is very stressful, and sometimes that mental health can break down and people start making bad decisions. So we really must get a handle on that in this country. Then once we get a handle on the militarization, there are some structural issues that need to be dealt with. One is the loss of confidence in the criminal justice process, i.e., the grand jury, the secret grand jury process as it relates to law enforcement officers, because what has become clear is that whenever there has been a killing of a civilian by law enforcement officer, it often results--or it most often results--in a finding of justifiable homicide. Indeed, most killings by law enforcement are justifiable; there is no question about that. But there is also no question about the fact that some of the killings are unjustifiable. When they are unjustifiable, they need to be dealt with in accordance with the law, which means prosecution. The problem that we get with law enforcement officers who have acted outside of the law and have committed a killing, what we get is a finding that the killing was justified despite the clear evidence to the contrary. I am not going to cite any specific cases, but I will say that these cases are well-known to the public. They appear on video. Even if your eyes deceive you and the killing was justified, you are certainly justified in not having confidence in the process by which the finding that the killing was justified was rendered through. Basically I am talking about a secret grand jury process. That is why I filed the Grand Jury Reform Act, to get at this secret grand jury process and to bring transparency into the process. Now, what usually happens, or what is the course of conduct in a police killing case, is that the killing itself will be investigated first, and oftentimes only by the very law enforcement agency that employed the officer involved in the incident. So what you have are friends and coworkers investigating each other. So when that happens, it tends to not be impartial. It tends to be biased in favor of the accused. What usually happens is, despite what may be clear about the facts, the decision always comes down as a justifiable homicide by the law enforcement agency that is rendering the decision against its own. Then the case goes to the local grand jury or to the local prosecutor, who is well-known and knows well the law enforcement agents involved who may be the subject of the investigation. They know each other. They work together regularly to bring cases before the grand jury. So when an officer is brought before the grand jury, often that officer is known to and by the district attorney. And even if not known, the fact that they are law enforcement gives them an inherent benefit; it gives them credibility; it gives them an edge, a positive edge, with the prosecution. So the prosecutor then takes the investigation by the law enforcement agency that knows and loves the officer, takes that investigation before a grand jury in a secret proceeding. No one is in there from the public to understand the quality of the evidence being presented, whether or not there is any evidence being presented. We have to just simply rely on the result that comes out of the grand jury proceeding because the grand jury proceedings are secret by law. Nothing that happens inside can be revealed. So it is a process that usually results in what we all are awaiting, and that is an exoneration of the police officer despite the clear evidence to the contrary. Once you have that determination, it is a closed case. So when you have that happening repeatedly over and over again over the course of time, it erodes public confidence in the criminal justice process. So my legislation, the Grand Jury Reform Act, would simply mandate that whenever there is a killing during the course of a policeman's use of his or her authority in the line of work, in the line of duty, whenever there is a killing, then there would have to be appointed an independent law enforcement agency, the top law enforcement agency of that particular State, to take over the investigation and to perform the investigation. That would give it a little more sense of being impartial. Once that impartial investigation has concluded, then the matter would be presented to a judge in open court by a special prosecutor appointed by the Governor, who would then be charged with presenting that independent investigation to a judge in a probable cause hearing in open court. And that judge could then make a determination of whether or not probable cause existed; and if it did or if it did not, that judge would then issue a written finding of fact and deliver the case back to the local prosecutor who would then, in accordance with existing State law, proceed through the secret grand jury process or whatever other process was available to that district attorney--who is elected by the people, by the way. So this probable cause hearing would enable there to be some transparency so that the public would understand, hear the evidence and see the evidence. Then there would be accountability that would be established on behalf of the people based on what the elected prosecutor decided to do with the case. So it is hard to hold a local prosecutor accountable after a secret grand jury process, and the only thing you can rely upon is the earnest presentation in a press conference by the prosecutor that we did our best, we presented the evidence, and the grand jury came back finding that the killing was justified. We need more than that. We saw that in the case of Michael Brown in Ferguson where they did release the grand jury transcripts, and you could see where the evidence, a boatload or a truckload, a dump truck of evidence was just dumped on the confused grand jury members who were charged on a law that was not even applicable, given bad law upon which to decide the case. So we saw what happened in the grand jury proceeding in that case, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is not the only time I am sure that there has been abuse within the grand jury room. But we will never know because it is secret. Lastly, I have filed a bill which is called the Police Accountability Act. What it would do would be to provide another tool for Federal prosecutors to be able to prosecute law enforcement officers for the offense of murder and all of the lesser included offenses should it appear that the process within the State did not work. So those three bills I have discussed. Now I see my colleague has arrived, Sheila Jackson Lee, who, out of Houston, Texas, has ascended to the top spot, the ranking membership on the Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, upon which I also serve along with her. So with that, I will yield to the gentlewoman from Houston.