S2540 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 28, 2016 I regret—I deeply regret—that it was retary Kerry noted that in 2014, ISIS [is] an ‘achievable goal’ but one that blocked, but I look forward to advanc- trapped Yazidis, killed them, enslaved require[s] a degree of governmental or- ing similar reforms in the future be- thousands of Yazidi women and girls, ganization that matches the kind of cause the idea of making Congress ac- ‘‘selling them at auction, raping them methodical organization that accom- countable isn’t just a good idea; it is at will and destroying the communities plish mass killings.’’ burned deeply, indelibly within our for which they lived for countless gen- Earlier this year, I introduced the constitutional system. erations.’’ Genocide and Atrocities Prevention It is no accident that the very first I rise here today, in April, not only Act of 2016 to ensure that we do just clause of the first section of the first to commemorate International Geno- that. I am joined in this effort by Sen- article of the Constitution says, ‘‘All cide Awareness and Prevention Month ators TILLIS, MURPHY, MENENDEZ, SHA- legislative Powers herein granted shall and pay respect to the innocents who HEEN, BROWN, GILLIBRAND, be vested in a Congress of the United were slaughtered but also to speak BLUMENTHAL, COONS, MIKULSKI, MAR- States, which shall consist of a Senate about what the United States can and KEY, MERKLEY, BOXER, CASEY, WARREN, and House of Representatives.’’ All leg- must do to prevent atrocities and geno- WHITEHOUSE, MURKOWSKI, BURR, and islative powers—that means all Federal cide. BENNET. This bill authorizes the Board, law in this system is vested in a Con- The commitment to prevent acts of which is a transparent, accountable, gress of the United States. We are not genocide and mass atrocities has been high-level, interagency board that in- supposed to delegate that to someone a centerpiece of policy by consecutive cludes representatives at the assistant else. administrations of the U.S. Govern- secretary level or higher from depart- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- ment. The United States was the first ments and agencies across U.S. Govern- ator’s time has expired. country in the world to sign the Con- ment. Mr. LEE. Mr. President, I yield the vention on the Prevention and Punish- The board will meet monthly to over- floor. ment of the Crime of Genocide, signed see the development and implementa- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- in Paris on December 9, 1948, and Presi- tion of atrocity prevention and re- ator from Maryland. dent Ronald Reagan signed imple- sponse policy, and, additionally, ad- dress over the horizon potential atroc- f menting legislation, allowing the United States to become a party to the ities through the use of a wide variety GENOCIDE AWARENESS AND convention on November 25, 1988. of tools so that we can take effective PREVENTION MONTH In the 2006 ‘‘National Security Strat- action to prevent atrocities from oc- Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, in many egy,’’ President George W. Bush high- curring. This bill gives our Foreign Service places around the world, April is a lighted the ‘‘moral imperative that officers the training they need to rec- month where we celebrate rebirth and states take against to prevent and pun- ognize patterns of escalation and early renewal. But April has too often been, ish genocide.’’ warning signs of potential atrocities in T. S. Eliot’s words, ‘‘the cruelest I firmly believe that U.S. leadership and conflict. With this training, we month,’’ a month where some of the can make a difference in preventing fu- will, over time, build atrocity preven- world’s darkest moments have cast ture genocides and mass atrocities. tion into the core skill set of our peo- shadows over our humanity. U.S. leadership can save lives by bring- ple on the ground. They will be It was in April 1915 when the Otto- ing the power and resources of the equipped to see the warning signs, ana- man government began rounding up United States to bear on atrocity pre- and murdering leading Armenian poli- lyze the events, and engage early. vention, accountability, and justice. The bill also codifies the Complex ticians, businessmen, and intellectuals, On April 10, 2014, I introduced the Crises Fund, which has been a critical a step that led to the extermination of Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act tool in our ability to quickly respond more than 1 million Armenians. in this Chamber. Three days earlier, to an emerging crises overseas, includ- It was April 1933 that the Nazis the world had marked the 20th anniver- ing potential mass atrocities and con- issued a decree paving a way for the sary of the genocide of Rwanda, one of flict. We used the Complex Crises Fund ‘‘final solution,’’ the annihilation of 6 the most horrific events in modern his- in Tunisia during the Arab Spring and million Jews of Europe. tory, which unfolded as the world stood in Sri Lanka after its civil war. We It was April 1975 that the Khmer back and watched. have used it to respond quickly in Rouge entered Cambodia’s capital city, At that time, I noted: Kenya and in other countries, where we launching a 4-year wave of violence, Unfortunately, we have not learned the helped save lives. Importantly, this bill killing 2 million people. lessons of the past. We must do better to not builds greater transparency and ac- In April 1992, the siege of Sarajevo only see that sort of atrocities never again occur under our watch. countability into the structure of the began in Bosnia, the longest siege in Atrocities Prevention Board. Civil so- modern history, where more than 10,000 