[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 93 (Wednesday, June 6, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H4793-H4798]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2017
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 918, I call
up the bill (H.R. 3249) to authorize the Project Safe Neighborhoods
Grant Program, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment
thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Woodall). The Clerk will designate the
Senate amendment.
Senate amendment:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Project Safe Neighborhoods
Grant Program Authorization Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act--
(1) the term ``firearms offenses'' means an offense under
section 922 or 924 of title 18, United States Code;
(2) the term ``Program'' means the Project Safe
Neighborhoods Block Grant Program established under section
3; and
(3) the term ``transnational organized crime group'' has
the meaning given such term in section 36(k)(6) of the State
Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C.
2708(k)(6)).
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
The Attorney General of the United States is authorized to
establish and carry out a program, to be known as the
``Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program'' within the
Office of Justice Programs at the Department of Justice.
SEC. 4. PURPOSE.
(a)Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program.--The
purpose of the Program
[[Page H4794]]
is to foster and improve existing partnerships between
Federal, State, and local agencies, including the United
States Attorney in each Federal judicial district, entities
representing members of the community affected by increased
violence, victims' advocates, and researchers to create safer
neighborhoods through sustained reductions in violent crimes
by--
(1) developing and executing comprehensive strategic plans
to reduce violent crimes, including the enforcement of gun
laws, and prioritizing efforts focused on identified subsets
of individuals or organizations responsible for increasing
violence in a particular geographic area;
(2) developing evidence-based and data-driven intervention
and prevention initiatives, including juvenile justice
projects and activities which may include street-level
outreach, conflict mediation, provision of treatment and
social services, and the changing of community norms, in
order to reduce violence; and
(3) collecting data on outcomes achieved through the
Program, including the effect on the violent crime rate,
incarceration rate, and recidivism rate of the jurisdiction.
(b)Additional Purpose Areas.--In addition to the purpose
described in subsection (a), the Attorney General may use
funds authorized under this Act for any of the following
purposes--
(1) competitive and evidence-based programs to reduce gun
crime and gang violence;
(2) the Edward Byrne criminal justice innovation program;
(3) community-based violence prevention initiatives; or
(4) gang and youth violence education, prevention and
intervention, and related activities.
SEC. 5. RULES AND REGULATIONS.
(a)In General.--The Attorney General shall issue guidance
to create, carry out, and administer the Program in
accordance with this section.
(b)Funds to Be Directed to Local Control.--Amounts made
available as grants under the Program shall be, to the
greatest extent practicable, locally controlled to address
problems that are identified locally.
(c)Task Forces.--Thirty percent of the amounts made
available as grants under the Program each fiscal year shall
be granted to Gang Task Forces in regions experiencing a
significant or increased presence of criminal or
transnational organizations engaging in high levels of
violent crime, firearms offenses, human trafficking, and drug
trafficking.
(d)Priority.--Amounts made available as grants under the
Program shall be used to prioritize the investigation and
prosecution of individuals who have an aggravating or
leadership role in a criminal or transnational organization
described in subsection (c).
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney
General to carry out the Program $50,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2019 through 2021.
Motion to Concur
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the motion.
The text of the motion is as follows:
Mr. Goodlatte moves that the House concur in the Senate
amendment to H.R. 3249.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 918, the motion
shall be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the
chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary.
The gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
General Leave
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. 3249.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, gangs are a poison in America. They bring violence,
drugs, and death. They paralyze our communities with flagrant acts of
violence and flood our neighborhoods with drugs. Gangs tear apart
families by prematurely taking the lives of sons, daughters, and
parents.
Unfortunately, today, some areas of our country have been overrun by
gang violence. Homicide rates skyrocketed in St. Louis, Baltimore, and
Chicago in 2016. Compared to the previous 5 years, 2016 represented a
15.8 percent increase in homicides in St. Louis, a 12.7 percent
increase in Baltimore, and an 11.4 percent increase in Chicago.
We must stand up to violent gangs and provide an antidote to their
poison.
H.R. 3249 is a vital part of the antidote. This legislation reforms
and reauthorizes the Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program.
This program operates under four key principles: partnerships,
strategic planning, training, and outreach.
First and foremost, the program brings all the important actors
together. This legislation will foster and improve existing
partnerships between Federal, State, and local agencies, community
groups, and researchers.
Strategic planning is the foundation of the Project Safe
Neighborhoods program.