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, in the Fourth Congressional District of Georgia, there are many individuals who are called to contribute to the needs of our community through leadership and service; and Whereas, Pastor Ulysses Ponder has given of himself to lead Poplar Springs Baptist Church these past twenty-seven (27) years; and Whereas, Pastor Ponder under the guidance of God has pioneered and sustained Poplar Springs Baptist Church as a known crowned jewel in our district for years, enriching the lives of thousands; and Whereas, this remarkable and tenacious man of God has shared his time and talents for the betterment of our community over the past twenty- seven (27) years by preaching the gospel, teaching the gospel and living the gospel; and Whereas, Pastor Ponder serves as a man of the cloth in the church, community and family: he is always teaching the Word and he puts the Word into action daily; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Pastor Ulysses Ponder for his leadership and service for our District as he celebrates his 27th Pastoral anniversary; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim May 3, 2015 as Pastor Ulysses Ponder Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 3rd day of May, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, twenty years ago a virtuous woman of God accepted her calling to preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ at Amanda Flipper African Methodist Episcopal Church in Decatur, Georgia; and Whereas, the Reverend Niolene A. Durham under the guidance of God has pioneered and sustained Amanda Flipper African Methodist Episcopal Church as an instrument in our community that uplifts the spiritual, physical and mental welfare of our citizens; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman of God has shared her time and talents for the betterment of our community and our nation through her inspiration, words of encouragement, tireless works, and outreach ministries, that have been and continue to be a beacon of light to those in need; and Whereas, Pastor Durham is a spiritual warrior, a woman of compassion, a fearless leader and a servant to all, but most of all she is a visionary who impacted and transformed our society as a whole by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with not only her Church, but with also our District and the world; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Pastor Niolene A. Durham for her outstanding leadership and service to our District; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim April 25, 2015 as Reverend Niolene A. Durham Day in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 25th day of April, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, our lives have been touched by the life of Mrs. Benita Ann Robinson Osbey, she gave of herself to better our community and the causes that were near and dear to her heart; and Whereas, Mrs. Osbey's work is present in DeKalb County, Georgia for all to see, being an advocate for the youth, education, ovarian cancer support and research; and Whereas, this remarkable woman gave of herself, her time, her talent and her life; never asking for fame or fortune but only to uplift those in need; and Whereas, Mrs. Benita Ann Robinson Osbey led by doing, behind the scenes, as well as front and center for the city of Los Angeles, California, DeKalb County, Georgia, the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance, her beloved church Saint Phillip African Methodist Episcopal Church, and for her beloved Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; and Whereas, this virtuous Proverbs 31 woman was a wife, daughter, niece, sister, aunt and a friend; she was a warrior, a matriarch, and a woman of great integrity; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to bestow a Congressional recognition on Mrs. Benita Ann Robinson Osbey for her leadership, friendship and service to all of the citizens of Georgia and throughout the Nation; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby attest to the 114th Congress that Mrs. Benita Ann Robinson Osbey of DeKalb County, Georgia is deemed worthy and deserving of this ``Congressional Honor.'' Mrs. Benita Ann Robinson Osbey, U.S. Citizen of Distinction in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 3rd day of May, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, in the Fourth Congressional District of Georgia, our greatest and most valuable assets are our children. Our children are the future and are educated and guided by our teachers; and Whereas, Ms. LaToya Jowers is a teacher in DeKalb County, Georgia and an educator at Dunaire Elementary School, who has demonstrated fifteen years of leadership and service to our children and our district; and Whereas, Ms. Jowers has been awarded the honor of Teacher of the Year 2015, representing Dunaire Elementary School; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman is not only active at Dunaire Elementary School, but also in our community, her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and