That statement was not only a re- ciety will have a say, and Congress will people perished, including 1,500 chil- flection of my beliefs but a promise to have a greater oversight role to make dren. keep the issue of atrocity prevention in sure we are getting this done right. It was in April 1994 that the plane front of the Senate and the American This is a good bill. It does good carrying the President of Rwanda people. things and places the United States on crashed, triggering the beginning of a So today, under the heavy cloud of a solid moral ground. But the moral ar- genocide that killed more than 800,000 atrocities occurring in Syria, South gument alone is not enough. We must people in 100 days. When we talk about Sudan, and elsewhere, I come to ad- also remember that America’s security what happened in Rwanda, it is easy to dress this body again. I am here today and that of our allies is affected when begin to think of genocide as a single, not to look backward about actions not civilians are slaughtered. Our security undifferentiated act of barbarism. In taken. I am here today to stress that is impacted when desperate refugees reality, it was made of many individual our job, our responsibility, is to make stream across borders. Our security is atrocities that took place over 100 sure the United States has the tools— affected when perpetrators of extraor- days. diplomatic, political, economic, and dinary violence wreak havoc on re- In April 2003, innocent civilians in legal—to take effective action before gional stability, destroying commu- Sudan’s Darfur region were attacked, atrocities occur. Essential to this is nities, families, and livelihoods. killing more than 400,000 and displacing authorizing the Atrocities Prevention We have seen groups such as ISIS 2.5 million in a conflict that continues Board and ensuring that the U.S. Gov- systematically targeting communities to this day. ernment has structures in place and on the basis of their ethnicity or reli- This past month, the State Depart- the mechanisms at hand to better pre- gious beliefs and practices. After 60 ment announced that the United vent and respond to potential atroc- years, we still do not have a com- States has determined that ISIS’s ac- ities. prehensive framework to prevent and tion against the Yazidis, Shiite Mus- President Obama, when he estab- respond to mass atrocities in genocide. lims, and Christians in Iraq and Syria lished the Atrocities Prevention Board Let this bill act as a framework and constitutes genocide. Specifically, Sec- in 2012, said that ‘‘preventing genocide also as our call to action so that when

VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:37 Apr 29, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G28AP6.064 S28APPT1 smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE April 28, 2016 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2541 we use the phrase ‘‘never again,’’ we In the weeks following the unrest, I Chamber have been championing. It re- know that we are taking meaningful went back and forth from Baltimore classifies specific low-level, nonviolent action to make that a reality. City to the Senate and the White drug possession felonies as mis- Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask House, relaying the needs of Balti- demeanors, eliminating the distinction unanimous consent to speak for an ad- moreans to my colleagues and to top between crack and powder cocaine for ditional 10 minutes. Obama administration officials. I was sentencing, and requires fair weight for The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there joined by the Maryland congressional food products. objection? delegation, my colleague and friend Title IV deals with reentry and em- Hearing none, it is so ordered. Senator MIKULSKI—one of the great ployment law reform. It is critically f leaders on this issue—and members of important that people have an oppor- ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE our city delegation—Congressman tunity once they come out of incarcer- DEATH OF FREDDIE GRAY CUMMINGS, Congressman RUPPERS- ation. I don’t think there is a Member BERGER, and Congressman SARBANES. of this Chamber who hasn’t had a sec- Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, the Congress and the Federal Govern- ond chance. This allows nonprofits to death of Freddie Gray was a national ment responded and continues to re- apply for Second Chance Act grants. tragedy deserving of a national con- spond. I welcomed the announcement It authorizes $200 million annually versation. A year after the death of that the Department of Justice Civil for the Labor Department’s Reentry Freddie Gray, the glare of television Rights Division will open a Federal Employment Opportunities Program. cameras covering the ensuing unrest ‘‘pattern or practice’’ investigation of It is a sense of the Congress that the has faded in Baltimore but the hurt the Baltimore Police Department. This administration should ‘‘ban the box’’ and the continuing effort to heal re- was just one way to help restore the for hiring of Federal contractors. main. eroded trust between communities and Baltimore’s congressional delegation In the 12 months since Freddie Gray’s police. To further this effort, I intro- death, Americans have had long over- has been fighting to ensure Federal re- duced the BALTIMORE Act. The BAL- sources are made available to help the due conversations about racially biased TIMORE Act is comprised of four ti- policing, poverty in cities across Amer- city residents prosper. In the days fol- tles. lowing the unrest, the Small Business ica, the lack of access to quality edu- Title I deals with law enforcement cation, and the scarcity of safe and