Providing for Consideration of Senate Amendment to H.R. Affordable Insulin Now Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Fairness for Families Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. TIFFANY. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the remarks by the gentleman from Oklahoma because he has been spot-on throughout this whole debate.

I rise to oppose the previous question so that the House can consider the Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act.

Madam Speaker, it is no secret that crime is completely out of control in this country. Annual homicide records have been broken in at least a dozen major cities. Brazen smash-and-grab robberies in broad daylight are a daily occurrence. Killings, severe beatings, armed robberies, carjackings, sexual assaults, arson, and looting have become a common feature on the evening news.

The gentleman on the other side of the aisle asked why we are doing a bill like this. Turn on the news and you will see. Crime in America is at historic levels.

Yet, rogue prosecutors in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York City, and Milwaukee continue to release predators from custody almost as fast as the police can arrest them.

The use of no-cash bail policies, plea bargains, and a complete refusal to put dangerous repeat offenders behind bars has demoralized our police and endangered our communities, and America's most iconic cities resemble a Third World country.

Take Milwaukee County. Here is a quote from the district attorney in Milwaukee County. If you want to know why there should be data kept on this and why the American people should know what is going on as a result of prosecutors' actions in cities across America, here is a quote: ``Is there going to be an individual I divert . . . who is going to go out and kill somebody? You bet.''

That district attorney is still there in Milwaukee County. He is the person who gave a low-cash bail to the man who committed the Waukesha Christmas parade killings last year, killing six people, out on low- cash bail, injuring 60.

There is a problem in America, and it needs to be dealt with. Americans are sick and tired of the lawlessness, and they are demanding accountability. That is what this is about, accountability.

Madam Speaker, each year, jurisdictions across the United States benefit from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program, which provides funding to States, Tribes, and local governments to support a range of justice-related programs.

If we defeat the previous question, we will offer an amendment to the rule, calling for immediate consideration of the Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act, offered by my friend from New York City, which will apply a reporting requirement to these grants.

It would, among other things, mandate that district attorneys report to Congress how often they follow through on holding criminals charged with violent crimes, like murder, rape, arson, crimes involving illegal guns, and motor vehicle theft, accountable.

They would also be required to disclose how often they prosecute the initial charges, how often they secure convictions, whether or not those charged were already on probation or parole, and how many offenders were released without bail.

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Mr. TIFFANY. Madam Speaker, the American people need to know if the people they have entrusted to keep their neighborhoods safe are actually using their tax dollars to finance this crime wave. It is time to end the policy of underwriting progressive policies that endanger the lives and livelihoods of decent, hardworking Americans, and that starts with transparency.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand with us for safer communities and oppose the previous question.

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