her church, Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Decatur, Georgia; and Whereas, Ms. Jowers can be described as a Proverbs 31 woman. She is devoted to serving our community daily as an educator who imparts knowledge and skills for the success of our children. She is a motivator, an innovator and a model citizen who gives and ask for nothing in return; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Ms. LaToya Jowers for her leadership and service for our District and in recognition of this singular honor as 2015 Teacher of the Year at Dunaire Elementary School; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim May 6, 2015 as Ms. LaToya Jowers Day in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 6th day of May, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, in the Fourth Congressional District of Georgia, there are many individuals and families whose loved ones have given the ``last full measure of devotion'' by serving our country; and Whereas, Mr. Bobby Lee Gleaton, Jr., an American hero, grew up and was educated in the Fourth District; and Whereas, Bobby Lee Gleaton, Jr., who led an exemplary life, was born October 17, 1989 and received his education from Cedar Grove Elementary, Cedar Grove Middle School and Cedar Grove High School where he received a full band scholarship to Morris Brown College and ultimately became a member of the Purple Haze Drum Line; and Whereas, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Medical Logistics Specialist (E4) that was assigned to the 384th Medical Logistics Company in Fort Gillem, GA; and Whereas, he faithfully served his Country until April 4th, 2015 when he departed this life as we know it; and Whereas, this remarkable young man gave of himself, his time, his talent and his life as a soldier, a son, a brother, a servant of the Lord, a musician-drum major and friend to many; and Whereas, this nation owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to him and his family who made a great sacrifice to serve this Country and; Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia recognizes Mr. Bobby Lee Gleaton, Jr., as a citizen of great worth and so noted distinction; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby attest to the 114th Congress that Mr. Bobby Lee Gleaton, Jr., is deemed worthy and deserving of this ``Congressional Honor'' by declaring Mr. Bobby Lee Gleaton, Jr., U.S. Citizen of Distinction in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 9th day of April, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, CrossRoadsNews began publishing in 1995, bringing a much- needed voice to and for the citizens of South DeKalb County; and Whereas, Jennifer and Curtis Parker--journalists extraordinaire-- published the first issue of CrossRoadsNews on their personal computer in their Decatur home with the desire and vision to touch the lives of thousands in their community by informing, educating and enlightening their neighbors on issues that affect the quality of life, county services and economic impact of businesses in South DeKalb. The first 3,000 copies were circulated among twenty eight subdivisions along Kelly Chapel and Wesley Chapel roads; and Whereas, in 2001, CrossRoadsNews was publishing twice per month with a circulation of 15,000; In 2005, CrossRoadsNews was publishing weekly and has since been publishing in print and online reaching an audience of more than 188,000 with 28,000 copies published weekly; and Whereas, with the power of the pen and the consensus of the community, CrossRoadsNews is keeping the community active with its award-winning reporting, community health fairs and educational panels thanks to a stellar team of editors, reporters and employees; and Whereas, CrossRoadsNews is a great example of the American Dream writ large, a family-owned operation providing excellent service, employment opportunities and top-notch journalism that ``keeps America honest'' and thus contributes to the local and state economy; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia is today, officially honoring, recognizing and congratulating CrossRoadsNews, on their twenty (20th) year anniversary as a business anchor in our District; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim April 25, 2015 as CrossRoadsNews, Inc. Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 25th day of April, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder that affects over three million Americans with no known cure to combat this disorder which causes a loss of pigment cells in humans; and Whereas, Vitiligo Bond, Inc., is an organization that continues to serve those who live with or are affected by the autoimmune disorder Vitiligo, by empowering patients, bringing attention to the disease, and leading the way to find a cure through research; and Whereas, today millions of Americans gather to raise awareness and funds to assist individuals living with Vitiligo; and Whereas, this unique organization has given of themselves tirelessly and unconditionally to advocate for our citizens and their families who battle Vitiligo; and Whereas, Vitiligo Bond and other organizations have vowed to serve our district, state and nation by being the sword and shield for those who live with Vitiligo, encouraging better treatments, funding research and educating people about the disease to help heal families and strengthen our resolve to find a cure; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize the millions of people who are living with Vitiligo and those who are leading the fight for the cure to end Vitiligo; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim the month of June as Vitiligo Awareness Month in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 1st day of June, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, thirty-four years ago a virtuous woman of God accepted her calling to serve as a teacher and