af- Administration established disaster reform. The BALTIMORE Act places loan outreach centers in Baltimore to fordable housing. These conversations bans on racial profiling by State and have been translated into meaningful help local owners who have been im- local law enforcement, mandatory data pacted by the unrest. actions by Baltimore City residents, collection and reporting, and available community leaders, and lawmakers at The Justice Department has also pro- grants. vided assistance in the form of the Ed- every level. Faith groups, community It requires local law enforcement of- organizations, the business commu- ward Byrne Memorial Justice Assist- ficials receiving funds from the Byrne/ ance Grants to help defray the cost of nity, and many other groups who love JAG and COPS Hiring Programs to and understand the limitless potential policing during the unrest and to help submit officer training information to local law enforcement better safeguard of our city have stood up and articu- the Department of Justice, including lated their vision on how to build a communities from violent crime. how their officers are trained in the The Department of Education’s stronger Baltimore. use of force, countering racial and eth- The death of Freddie Gray was yet Project SERV, or School Emergency nic bias, deescalating conflicts, and Response to Violence, has given re- another painful reminder of the prob- constructive engagement with the pub- lems we have in our criminal justice sources to Baltimore City Public lic. Schools to help students recover from system. I am a strong supporter of the It requires the Department of Justice trauma associated with the unrest. independence of our judicial branch of to report on a plan to assist State and The Environmental Protection Agen- government and the grand jury system, local law enforcement agencies to im- cy pledged funding to help convert va- but I think all of us understand the prove training in the use of force, iden- cant lots into gardens that foster a frustration when there were no crimi- tifying racial and ethnic bias, and con- sense of community and increase pub- nal indictments brought in the flict resolution through the course of lic and environmental health. Trayvon Martin case, the Michael officers’ careers. Brown case, the Eric Garner case, and The Department of Justice shall de- Other Obama administration initia- far too many examples across America. velop Field Training Program policies tives such as My Brother’s Keeper con- I have been working for years to ad- and examine ways to partner with na- tinue to give communities the tools dress problems in our criminal justice tional law enforcement organizations they need to foster long-term positive system. In the days following the death to promote consistent standards for change. These are only a small portion of Freddie Gray and the ensuing un- high quality training and assessment. of the Federal Government’s ongoing rest, I called on the Justice Depart- The Department shall also provide a commitment to the people of Balti- ment to open Federal criminal and report that contains best practices, more City. civil rights investigations into Freddie model policies, and training toolkits. I am proud of the Federal Govern- Gray’s death. On April 21, 2015, I was The Department of Justice will derive ment stepping up to help Baltimore so joined by Representative JOHN CON- action plans for helping law enforce- that Baltimore can reach its full poten- YERS in reintroducing legislation, the ment agencies upgrade their IT sys- tial. Baltimore is my home. Following End Racial Profiling Act, which I origi- tems to submit arrest and officer-in- the death of Freddie Gray was one of nally introduced before the tragic volved shooting data. the most difficult days in the city’s death of Trayvon Martin. Lastly, Title I establishes a pilot pro- history. One year later, Baltimore is As Baltimore emerged from the un- gram to assist local law enforcement in transforming with the help of ordinary rest, I met with community leaders to purchasing or leasing body-worn cam- citizens, the business community, and discuss legislative responses to help eras, which requires privacy study. a slew of nonprofits making a measur- heal Baltimore’s physical wounds and We have a comprehensive section able impact. I have always been hon- how to address many of the core prob- that deals with law enforcement. ored to represent the people of Balti- lems that underpinned the unrest. Title II deals with voting rights and more. As long as I still have that I met with a pharmacy owner whose civil rights restoration. The BALTI- honor, I will continue to make sure the store had been looted. I visited a senior MORE Act restores the right to vote Federal Government is an active part- center that was damaged. I spoke with for all citizens after a prison sentence ner in empowering Baltimore City to residents in east and west Baltimore. I is served, returning citizens the right reach its full potential. visited Freddie Gray’s elementary to vote. It also restores eligibility to In the year since the death of Freddie school to hear from teachers and com- sit on Federal juries after a prison sen- Gray, we have made progress in build- munity leaders about what tools they tence has been served. ing a more just America by investing required for the Federal Government to Title III deals with sentencing law in Baltimore. Let us continue to build better meet the needs of students. reform, which many colleagues in this upon that progress.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:16 Apr 29, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G28AP6.066 S28APPT1 smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE