The Funeral of John Conyers

CONYERS Portrait In The U.S. House Judiciary Committee 2017

The portrait was placed, stage left, on the wall of the U.S. House of Representative Judiciary Committee.

Watch the unveiling ceremony here.

C-SPAN has locked the video on embedding, obstructing use in the public record.

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CONYERS Retirement Letter Read By Sheila Jackson Lee

Ik zocht naar de brief maar vond hem niet. 

Ongeloflijk. 

Blijf kijken.

READ: Rep. John Conyers' full House departure letter

Conyers announces retirement after 53 years of service

After announcing his retirement Tuesday morning, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) submitted a departure letter to the U.S. House.

Conyers, 88, served in the House for more than 50 years. His decision to retire before the end of his term comes amid sexual harassment allegations by several women. He has denied the allegations. 

In his departure letter, which was read Tuesday in the House, Conyers writes he is not being afforded due process in relation to the harassment accusations. He cites his health -- he is currently hospitalized with stress-induced symptoms -- and an effort to preserve his "legacy and good name" as reasons for retirement.

Here is Conyers' full departure letter, as read by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas):

"I came to Congress in 1964. Since then I have devoted my entire career to improving the lives of my constituents in Detroit on the behalf of justice everywhere. These years witness a profound evolution in civil rights led by millions in the street who fought for justice and people of conscience in the Congress, both Democrats and Republicans who heard them and enacted the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and other landmark reforms.

“Given the totality of the circumstance of not being afforded the right of due process, in conjunction with current health conditions and to preserve my legacy and good name, I am retiring. I’ve been in the forefront of the civil rights movement. I’ve been a champion of justice for the oppressed and the disenfranchised. I never wavered in my commitment to justice and democracy. I am proud to have been part of that rich history. I have been privileged to be a founder of the Congressional Black Caucus and to represent the United States Congress by being dean.

“I passed, as indicated, the law dealing with the Martin Luther King holiday, the Violence Against Women Act, the Hate Crimes Act, the U.S.A. Freedom and the extension of the Voting Rights Act. I have led the fight against mandatory minimums, hoping to reverse the devastating incarceration rates for African-Americans and poor people. I have tried to pass a universal health care law, H.R. 676.

“Every Congress since 1989, I have introduced H.R. 40 to study reparations for slavery and I deeply appreciate those handful of courageous colleagues who have joined me

“For Detroiters, I’m proud that we have been able to accomplish, to bring hundreds of millions of dollars in critical grants and federal funding for Southeast Michigan to revitalize our great city, attract rich talent and return to us prosperity.

“I recognize that in this present environment, due process will not be afforded to me. I was taught by my great woman, my mother, to honor women. The first employee I ever hired was Mrs. Rosa Parks, who worked in my office for 22 years. It has been my great honor to work alongside some of the most talented and honorable staff on Capitol Hill and in Detroit. I have stated my position on these allegations. I have worked with both women and men.

“I cannot allow the great work of this body to be distracted from their important work or the goals of the Democratic Party to be distracted.”

“Given the totality of the circumstance of not being afforded the right of due process, in conjunction with current health conditions and to preserve my legacy and good name, I am retiring.

“I hope that my retirement will be viewed in the larger perspective of my record of service as I enter a new chapter. I pledge to continue my commitment to a progressive vision and a better future for this country that I love. I owe that to the legacy of my father, John Conyers Sr., who integrated labor unions in this country; to my brother Nathan, who integrated business and he is my main man; and to my wife Monica and to my sons John III, who I believe offers hope to this generation of leadership and who is committed to being an advocate of fairness and justice for all, and Carl Edward, who never leaves my side.

“I cannot allow the great work of this body to be distracted from their important work or the goals of the Democratic Party to be distracted.

“It has been an honor and a privilege of my life to represent the people of Michigan in the House of Representatives, but that responsibility will now fall to my colleagues and my successor. They have my deepest support and prayers.

"Jobs, justice and peace."

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CONYERS: In The Wake Of Vegas Mass Shooting, Top Judiciary & National Resoures Dems Call On Speaker Ryan To Pull Gun Silencer Bill From House Floor

Washington, D.C. – Following the tragic shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada, that has taken the lives of 58 people and injured more than 500, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) sent a letter, below, to House Speaker Paul Ryan calling for him to remove H.R. 3668, the so-called “Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act,” from the House calendar indefinitely.