professional educator; and Whereas, Ms. Winifred L. Pierce has enhanced the academic curriculum of Public Schools in North Carolina, Texas and Georgia, and has increased the goodwill of the schools in my district in Gwinnett and DeKalb Counties. Her work resonates throughout the community and she has created a legacy for students through scholarships and servitude; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman has shared her time and talents as a friend, a fearless leader and a servant to ensure that all students receive the best education and skills to become outstanding leaders of our communities and nation; and Whereas, Ms. Winifred L. Pierce is a cornerstone in our community who has enhanced the lives of thousands for the betterment of my District and our Nation; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Ms. Winifred L. Pierce on her retirement and to wish her well in her new endeavors; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim May 23, 2015 as Ms. Winifred L. Pierce Day in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 23rd day of May, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, in the Fourth Congressional District of Georgia, there are many individuals who are called upon to contribute to the needs of our community through leadership and service; and Whereas, Mrs. Katrice Stephenson Walker has answered that call by giving of herself as a secretary at Dunaire Elementary School, and as a beloved wife, daughter and friend; and Whereas, Mrs. Walker has been chosen as the 2015 Educational Support Professional of the Year, representing Dunaire Elementary School; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman has shared her time and talents for the betterment of our community and our nation through her tireless works, unyielding support and words of encouragement; and Whereas, Mrs. Walker is a virtuous woman, a courageous woman and a fearless leader who has shared her vision, talents and passion to help ensure that our children receive the support and education that is relevant not only for today, but well into the future, because she truly understands that our children are the future; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Mrs. Katrice Stephenson Walker for her leadership and service for our District and in recognition of this singular honor as the 2015 Educational Support Professional of the Year at Dunaire Elementary School; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim May 6, 2015 as Mrs. Katrice Stephenson Walker Day in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 6th day of May, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment. It is deja vu all over again. Once again, the Congress is confronted with a Republican effort to militarize our borders by funneling billions of dollars of military equipment to local law enforcement anywhere in the country for border security activities. The 1033 program transfers billions of dollars of military equipment to law enforcement agencies without any congressional oversight or community input. This amendment adds a border security activities priority to the program that will quietly funnel military-grade weaponry to law enforcement for this poorly defined priority. Passage of this amendment means that any law enforcement agency anywhere in the country can get an MRAP or an M- 16 straight from the battlefield in Iraq if they simply tell the DOD they need it for border security activities, regardless of whether the agency is 10 miles or thousands of miles from the border with Mexico or Canada. Mr. Chairman, this amendment also means that campus police at local school districts and colleges can get the same MRAP or M-16 straight from the battlefield in Iraq if they tell the DOD they need it for border security activities. Last year, Republicans tried to include this language in the fiscal year '15 NDAA. Congress wisely chose to reject it. Earlier this year, Republicans tried to pass this language by burying it in their failed border security bill, but, fortunately, the Congress wisely chose to reject the idea once again. But here we are once again confronted with this absurd reality and this effort to give local police this equipment.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. I thank my colleague, Congressman Jeffries from New York, for organizing this very important Special Order. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for hosting this. We are here to talk about a very important subject, the extrajudicial killing of Black males in America. It seems to be an epidemic, but it is really not. It is just simply the fact that we are hearing more about it. We are hearing more about the deaths that are occurring. We are seeing with our very eyes, looking at video, we are seeing that some of these killings appear to be unjustified. When we understand that we are seeing what has been going on for a long time but which has not been addressed, we understand that if we don't do something to address the problem, then these killings will continue. Now, why is it that we have what appear to be unjustified homicides of African American males at the hands of law enforcement repeated daily? In the 108 days or so since the Michael Brown killing in Ferguson, we have heard of so many African American males losing their lives. It is very disturbing. Why is it that it continues to happen? Well, I would submit, Congressman Jeffries, that one of the reasons is because there seems to be two systems of justice involved: one for police officers and the other for civilians. It seems that there has been a reluctance to prosecute police officers when their actions go across the line. Now, you, as well as I, know that most of the law enforcement people, law enforcement officers out there, male and female, top to bottom, from the East to the West, are good people honestly trying to do a good job, and their job is to protect and serve us. A lot of times we make it very dangerous and we make it very hard for them to do their job; but that is their job, to protect us and to serve us. When one of us goes astray, when one of us runs away, that doesn't give a license to a police officer to pull out a gun and stop the individual, shooting them in the back. It has happened more than once. It has happened more than twice. It has happened frequently. Sometimes we don't hear about it because the person is injured and there is no video. Other times there is video, and the person is killed, and we find out about that and we see it. But I would submit to you that it happens far too regularly, and it happens without any penalty for misconduct. Now, I have said that most of our law enforcement officers are seeking to do the best job that they can be, but nobody is perfect and they err sometimes; and when you err and you do it and you violate the criminal law, then you should be prosecuted yourself. So I want to take this opportunity to commend the officials in North Charleston who immediately, when they saw the video, they saw the evidence, they didn't waste any time, they didn't try to cover up or hide, they went and did the right thing. They charged the officer just as they would have charged a civilian had a civilian shot someone and it appeared to be unjustified. I will give you an example in my State of Georgia where, on New Year's morning, 3 a.m. in the morning, one of our local police chiefs was asleep in the bed next to his companion, who happened to be his ex- wife, and due to some problems that he heard, he went and grabbed his service revolver. He went downstairs to check on some noise but didn't find any disturbance. He came back upstairs, put the gun, according to his testimony or his statement, on the bed, and then went to sleep with his wife beside him, his ex-wife. He was awakened to a gun firing, and his wife, his ex-wife ended up being shot in the back. He called the police to report that ``I have shot my wife.'' He was not arrested. He has not been arrested to this day, although about a month ago the solicitor who handles misdemeanor cases--excuse me. The prosecutor, the district attorney who handles felony cases said that he intended to take the case to a grand jury to ask for a misdemeanor indictment against the officer. But there are two different systems of treatment, two systems of justice: one for the police, because if he had not been a police officer under those circumstances he would have been arrested right there that same night, charged with a felony, and he would have been forced--after being arrested, he would have had to get a lawyer to have to break the case down into something like a misdemeanor, if he was fortunate to have a good lawyer, if he could afford one. So, when these kind of things happen and people don't get charged, then it is a license for other officers to be reckless themselves; and so what we have had is a cascade of reckless behavior which has resulted in people being killed and there being no penalty, and so it just continues. That is why it is important for Congress to take action. There are things that we can do here on the Federal level, and Congressman Jeffries, I know that you have been working on some of these measures. I have been working on some, too. I will tell you, body cameras is a step in the right direction.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. That thin blue line or that blue wall of silence is not a good thing for a democracy; it is not a good thing for freedom. The truth is that, when one's freedom is taken away, it affects potentially all of us in having our freedoms taken away. The truth is that all Americans are at risk when bad actors in law enforcement are allowed to act badly and with impunity. All Americans are at risk. I know that, Congressman Jeffries, you represent New York, and I know that when the two officers lost their lives at the hand of a bad guy who ambushed and killed two innocent police officers in New York, thousands of police officers came to the funeral to see off their fallen brothers, as they should do. Many other Americans watched on TV. I was, quite frankly, greatly disturbed when the police officers-- some of the New York officers--turned their backs on the civilian head of the city of New York. They turned their backs to the mayor as he was speaking at the funeral, a sign of disrespect for civilian authority. That attitude contributes to the thinking of some law enforcement officers that it is okay and that whatever they do is acceptable. The police organizations must come to grips with the fact that they have a responsibility to do the right thing when one of their own does the wrong thing. They have a responsibility to do so. I know that many, many police departments don't pay their officers very well. Civil servants, in general, are not paid commensurate with the value of their services to the people that they are serving, and police are no different than that. Police officers have the same concerns that we have, that civilians have. Sometimes, they have problems at home with their wives. They have problems with their children. They have bills to pay. They might be a little bit behind. They have a lot of pressure. I think we should do a little more in the area of mental health evaluation and counseling and help for our officers. We should encourage them to come forward if they are hurting. It should be a part of the culture of law enforcement that you are not too big and not too powerful to be able to ask for the help that you need. Our society should be willing to give them that help, and we should be willing to pay for it as well. This issue of Black males being killed by police officers, there are no simple solutions. There are a number of solutions that can help make this situation better. That is why we in Congress and others in State legislatures and city councils and county commissions should be discussing this issue. We should be trying to do what is necessary to break down the systemic problems that have led to this result and to do something about those problems, to get those problems alleviated and eventually eliminated. I am so happy that you have seen, Congressman Jeffries, the need for this to be a topic of discussion, and I deeply appreciate the opportunity to come here and to participate in this discussion with you. I will let you know that I am looking forward to continuing to work with you as we do what we know that we need to do in order for Congress to address this issue.