Moreover, H.R. 3249 promotes the robust enforcement of existing
criminal laws and the development of intervention and prevention
programs, such as juvenile justice projects and activities, including
street-level outreach, conflict mediation, and social services.
Intervention and prevention programs provide extensive training and
community outreach.
Furthermore, in relying on localized and contemporaneous data, this
bill strategically prioritizes a focus on individuals or organizations
that are responsible for increasing violence in a particular geographic
area.
This legislation will ensure that 30 percent of Project Safe
Neighborhoods funding is allocated to gang task forces in regions
experiencing a significant or increased presence of violent crime,
firearm offenses, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.
As a result, critical resources, such as the deployment of law
enforcement and funding, are put to their best use.
Altogether, this legislation takes a balanced approach by combining
enforcement with prevention to combat gang violence in our communities
across the Nation.
Mr. Speaker, the comprehensive, coordinated, and community-focused
nature of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program will serve as a key
part of the antidote to the poisonous effects gangs have on our
country.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Virginia, Congresswoman
Barbara Comstock, for taking the lead on this important bill, and I
urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might
consume.
Mr. Speaker, the chairman is correct: the protection of our
neighborhoods, the protection of our young people, the securing of our
schools, the stopping of gun violence, the safeguarding of this Nation,
are important responsibilities of this Congress, and certainly of the
Nation itself. So I join with that commitment of safeguarding our
neighbors and friends and families and our children.
So I would certainly like to say of the Senate amendment dealing with
the Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2018, it
does provide additional resources to help local jurisdictions prevent
and fight crime in their communities. It would authorize the Attorney
General to establish and implement a program to be known as the Project
Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program within the Office of Justice
Programs at the Department of Justice, thereby providing a formal
authorization for the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which is
currently implemented by DOJ. That is an absolutely positive step to
protect our neighborhoods.
Thirty percent of the funding awards under this program would be,
however, allocated to fighting gang-related crime.
While I support authorizing this program, I would like to highlight
two major concerns with this Senate amendment.
First, a substantial portion of the funding under this bill would be
dedicated to anti-gang task forces. I support preventing and fighting
crime no matter who the perpetrator may be, but I must caution against
targeting groups of young people who are not engaged in crime, or who
are standing around, or who may be, in essence, said to be engaged in
crime, or may be from particular neighborhoods or ethnicities or
backgrounds.
I think all of our children deserve a chance to grow and become
contributing citizens. I would want to make sure that we get the gangs
and that we get those who are the deadly ones that are killing and
maiming, and those names, we know, have been cited, but I also want to
make sure that we give our children a chance.
[[Page H4795]]
However, under the current framework, focus is placed on identified
subsets of individuals or organizations responsible for increasing
violence. This creates a danger where innocent young people will likely
become targets, whether by virtue of clothes color or mere acquaintance
of someone in light of the various talk, if you will, about gangs like
MS-13, which I will acknowledge are in all of our communities from east
to west and north to south.
Let's get the bad guys. Let's make sure we help our children not be
destined to be the bad guys.
We must not use law enforcement as a means to target individuals
based solely on their ethnicity or national origin. Far too often, the
rhetoric that we are fighting gangs may be laced with bias toward
difference.
That is why I wanted to offer an amendment at the Rules Committee to
the Senate amendment, which would reflect the original provision
offered by Representative Comstock related to targeting groups. That
was one that we were able to work with here in the House. That specific
provision in H.R. 3249 was a much better provision.
If accepted, my amendment would have ensured that funding be
allocated justly based on sincere need and not on abuse that may occur
to demonstrate a significant or increased presence of criminal
organizations; and, number two, prevent funding being used towards a
wide range of people that might need help, but labeled as criminal
groups, rather than the smaller number of people in communities
responsible, as you will hear law enforcement say, for the majority of
violent crimes, like concentrated transnational organized crime groups
as defined by the statute.
This eliminates the sweeping effect this bill will have in
application, where groups of people not defined by statute as
transnational organized crime groups will become targets based on
possible biases or rhetoric launched at particular classes of people.
We cannot ignore that unfortunately, in the reality of our times,
things may go awry. Therefore, in addition to introducing legislation,
we must be vigilant in conducting oversight of the use of program funds
and in protecting against such possible abuse.
Second, I have concerns about the provision of the bill that focuses
on data-driven intervention. I advocate instead for a robust focus on
prevention-driven initiatives that will save us an enormous amount of
money when done effectively.
That is why I wanted to offer a second amendment which would amend
the Crime Control Safe Streets Act of 1968 to allow for strong emphasis
on gang prevention programs, which is key to curtailing much of these
problems. It is imperative to provide front-end mechanisms that would
prevent the problems that are often costly, resulting in both human
costs and tax dollars for our prisons.
{time} 1415
This amendment was practical and inexpensive.
Now, let me clarify something. Data is very important because it
helps us move toward best practices. But in addition to data, we need
to be able to use our good sense to talk about intervention,
prevention, and working with youngsters again, who may be categorized
as being violent but, instead, may be the right kind of targets for
intervention and prevention programs.
This Senate amendment authorizes $50 million for each of the fiscal
years 2019 to 2021, $150 million. The Senate amendment does not comply
with House Republican CutGo requirements so that $50 million may be
authorized for the program for this time.
I certainly believe where we are trying to help children, we should
also take that into consideration, particularly with prevention and
intervention or gang violence and antibullying initiatives. They are
equally worthy goals.
Therefore, I urge my colleagues to look further into how we continue
to work together and to work to monitor this legislation to ensure that
there is not an adverse impact on individuals clearly because of
neighborhoods and backgrounds, because that is what America is all
about: an equal opportunity for particularly our young people, to get
out of where they are and to be able to surge to be a good and
contributing citizen.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on the Senate amendment to H.R. 3249,
the ``Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Act of 2017''.
This Senate amendment would provide additional resources to help
local jurisdictions prevent and fight crime in their communities.
It would authorize the Attorney General to establish and' implement a
program, to be known as the ``Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant
Program'' (Program), within the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) at the
Department of Justice (DOJ), thereby providing a formal authorization
for the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, which is currently
implemented by DOJ.
Thirty percent of the funding awards under this Program would be
allocated to fighting gang-related crime. While I support authorizing
this Program, I would like to highlight two major concerns of this
Senate amendment.
First, a substantial portion of the funding under this bill would be
dedicated to anti-gang task forces. I support preventing and fighting
crime no matter who the perpetrator may be, but I must caution against
targeting groups of young people who are not engaged in crime.
However, under the current framework, focus is placed on ``identified
subsets of individuals or organizations'' responsible for increasing
violence. This creates a danger, where innocent young people will
likely become targets, whether by virtue of clothes color or mere
acquaintance of someone, in light of the administrations' rhetoric
around MS-13s. We must not use law enforcement as a means to target
individuals based solely on their ethnicity or national origin. Far too
often, the rhetoric of fighting gangs has been laced with racial bias.
This is why I offered an amendment at Rules to this Senate amendment,
which would reflect the original provision offered by Rep. Comstock
relating to targeted groups. That specific provision in H.R. 3249 was a
much better provision.
If accepted, my amendment would have:
1) ensured that funding be allocated justly based on sincere need and
not on abuse that may occur to demonstrate a ``significant or increased
presence'' of criminal organizations; and 2) prevented funding being
used towards a wide range of people that need help but labeled as
criminal gangs, rather than the small number of people in communities
responsible for majority of violent crimes, like concentrated
``transnational organized crime groups'', as defined by statute.
This eliminates the sweeping effect this bill will have in
application, where groups of people not defined by statute as
``transnational organized crime groups'' will become targets based on
biases and/or rhetoric launched at a particular class of people.
We cannot ignore that unfortunate reality of current times.
Therefore, in addition to introducing legislation, we must be vigilant
in conducting oversight of the use of Program funds and in protecting
against such possible abuse.
Second, I have concerns about the provisions of the bill that focus
on data-driven intervention and I advocate instead, for a robust focus
on prevention-driven initiatives that will save us enormous amount of
money when done effectively.
This is why I offered a 2nd amendment, which would amend the Crime
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to allow for strong emphasis on
gang prevention programs, which is key to curtailing much of these
problems. It is imperative to provide front-end mechanisms that would
prevent the problems that are often costly, resulting in both human
cost and tax dollars for our prisons. This amendment was practical and
inexpensive.
This Senate amendment authorizes $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2019 through 2021, totaling $150,000,000.
This Senate amendment does not comply with House Republican ``cut-
go'' requirements so that $50 million may be authorized for the Program
for this time period. I believe prevention and intervention of gang
violence and anti-bullying are equally worthy goals.