The firearms-related provisions of H.R. 3668 would (1) weaken regulation of the interstate transportation of firearms; (2) make it easier for private citizens to obtain silencers by removing silencers from the protections in the National Firearms Act (NFA), which currently restricts the possession and sale of certain particularly dangerous firearms and accessories; and (3) remove the “sporting purposes” clause, which restricts the importation of firearms with certain features, and eliminate the ability of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to reclassify certain ammunition as “armor piercing ammunition.”

In their letter, the Members wrote, “…we ask that you immediately announce that this legislation will not be taken up by the House of Representatives.  It is not enough to simply hold a moment of silence, or place U.S. flags at half-staff; rather we believe that, in the wake of the horrific shootings last evening in Las Vegas, you must clearly state that the House will not seek to make matters worse by passing this legislation, which includes a number of provisions that would make us more vulnerable to mass shootings and subject our citizens and law enforcement personnel to an increased risk of gun violence.”

The Members continued, “…In active shooter situations, law enforcement must respond quickly to locate the shooter in order to prevent the carnage from continuing.  Silencing or muffling the sound of gun shots would make this more difficult, preventing quick response, such as the brave actions of law enforcement to quickly locate and take action against the shooter last night and those of the police officers that located and took down the man who shot and killed five officers in Dallas last year.  This situation illustrates the danger posed by the proliferation of silencers, particularly when the regulation of them is proposed to be weakened substantially – even allowing them to be sold with no checks whatsoever in some circumstances. ”

House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Conyers and Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Ranking Member Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) also sent a letter, below, to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte to renew their call for hearings on these issues.

Judiciary Letter to Ryan on Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act Hr 3668 by Beverly Tran on Scribd

Second Letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte to renew their call for hearings on firea... by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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CONYERS Leads Members Of Congress In Filing Amicus Brief Opposing Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Motion To Vacate His Conviction Following Trump's Pardon

Washington, D.C. - Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY ), Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Ranking Member Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice Ranking Member Steve Cohen (D-TN), Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law Ranking Member David Cicilline (D-RI), Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA), and other Members of Congress, filed an amicus brief opposing Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s motion to vacate his conviction for criminal contempt of court on the ground that President Donald Trump’s pardon of Sheriff Arpaio was unconstitutional.

In 2011, a Federal court found that Sheriff Arpaio's police department routinely engaged in racial profiling of Latinos.  The court ordered the department to cease its unconstitutional practices immediately, but Sheriff Arpaio and the department flouted the court's order, and continued to direct their staff to deprive thousands of people of their constitutional rights.  This past July, Sheriff Arpaio was held in criminal contempt of court for repeatedly and blatantly ignoring the court’s injunction against him.  Just three weeks later, however, President Trump pardoned his contempt conviction.

The Members released the following statement:

“The President's pardon of Sheriff Arpaio was not just disgraceful, but also represented what we believe to be an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers.  As our brief argues, it is essential to the independence of the judiciary that courts be able to enforce compliance with their orders through the contempt power, especially those orders that protect the constitutional rights of private parties.  By pardoning Sheriff Arpaio, the President threatened this fundamental judicial power.  Furthermore, if the President’s pardon is allowed to stand, this case could have severe implications for Congress’s ability to compel compliance with its own investigations and orders.

“President Trump’s pardon was not intended to remedy an unduly harsh criminal punishment, or to correct a mistake in the enforcement of the criminal law—the intended purpose of the power—but to usurp the power of the judiciary to vindicate the authority of the courts and to uphold the rule of law.  Despite common misconceptions, the pardon power is not absolute.  As Laurence Tribe, one of the nation’s leading constitutional scholars, explained, ‘when the Constitution says that the president ‘shall have power,’ that does not mean unlimited power.  It means power that is not inconsistent with other parts of the Constitution.’  In this case, the pardon power was used to upset the careful balance of power among the branches of government, and to undermine the rule of law.

“We agree with Professor Tribe and with numerous other scholars and commentators that the President’s pardon of Sheriff Arpaio was unconstitutional and, therefore, ask the court to deny Sheriff Arpaio’s motion to vacate his conviction.”

U.S. House Judiciary Democrats Proposed Memorandum of Amici Curiae In Opposition To Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Mo... by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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CONYERS: Members Of Congress Press Conference On Medicare For All Legislation

On Wednesday, May 24^th at 9:45AM, Members of Congress held a press conference at the House Triangle to provide a new update on legislation to expand Medicare to a national, single payer system. Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), the sponsor of H.R. 676, The Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act, will be joined by Members of Congress, along with representatives from Physicians for a National Health Plan and National Nurses United.

In attendance were:

Congressman John Conyers, Jr., Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives  

Congressman Keith Ellison, Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair

Congressman Ro Khanna

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee

Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman

Congressman Jamie Raskin

Congressman Adriano Espaillat

Congressman Peter Welch

Dr. Philip Verhoef, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, ICU physician, University of Chicago

Jean Ross, RN., Co-President, National Nurses United

Additional Members of Congress

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CONYERS & JACKSON LEE: Sessions Memo Doubles Down On Tragic & Counterproductive Sentencing Policies

Washington, DC - Today, the Department of Justice announced the issuance of memorandum from Attorney General Jeff Sessions to all federal prosecutors, establishing new policies for charging criminal offenses and seeking sentences when convictions are obtained.  The memorandum explicitly rescinds prior memoranda of the Department of Justice, which includes memoranda issued by former Attorney General Eric Holder.  In particular, Sessions’ memo specifically states that mandatory minimum sentences should factor in the determination of which is the most serious crime that can be and therefore should be charged, and directs that prosecutors must disclose to the sentencing court, all facts that impact the sentencing guidelines or mandatory minimum sentences.  This directive reverses the policies, outlined in Eric Holder’s memo of August 12, 2013, that were designed to “ensure that our most severe mandatory minimum penalties are reserved for serious, high-level, or violent drug traffickers.” 

House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) released the following joint statement:

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives,
John Conyers, Jr.

“We are deeply disappointed that Attorney General Sessions has rescinded the fair-minded charging and sentencing policies instituted by former Attorney General Holder.  The prior policies represented a better approach, in recognition of the need to treat each case based on its unique circumstances and acknowledging the inequities that result from one-size-fits-all mandatory minimums.  We are particularly troubled that such a divisive, counterproductive and ill-informed memo would be issued without so much as a discussion or consultation with Members of the Congressional Black Caucus whose constituents are disproportionately targeted by this change in policy. 

“There is growing bipartisan consensus that mandatory minimums, which in drug cases are based on quantity and not culpability, are unjust and fiscally unwise.  We are suffering from a crisis of overincarceration, which harms public safety and is fiscally unsustainable.  The memorandum that the Attorney General has issued doubles down on sentencing policies that are tragic and counterproductive.  We urge the Attorney General to reconsider and work with us to develop a more fair and reasonable policy going forward.”  

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CONYERS: House Judiciary Democrats Call On Chairman Goodlatte To Hold Hearings On Comey's Firing

Washington, D.C. – Today, all seventeen Democratic Members of the House Committee on the Judiciary sent a letter, below, to Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), urging the Chairman to conduct immediate hearings into the firing of James Comey. 

In their letter, the Members noted the “decision to abruptly fire Mr. Comey not only undermines the Department of Justice’s investigation into Russia’s efforts to influence the recent U.S. elections in possible coordination with the Trump campaign, but also threatens to erode confidence in the Department as a bedrock of independence and integrity within our system of government.”  They asked that the hearings include former FBI Director Comey, Attorney General Sessions, and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein and that they be held no later than May 25, 2017.

The House Judiciary Committee has jurisdictional oversight over the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Today’s letter was signed by every Democratic member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, which includes: Representatives John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Karen Bass (D-CA), Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), David Cicilline (D-RI), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Brad Schneider (D-IL). 

U.S. House Judiciary Democrats Letter Request To Chairman Goodlatte To Hold Hearings On Comey's Firing 5.1... by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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CONYERS: Top House Judiciary Democrats Call On DOJ & FBI To Preserve Russia Investigation Documents & Materials Related To Comey Firing

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

Washington, DC – Today, after President Donald Trump abruptly fired Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and House Judiciary Subcommittee Ranking Members Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN) and David N. Cicilline (D-RI), sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, calling for the protection and preservation of all documents and other materials involving the Department's and FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 federal election as well as the protection and preservation of all files related to Director Comey's termination.

