Providing for Consideration of H.R. Sanctioning Tyrannical and Oppressive People Within the Chinese Communist Party Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Fix Our Forests Act; Providing for Consideration of H. Res. Ensuring Accountability for Key Officials in the Biden-Harris Administration Responsible for Decisionmaking and Execution Failures Throughout the Withdrawal From Afghanistan; and for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Mr. LANGWORTHY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this rule, which will provide consideration for commonsense legislation that would hold accountable local leaders that are pushing an antipolice, pro-crime agenda on our States and cities.

Madam Speaker, as the only New Yorker on this side of the aisle today, I can tell you that I have seen firsthand what happens when a Democrat-run State bows to the radical left and embraces the unaccountable system of charitable bail funds and institutes full-blown bail reform.

Violent offenders are getting a free pass while law-abiding citizens are left to suffer. Look at the facts: In New York City, after bail reform, crime jumped 20 percent after they pushed for this in the name of social justice. Judges can't even set bail for crimes like petty larceny or grand larceny or burglary.

Who pays the price? Innocent American families.

Now, unfortunately, my home State of New York is just one of many Democrat-run States in jurisdictions around the country that have given criminals a get-out-of-jail-free card.

What is worse is that these policies have the full backing of the Democratic Party, including their nominees, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Harris, in particular, supported these radical bail funds, actively encouraging donations to bail out criminals, many of whom were charged with violent crimes. They are the faces of a party that have abandoned the safety of our communities in favor of appeasing a far-left mob.

Democrats would have you believe that these policies are about helping lower-income communities, but let's be perfectly, honestly clear: These policies are hurting the very people they claim to protect.

These multimillion-dollar bail funds, like the Minnesota Freedom Fund and The Bail Project, aren't helping. They are putting violent criminals, domestic abusers, and sexual predators right back on the street.

Who suffers? Everyday Americans in cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. These so-called reforms are nothing more than a betrayal of the people and a destruction of the rule of law in this country.

Look no further than the facts. Groups like the Minnesota Freedom Fund bailed out individuals charged with violent crimes, including domestic violence and sexual assault, and Democrats are more than happy to just look the other way. They decided that protecting a radical base is more important than protecting the innocent victims.

This is what the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats across this country have stood for, policies that prioritize criminals over communities, chaos over safety, and special interests over the hardworking American people. They have abandoned our law enforcement. They have turned their backs on the very citizens they were elected to serve.

I call on my colleagues across the aisle to listen to their constituents in their own Democrat-run States and cities who are absolutely fed up with rampant violent crime and fed up with the revolving door prison and jail system that Democrats and their bail funds have facilitated.

They are sick and tired of watching their communities deteriorate and small businesses have to close due to crime skyrocketing.

The least we can do, Madam Speaker, is ensure that these bail funds operate under some level of accountability and transparency.

Madam Speaker, I strongly support this rule today and the underlying legislation.

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