Therefore, I urge my colleagues to pursue avenues that will not
adversely impact individuals based solely on their ethnic backgrounds.
Mr. Speaker, I do not argue against the merit of this Program. It
would be but one facet of DOJ's efforts to address gun and gang
violence at the local, state, and tribal levels. We should view it from
that holistic perspective, and as an effort to supplement but not
supplant alternatives that may employ different, yet, still-effective
approaches.
During the Committee's consideration of the H.R. 3249, we expressed
these funding concerns, and urged that these funding prohibitions be
eliminated.
Today, we also address the concerns in the Senate amendment to H.R.
3249, which states as a purpose:
Developing and executing comprehensive strategic plans to reduce
violent crimes ``including the enforcement of gun laws, and
prioritizing efforts focused on `identified subsets of individuals or
organizations' responsible for increasing violence in a particular
geographic area.''
[[Page H4796]]
For these reasons, I respectfully request serious consideration of
these concerns and caution against possible abuse that may occur, which
will prove counterproductive.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Comstock), the chief sponsor of
this legislation.
Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the Members of this
body to concur with the Senate amendment to my bill, the Project Safe
Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act of 2018, so that we may
send this bill to the President for his signature.
I appreciate all the work that Chairman Goodlatte and the committee
has done and the bipartisan nature in which they have worked with us,
as well as the administration and the Attorney General.
This bill will help address the problem of the rise of violence from
gangs like MS-13 that have threatened my area in Northern Virginia, as
well as the entire Washington metropolitan region and other places such
as Long Island, Houston, and Los Angeles. MS-13 is actually active in
40 States and the District of Columbia, and their goal is to grow.
Gangs like MS-13 have branched into human trafficking as well as
drugs and, of course, their murderous rampages. In Virginia, we
actually, several years ago, increased the penalties on any of these
gang members involved with human trafficking, so we know we constantly
need to change how we address these gangs.
Now, let's just look at some of the recent headlines in The
Washington Post, our local paper, which they have actually covered the
violence, the murders, the trials and more of the approximately over 30
killings over the past several years, and that is the number according
to the gang task force.
Here are some of the headlines:
``MS-13 Is `Taking Over the School,' One Teen Warned Before She Was
Killed.''
``He Was Flashing Gang Signs on Facebook. It Got Him Killed by MS-
13.''
``Heinous and Violent: MS-13's Appeal to Girls Grows as Gang Become
Americanized.''
And finally, one: ``She Told the Girl She'd See Her in Hell Before
Stabbing Her. Now She's Guilty of an MS-13 Murder.''
That particular murder was detailed about a young woman, Damaris
Reyes Rivas, and her body was found here, this highway, which is just
in Springfield, in Virginia, about a dozen, a little over a dozen miles
here from the Capitol. You can see the MS-13 gang signs here, and that
is where they left her body.
At age 12, Damaris was brought to the U.S. by her mom to escape gangs
in El Salvador. By 15, she was dead, killed by those very gangs,
numerous gang members, who then sent a video of her killing back to El
Salvador because that is one of their goals, to show what they have
done here.
Just to give you a little detail on this, Fairfax County
Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Morrogh played the videos in court, saying
he wanted to make clear for the judge the depravity involved in the
horrific murder of the high school girl. Her mother was in the
courtroom.
The prosecutor said: ``Some kids are prodigies at the violin, and
some kids are prodigies at violence. This is a prodigy at violence.''
The first video shows Damaris in the Springfield, Virginia, woods,
being interrogated by the gang members, numerous gang members, all of
whom were between the ages of 15 and 21. They shout at her as she gets
up from the snow-dusted ground.
At one point, they clicked a cigar cutter, threatening her that she
could lose a finger. They made her take off her shoes and her shirt so
she could feel how cold it was. They were interrogating her about a
previous MS-13 murder.
People were wielding knives, and they could hear, ``Just stick the
steel in her,'' another one was telling them. They took her away to
another area, then they took her back into the woods, forcing her to
crawl through a 3-foot tunnel covered in MS-13 graffiti. Then they
brutally murdered her, and they left her body, and then they came back
that night to take the video of the murder to be able to send it back.
As the prosecutor explained, those videos were taken so some of the
MS-13 members could send it back to El Salvador to earn a promotion
within the gang, which requires violence to move up the ranks.
Now, these are The Washington Post stories, I should add, and they
also have written stories about how gangs are a problem in our jails.
This is in Maryland.
It says: `` `Our incidents every month are predominantly MS-13,' said
a jail investigator speaking on the condition of anonymity for his
safety. `They are vying for the control of our jails.' ''
So there is violence going on in our jails as a result of this also.
We had another victim, Carlos Otero Hernriquez, in Leesburg,
Virginia. His body was dumped in a quarry in West Virginia after a
brutal murder. The acting U.S. attorney for the eastern district of
Virginia said of the killing: ``The hallmark of MS-13 is extreme
violence. . . . This brutal kidnapping and murder is a tragic reminder
of the impact MS-13 has on communities here in Northern Virginia.''
MS-13 gangs prey on their own community, as the example of this young
woman.
Last summer, I went on a ride-along with the Northern Virginia
Regional Gang Task Force, which is comprised of 13 local, State, and
Federal law enforcement agencies working together. They are going to
be--they should be--some of the beneficiaries of the bill here today.
I do want to assure everyone, they work very carefully with the
community. What they do is--their projects are to educate, to prevent,
to work with the children in schools. They have Spanish-speaking
members of the task force so they can make sure they are working with
the kids to keep them safe.
In one case, they had an MS-13 member who was trying to recruit his
brother to join the gang, and then when his brother would not join the
gang, they put a hit out on the brother. Fortunately, the gang task
force was able to intervene, protect that brother, sort of a Cai and
Abel type of situation. Abel was protected. Cain, we were able to have
the task force deal with him.
But what I saw in working with the Task Force is their need for more
technology, their need for resources. Whenever I talk to them, they
talk about how they need to be out in the schools, at the fairs.
At one local fair in Herndon, actually, I believe it was in Mr.
Connolly's district, the task force told me, at a Labor Day fair, they
identified up to about 200 suspected gang members, just in there,
weaving about among the children.
So when we went on the ride-along with them, in one night, they
picked up four suspected gang members. One of them turned out to be
somebody who, at 16 years old, had committed murder in El Salvador; and
then he had already been deported from the country twice and was now
back on Sterling Boulevard in Sterling, Virginia, about 25 miles or so
from the Capitol. There he was, on a Friday evening, as children and
everyone else were playing around. He was covered with gang signs when
he lifted up his shirt.
One of the tools that our gang task force needs more of is a little
device that looks a lot like an iPad where, when you put the
fingerprint of that gang member on the pad, his record then came up and
we could see the entire record, and the gang task force members knew
who they were dealing with.
So it is clear that the resurgence of MS-13 is a multifaceted problem
that needs a multifaceted solution, incorporating efforts from all
levels of government, law enforcement, and communities. Passing the
Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Authorization Act of 2018 today, which
the Senate has now already passed, will really get us back on the path
to getting the resources that they previously had in our local task
force.
They called us today to let us know they aren't even getting the
money that they used to get. Unfortunately, this was State money that
they used to get that they aren't getting anymore that the State
attorney general's office used to provide them, and now they
[[Page H4797]]
aren't getting it. So this is needed more than ever in regions like
ours.
I know the gentlewoman in Houston, they have problems there, too, and
the beauty of this program is they work with those communities that are
being targeted. They work with those children. They protect them. They
become their friends. But they also get the MS-13 gang members out.
Now, we do have another bill that I know the chairman worked with us
to get out, which would make sure that we don't have MS-13 gang members
able to get in the country in the first place; and if they are here, we
can remove them more quickly. That still needs to get through Senate
passage also.
But I am pleased that now, today, we have been able to make sure that
we don't see this proliferating in our communities, this kind of gang
activity, and to see these gang signs as we are driving home from work,
going to a soccer game, you know, going to see our kids, and seeing
that this is going on in our communities. This is something that cannot
be happening in our communities.
I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this
important legislation to protect our communities and combat gang
violence and provide more safe neighborhoods.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman from Virginia is absolutely right on our
commitment to working to protect the children that we don't want to be
the victims. Certainly, gangs like MS-13 are in many places, and that
is what my focus is. Those bad guys, those who would do harm, clearly,
we stand united on.
At the same time, I want to make sure that those who stumble in have
alternatives, particularly in this country, to get out of that web. As
we protect against them and give law enforcement their tools, I want to
make sure that we give to others to find other ways to move away from
this so that the bad intent, the murderous intent of those gangs can be
separated and handled by law enforcement, while other young people have
other opportunities.