U.S. House Democrat Judiciary Letter To DOJ and FBI Comey To Preserve Russia Investigation 5.9.17 by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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CONYERS: Judiciary Policing Strategies Working Group Visits Houston & Holds Press Conference

 Washington, D.C. -- Several members of the bipartisan Policing Strategies Working Group traveled to Houston, Texas to meet with local community leaders and law enforcement to discuss police accountability, aggression towards law enforcement, and public safety concerns related to these issues.

Members of the working group held a press conference on Thursday, April 20 at 12:15 p.m. CT. Details can be found below.

WHO:  Members of Congress

House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.)

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.)

Representative Doug Collins (R-Ga.)

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas)

Representative Cedric Richmond (D-La.)

WHAT:  Press conference following the conclusion of the bipartisan Policing Strategies Working Group roundtable with community leaders.

WHEN:  Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 12:15 p.m. Media with video equipment can begin setup at 11:45 a.m.

WHERE:   Mickey Leland Federal Building
                    1919 Smith Street

Background on the Working Group: In July 2016, Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Ranking Member John Conyers  announced the establishment of a working group to examine police accountability, aggression towards law enforcement, and public safety concerns related to these issues. The bipartisan working group is in the process of holding a series of roundtables to candidly discuss the issues fueling excessive force used by law enforcement and attacks against police officers. Read Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers’ op-ed on the working group in The Hill here.

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CONYERS: Members Hold Forum On Civil Rights Under The Trump Administration

Washington, D.C. – Today, April 6, 2017 at 10:30 AM, Members of the U.S. House of Representatives held a forum entitled, “Civil Rights Under the Trump Administration-The First 100 Days.” 

The 2016 presidential campaign was the most polarizing and divisive in memory, particularly from a civil rights perspective.  Though the Obama administration made notable legislative and enforcement gains in civil rights, with the rise in hate violence, police shootings and legislative backlash at the state and local level, minority communities have been justifiably concerned about the continuing role of the Federal government in protecting their civil rights.  This forum will examine the appointments, polices and orders undertaken in the first 100 days of the Trump administration in order to help foster an agenda for the protection of civil rights.   

WHO:            Members of Congress

·         House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI)

·         House Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA)

·         Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus

·         House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)

·         Rep. G. K. Butterfield (D-NC)

·         Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)

·         Rep. Hank Johnson Jr. (D-GA)

·         Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-RI)

·         Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA)

·         Additional Members of Congress

Panelists

·         Gavin Grimm, plaintiff in transgender rights case,G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board

·         Chief Hassan Aden, Steering Committee, Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration and former Chief of Police of the Greenville Police Department

·         Catherine Lhamon, Chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, former Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education

·         Ron Davis, former director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services at the Department of Justice

·         Chiraag Bains, Senior Fellow at Harvard Law School Criminal Justice Policy Program, former Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights

·         Roy Austin, former director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs, Justice, and Opportunity

·         Joe Rich, Co-Director, Fair Housing & Community Development Project, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

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CONYERS & JACKSON LEE Applaud More Than 1,000 Historic Presidential Communtations

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) released the following statements after the White House announced the commutation of the sentences of 79 individuals:

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

“The President’s power to commute sentences, as established by the Constitution, was recognized by the founders as critical to the administration of justice,” said Ranking Member Conyers. “President Obama builds on his legacy with his continued effort to commute sentences in appropriate cases. I commend him for showing compassion for those who deserve to have their sentences abbreviated. It is fair and just.”

“I commend President Obama’s commutation of sentences of 79 individuals, and well over 1,000 thus far – who were all victims of unjust sentencing,” said Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Jackson Lee.  “Nearly all of these men and women would have been released and contributing back to society already had they been convicted under today’s laws or reform proposals. I welcome and applaud the commutations of the sentences of these individuals.  Incarcerating people for unwarranted lengths of time serves no constructive purpose.  The President has recognized this, as has Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and I am pleased that the Administration’s Clemency Project continues to address the multitude of cases in which sentence reductions are appropriate.  Of course, the need to engage in such a broad review of sentences exists largely because our sentencing laws and policies, particularly for drug offenses, urgently need to be changed.  We need to eliminate mandatory minimum sentencing and let judges impose appropriate sentences based on the facts and circumstances of each case, and we should eliminate the higher penalties for crack cocaine relative to powder cocaine offenses.  I am heartened that there is a growing, bipartisan recognition of the problem of over incarceration and I hope this will lead to sentencing reform this Congress.”