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Thank you for yielding again. I will also note, Congressman Jeffries, that in watching that video of the shooting in the back of the gentleman a week ago, what I saw was another police officer who arrived at the scene as the subject officer walked back, or actually ran or trotted back to the body. And as the video was slowed down in slow motion, you could see something coming out of his hand landing next to the victim, and it is thought that the item that he picked up, that the video shows that he picked up, was a taser; and it appears that it was the taser that was then dropped beside the body of the victim with the other officer looking at the scene as it unfolded. So I would think it is reasonable to assume that that officer, the first one to arrive at the scene, who happened to be an African American it looked to me, apparently, I would think that it is reasonable to assume that he saw the officer deposit that item, which I believe to be the taser, beside the victim. So what does that tell us? It tells us that there is a thin blue line over which law enforcement officers do not step. They protect each other. When they see wrongdoing, they do not call it out; they do not expose it. So when that happens, Congressman, it impugns the character of all law enforcement. If law enforcement is operating under that mentality, that we see no evil, hear no evil, and certainly will not speak of it if we do hear or see it, that reinforces the systemic problems that we obviously have in law enforcement insofar as it relates to African American males. Our lives do matter. It is important that if law enforcement officers as a group are to uphold the standards of their profession, they must step across that blue line when they see something that another law enforcement officer does which is illegal or that is not within the bounds of propriety. They must police themselves.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation. Whereas, our lives have been touched by the life of this one woman, Dr. Marie Pullin, who gave of herself in order for others to stand; and Whereas, her legacy of dedicated service to enrich the children and others in her community through her volunteerism, creative ability and unwavering advocacy for the youth, the elderly, the poor and the arts are present in DeKalb County, Georgia for all to see; and Whereas, this remarkable, positive woman with a beautiful smile gave of herself, her heart and her talent; never asking for fame or fortune but only to uplift, expose and inspire those in need; and Whereas, she led by example from behind the scenes, as well as front and center for the state of Georgia, DeKalb County and the City of Atlanta, multiple ministries, homeowner associations, the Atlanta Edgewood-Kirkwood Neighborhood Center; and in her beloved church, Israel Baptist Church; and Whereas, this virtuous Proverbs 31 woman was a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a warrior, a matriarch, and a woman of great integrity; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to bestow a Congressional recognition on Dr. Marie Pullin for her leadership, friendship and 50 years of service to all of the citizens in Georgia and throughout the Nation; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby attest to the 114th Congress that Dr. Marie Pullin of DeKalb County, Georgia is deemed worthy and deserving of this ``Congressional Honor''--Dr. Marie Pullin, U.S. Citizen of Distinction, in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 14th day of March, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation. Whereas, Thirteen years ago a virtuous woman of God accepted her calling to serve as President of Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia; and Whereas, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum has enhanced the academic curriculum at Spelman, increased the goodwill of the college throughout the community and she has created a legacy that has provided for the students through scholarships and servitude; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman has shared her time and talents as a friend, a fearless leader and a servant to ensure that Spelman students receive the best education and skills to become outstanding leaders of our communities and nation; and Whereas, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum is a cornerstone in our community that has enhanced the lives of thousands for the betterment of our District and Nation; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum on her retirement as President of Spelman College and to wish her well in her new endeavors; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim April 24, 2015 as Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum Day in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 24th day of April, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it feels like open season on black men in America, and I am outraged. In fact, all Americans are at risk when bad actors in law enforcement use their guns instead of their heads. Despite bipartisan, nationwide calls for action and despite my bills to reform the broken grand jury process, hold police accountable, and end militarization and despite my colleagues' bills to encourage body cameras, this Congress does nothing--no hearings, no blue ribbon commissions--nothing. Mr. Speaker, here are just a few names of our colleagues, neighbors, and relatives killed by police, so my colleagues will no longer ignore this crisis: Walter Scott, North Carolina; Michael Brown, Missouri; Anthony Hill, Georgia; Tony Robinson, Wisconsin; Kevin Davis, Georgia; Nicholas Thomas, Georgia; Daniel Elrod, Nebraska; Antonio Zambrano- Montes, Washington; David Kassick, Pennsylvania; Jessica Hernandez, Colorado; Kevin Davis, Georgia; Dennis Grigsby, Texas; Rumain Brisbon, Phoenix; Tamir Rice, Ohio; Akai Gurley, New York; Carlos M. Perez, Nevada; Kajieme Powell, Missouri; Ezell Ford, California; Dillon Taylor, Utah; John Crawford III, Ohio; Naeschylus Vinzant, Colorado; Charly Leundeu Keunang, California; and the list goes on.