I might also say that I would hope that the Department of Justice
will fund this program and, when I say that, Congress will work with us
to fund other programs of intervention.
So I might, if I could, engage the chairman in a colloquy. I would be
eager to hear the gentleman's thoughts on this thought.
I am concerned that all of the talk of fighting gang violence may be,
beyond this august Hall, laced with bias, racial bias, ethnicity, et
cetera. The Senate amendment includes a reference to focusing on
identified subsets of individuals and organizations responsible for
increasing violence in a particular geographic area. I might indicate
that that may be some bad behavior kids.
Will the gentleman assure me that the intent of this provision
referring to subsets of individuals is not to encourage or condone the
targeting of anyone because of their race or national origin and that
they happen to be in groups?
Mr. GOODLATTE. Will the gentlewoman yield?
Ms. JACKSON LEE. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes.
This legislation is intended to help our communities fight criminal
gangs and the violence and mayhem they wreak, and the bill is not
intended to target anyone because of their race or national origin.
{time} 1430
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I just wanted to
make a concluding comment. We worked together on this. Would the
gentleman also say that intervention and prevention programs are a
positive contribution to helping our young people stay away from
violence?
Mr. GOODLATTE. If the gentlewoman will continue to yield, yes, I do.
And I certainly support, at every level of government, making sure that
we are doing what we can to intervene and get people headed in the
right direction and avoiding some of those problems in the first place.
And, certainly, some of that is contained within the programs that are
funded by this legislation.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I certainly look forward to working
further with the gentleman on these matters, and I thank the gentleman.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she
may consume to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Comstock).
Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I think when I was speaking about the
ride along that I did with the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task
Force, someone said they thought they heard me say they had picked up
14 in one night. I just wanted to clarify. If it sounded like 14, I
meant to say 4. So it was four in one night. Nevertheless, it goes to
the problem of right in our communities there were four people there
that they were able to pick up.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Again, let me just say, we have a solid and unified commitment to
protect our children, our neighborhoods, our families, and to isolate
violent gangs, some of whom carry the name MS-13, but also to work with
law enforcement as they work to isolate those violent persons, but help
find a way to steer other juveniles into a way of redemption, if I
might utilize that term.
Mr. Speaker, I want to continue working with the Judiciary Committee
and my colleagues on that very point. So, Mr. Speaker, I do not argue
the merit of this program. It would be but one facet of DOJ's efforts
to address gun and gang violence at the local, State, and Tribal
levels. We would view it from the holistic perspective and as an effort
to supplement, but not supplant, alternatives that may employ different
yet still effective approaches. And that is antibullying, bullying
intervention, intervention in gang activity, cyberbullying, and
prevention of gang activities from the perspective that we understand
in our neighborhoods.
During the committee's consideration of H.R. 3249, we expressed these
funding concerns and urged that these fund prohibitions be eliminated.
What I want to see is other programs continue to be funded that can
help law enforcement and others on the question of prevention.
Today, we also address concerns in the Senate amendment to H.R. 3249
which states as a purpose, developing and executing comprehensive
strategic plans to reduce violent crimes, including the enforcement of
gun laws and prioritizing efforts focused on identifying subsets of
individuals and organizations responsible for increasing violence and
in a particular geographic area.
I want to thank the chairman for what I believe is a clarification on
the record, and we will continue to monitor as we work with our law
enforcement across the Nation. For these reasons, I am respectfully
asking that we continue to express our concerns, that we review it,
that we ensure that the DOJ, as it works through these grants,
continues to keep our legislative thoughts in mind so that this bill is
productive and certainly not counterproductive of what we intend to do.
Mr. Speaker, I again indicate a commitment that all of us have to get
rid of those who terrorize our neighborhoods through the violence of
gangs, like MS-13, and save our children who can be saved--which I know
they can be--in our neighborhoods and throughout the Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that I appreciate the bipartisan
effort that has gone into passing this very important legislation which
will now go to the President's desk for his signature, and will do a
lot of good in fighting gang violence and helping young people steer
toward a better future and a better life.
Both of those things are the purpose of this legislation. I want to
especially thank, again, the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Comstock)
for her long-dedicated work to fighting gang violence and helping our
young people have better opportunities for the future, not only in
Virginia, but all across this country.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
[[Page H4798]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Palmer). All time for debate has
expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 918, the previous question is ordered.
The question is on the motion by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Goodlatte).
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
____________________