Val Butler Demings

Mr. Speaker, real life is quite different from television or political buffoonery. Half of gun murders in the United States go unsolved. Victims are too often left with no justice and their families with little support.

Who amongst us believes that murderers or violent criminals should not be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law? I pray, Mr. Speaker, that no one in this Chamber really believes that.

But, today, we will witness with our own eyes who actually wants to fund the police. I learned a long time ago, don't just listen to what they say but watch what they do.

As a former law enforcement officer, I vividly recall being on the scene of young people dead as a result of violence, knowing that their families would soon receive devastating news. We all know that there will be more families who receive those calls. I want to make sure that there are experts, trained and ready, who can help them through those horrible moments.

Mr. Speaker, I saw as a detective, a detective sergeant, and a chief of police that violent crimes require a coordinated and professional response to ensure a word that we really need to get familiar with in this Chamber, and that word is ``justice.''

We know that far too many police departments just do not have the resources they need to solve these heinous crimes. That is why I introduced the VICTIM Act.

I have even heard one of my former law enforcement colleagues suggest that the Department of Justice has already provided enough resources.

Let me be clear about what this bill does. This legislation provides additional Federal resources for State, Tribal, and local law enforcement agencies to make sure that our men and women in blue-- remember, back the blue--have the support they need to do their jobs, that survivors of violent crime have the support they need to try, Mr. Speaker, to rebuild.

But this is not a blank check. This funding must specifically be used for the hiring and training of detectives and victim support specialists.

Further, recipients would be required to regularly report how the money was spent and how it affected clearance rates for homicides and nonfatal shootings.

The National Institute of Justice will evaluate these reports and see what works and see what did not work. We are demanding results, or at least we should be because our communities are demanding results.

As the chief of police in Orlando, we were laser- focused on reducing violent crimes. I ask my colleagues who like to talk about violent crime to join us in reducing violent crime. We were able to do so because we had the resources to do so.

This legislation is supported by the FOP, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the National Policing Institute, and the National Association of Police Organizations.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join us in backing the blue.

Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, the underlying bill is a significant step forward in supporting community mental health efforts, which I applaud.

As a former social worker and former law enforcement officer, I have seen the devastating impact when communities fall short of meeting the needs of persons struggling with mental health and substance addiction.

Florida is 49th in the Nation on access to mental health care. It is not a position we are proud of, but many States across the Nation have failed to adequately address these issues.

Law enforcement officers, as we all know, have a tough and dangerous job, and I was proud to co-lead the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act, signed into law by President Trump, which recognizes that addressing mental and psychological health is just as important as good physical health.

My amendment is a simple one. It will insert reporting requirements on available mental health and stress-related programs for law enforcement officers and recommend additional tools that may be helpful or necessary to identify, access, monitor, and improve the overall well-being of our law enforcement officers.

I am proud to support this bill, as it is critical that we support our community by boldly addressing mental health issues. I am proud to offer this amendment that will support the men and women in blue who support, protect, and serve us.

Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, as a police chief, I was expected to get things done, to do everything within my power to keep people safe.

Offering thoughts and prayers is fine. My grandchildren do that. But if that was all I did as a police chief after mass shootings, no one would have let me get away with that. Well, there is an expectation for Congress, too, to do more.

Madam Speaker, what is painfully wrong with this tragic moment in our history are the people who want the power of the position but not really the responsibility.

Congress failed that little girl who could only be identified by her green tennis shoes. Congress failed the loved ones in Buffalo, at the Pulse nightclub, and in Newtown.

After the Parkland shooting in Florida, Republican legislators helped pass red flag laws and other meaningful legislation to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.

Will we do something? Haven't we had enough, or is it just too scary to do the right thing?