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation. Whereas, Minister Edward L. Keyton is celebrating thirty-four (34) years in ministry this year and has provided stellar leadership to his church on an international level; and Whereas, Minister Edward L. Keyton, under the guidance of God has pioneered and sustained the Church of Christ at Bouldercrest as Senior Evangelist, he has enhanced the church as an instrument in our community that uplifts the spiritual, physical and mental welfare of our citizens; and Whereas, this remarkable and tenacious man of God has given hope to the hopeless, fed the hungry and is a beacon of light to those in need; and Whereas, Minister Edward L. Keyton is a spiritual warrior, a man of compassion, a fearless leader and a servant to all, but most of all a visionary who has shared not only with his church, but with our district and the world his passion to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Minister Edward L. Keyton as he celebrates thirty-four years in ministry and to salute him as he retires from ministerial leadership; A true Man of Excellence; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim April 17, 2015 as Minister Edward L. Keyton Day in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 17th day of April, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation. Whereas, reaching the age of 88 years is a remarkable milestone; and Whereas, Ms. Ermelle Smart Crew Williams was born on March 23, 1927 and today she is celebrating that milestone; and Whereas, Ms. Williams has been blessed with a long, happy life, devoted to God and credits it all to the Will of God; she is a member of Turner Chapel Baptist Church and a sister in the local Prince Hall Order of Eastern Stars; and Whereas, Ms. Williams is celebrating her 88th Birthday with her family members, church members and friends here in Georgia, she celebrates a life of blessings; as a Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, friend, community servant and leader; and Whereas, the Lord has been her Shepherd throughout her life and she prays daily and is leading by example a blessed life; an advocate, faithful matriarch and a community leader; and Whereas, we are honored that she is celebrating the milestone of her 88th birthday in Georgia; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Ms. Ermelle Smart Crew Williams for an exemplary life which is an inspiration to all, now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim March 23, 2015 as Ms. Ermelle Smart Crew Williams Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 23rd day of March, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Competitive Carriers Association, which is the leading organization for competitive wireless carriers and stakeholders. CCA was founded in 1992 by nine rural and regional wireless carriers. Since its founding, CCA has grown to become the Nation's leading association for competitive wireless providers serving all areas of the United States. Today is the first day of CCA's 2015 Global Expo in Atlanta. More than 100 CCA member volunteers will gather for a special day of volunteering with Hands On Atlanta. CCA will assemble 2,000 boxed meals and deliver them in person to schools, senior citizen homes, and other locations in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. I am pleased that CCA is bringing the spirit of community to Atlanta, and I am confident this event will be quite successful.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, many years ago a virtuous woman of God accepted her calling to serve the citizens across our nation and the international community; and Whereas, Ms. Xernona Clayton began her career in service working diligently to assist in the Civil Rights Movement alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., she has served as the first Southern African American to host a daily prime time talk show, ``The Xernona Clayton Show''; she served as the Corporate Vice President for Urban Affairs at Turner Broadcasting; she is the President and CEO of the Trumpet Awards Foundation wherein she is the Creator and Executive Producer of the Trumpet Awards honoring individuals that give of themselves to make the world better; Ms. Clayton continues to assist individuals and families across the world through education and service; and Whereas, this phenomenal Proverbs 31 woman has shared her time and talents, giving the citizens of our district a friend to help those in need, a fearless leader and a servant to all wanting to ensure that the system works for everyone; and Whereas, Ms. Xernona Clayton is a cornerstone in our community that has enhanced the lives of thousands for the betterment of our district and nation; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Ms. Xernona Clayton for her outstanding leadership and service to our district and to congratulate her for an exemplary life of leadership and service to all; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim March 14, 2015 as Ms. Xernona Clayton Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 14th day of March, 2015.