Congressman Conyers and Congresswoman Jackson Lee are cosponsors of the Sentencing Reform Act of 2015, which is the first bill that is a result of the House Judiciary Committee’scriminal justice reform initiative.  The Sentencing Reform Act of 2015 reduces certain mandatory minimums for drug offenses, reduces the three-strike mandatory life sentence to 25 years, broadens the existing safety valve for low-level drug offenders, and provides judges with greater discretion in determining appropriate sentences.  

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Media Advisory: Policing Strategies Working Group to Visit Atlanta & Hold Press Conference

Washington, D.C. – Several members of the bipartisan Policing Strategies Working Group will be traveling to Atlanta, Georgia to meet with local community leaders and law enforcement to discuss police accountability, aggression towards law enforcement, and public safety concerns related to these issues. Members of the working group plan to hold a press conference following their private roundtable with community leaders on Friday, November 18 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Details can be found below.

WHO:
Members of Congress

·         House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.)

·         Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.)

·         Representative Doug Collins (R-Ga.)

·         Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas)

·         Representative David Reichert (R-Wa.)

·         Representative Hank Johnson (D-Ga.)

Roundtable Participants

·         George Turner, Chief of Police, Atlanta Police Department

·         John Horn, United States Attorney, Northern District of Georgia

·         Joseph P. Spillane, Chief of Police, Georgia State University

·         Roderick Hughey, Sr., Pastor, Voices of Faith North

·         Nirej Sekhon, Associate Professor of Law, Georgia State University – College of Law

·         Johnathan Hill, Student Body President, Morehouse University

WHAT:  Press conference following the conclusion of the bipartisan Policing Strategies Working Group roundtable with community leaders. 

WHEN:  Friday, November 18, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. Media with video equipment can begin setup at 1:30 p.m. The press conference will also be streamed live on the House Judiciary Committee Majority’s Facebook page.

WHERE:       Georgia State University – College of Law

                        85 Park Place NE

Room 242

                        Atlanta, GA 30303

RSVP:  Members of the media who wish to attend must RSVP with Jessica Collins atJessica.Collins@mail.house.gov and Shadawn Reddick-Smith at Shadawn.Reddick-Smith@mail.house.gov by Thursday, November 17.

Background on the Working Group: In July 2016, Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Ranking Member John Conyers announced the establishment of a working group to examine police accountability, aggression towards law enforcement, and public safety concerns related to these issues. The bipartisan working group is in the process of holding a series of roundtables to candidly discuss the issues fueling excessive force used by law enforcement and attacks against police officers. Read Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers’ op-ed on the working group, below.

Examining police-community issues with bipartisan working group

By John Conyers, Jr. and Bob Goodlatte

One does not need a public opinion poll to know that fear and frustration is rampant in many communities across our Nation. Our newsfeeds and TV screens are filled with reports of deadly attacks on police officers and excessive use of force by law enforcement officers. These tragic events have strained race relations and heightened tensions as well as further added to feelings of mistrust between communities and law enforcement. When African-American men and women are pulled over for routine traffic stops, many fear that officers will cause undue harm. And as the men and women in blue head out on their daily patrols, many worry that it may be their last.

It seems as though there are two factions forming: one pro-police and one pro-racial justice. As Members of Congress, we strongly reject this notion of division. The senseless deaths that have occurred over the last several weeks are unconscionable. These incidents must not become the new normal for our communities. 

Just days before his murder, Montrell Jackson, an African-American  police officer, summed up these issues  in a Facebook post: “In uniform I get nasty hateful looks and out of uniform some consider me a threat…These are trying times.” He further called on his fellow citizens: “Please don’t let hate infect your heart.”

As a Nation, we must heed Officer Jackson’s call and come together to address these tensions so that we can overcome all unjustified acts of violence. Every layer of civil society – neighbors, community leaders, churches, and state and local governments – must confront this matter of vital national importance.

As Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, we recently established a bipartisan working group to examine the use of force by law enforcement, aggression towards law enforcement, and public safety concerns related to these issues. We are not naïve enough to believe that we can fix this problem by ourselves. However, we can and must devote urgent Congressional attention to these serious problems that must be addressed, and determine what can be done at the federal level to set an appropriate tone. In addition, we need to work with state and local communities to help find the tools they need to do the hard work of improving the relationships between their law enforcement agencies and residents. 

Before Congress adjourned, we and the 10 other members of the working group met for the first time to candidly discuss the issues fueling the current state of distrust between some of the public and law enforcement. Each of us comes from different walks of life and different parts of the country and can learn from one another and our constituents. We plan to hold more meetings when we return to Washington, D.C. in September, but in the meantime, we intend to take action to learn more about the problem and potential solutions from the individuals, law enforcement agencies, and community leaders in our state and local communities.

We plan to listen and talk with a variety of people in our districts who are impacted by this problem: law enforcement, religious and other community leaders, area youth, and mothers and fathers who have lost children to violent crime. We want to hear about people’s own experiences so that we can understand the fears and frustrations of those impacted most by the ongoing tension.

The issues driving the wedge between law enforcement and the public will not be solved overnight and they won’t be solved by the federal government alone. Much of the hard work needs to happen in local communities, but we in Congress acknowledge the gravity of this problem and are committed to finding solutions. There is room for compassion for all the victims of violence on our streets.  We must work together as fellow Americans on this issue so that we live up to our nation’s values of liberty and justice for all. 

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CONYERS, JACKSON LEE Commend President Obama For Commuting the Sentences of 214 Americans, Call For Sentencing Reform This Congress

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) released the following statements after the White House announced the commutation of the sentences of 214 individuals:

Dea of the U,S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

“I commend President Obama and Attorney General Lynch for their continued commitment to commuting sentences in appropriate cases,” said Ranking Member Conyers. “Such cases underscore the need to change our sentencing laws to reduce the imposition of unjustly long and counterproductive sentences in the first place.  I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to develop and adopt bipartisan legislation to reform our sentencing laws and to improve other aspects of our criminal justice system. I look forward to congressional action on these issues before the end of this Congress.” 

“I am encouraged by President Obama’s commutation of sentences of 214 individuals today – who were all victims of unjust sentencing,” said Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Jackson Lee.  “Nearly all of these men and women would have been released and contributing back to society already had they been convicted under today’s laws or reform proposals. I welcome and applaud the commutations of the sentences of these individuals.  Incarcerating people for unwarranted lengths of time serves no constructive purpose.  The President has recognized this, as has Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and I hope the Administration’s Clemency Project will continue to address the multitude of cases in which sentence reductions are appropriate.”

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House Judiciary Committee Approves Bill to Protect Americans’ Property Rights

Civil asset forfeiture reform is part of the House Judiciary Committee’s criminal justice reform initiative

Washington, D.C. – The House Judiciary Committee approved by voice vote H.R. 5283, theDeterring Undue Enforcement by Protecting Rights of Citizens from Excessive Searches and Seizures Act of 2016 (Due Process Act) to strengthen protections for Americans’ property through civil asset forfeiture reform.

The Due Process Act – introduced by Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.), Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Representative Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), and Representative Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) – raises the standard of proof law enforcement must show before depriving an individual of his or her property, increases accountability and oversight of seizures and forfeitures, and strengthens protections for Americans whose property has been seized by law enforcement agencies. The legislation is part of the House Judiciary Committee’s bipartisan criminal justice reform initiative.

Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Conyers, Chairman Sensenbrenner, Chairman Goodlatte, and Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Jackson Lee praised today’s approval of the Due Process Act in the statements below.

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

Ranking Member Conyers: “I am pleased that the Committee adopted the Due Process Act, a bill which will take significant additional steps to prevent unjust seizures and make the procedures concerning federal asset forfeiture less burdensome for innocent property owners.  For instance, the bill elevates the government’s burden of proof in civil forfeiture cases, expands the availability of counsel for those who are indigent, and affords claimants an early opportunity to challenge seizures.  These and other improvements to the law are long overdue and I look forward to House passage of this important bill.” 

Crime Subcommittee Chairman Sensenbrenner: “Civil asset forfeiture is an important piece of the overall effort to reform our criminal justice system, and the Due Process Act makes common sense changes to federal forfeiture laws that help innocent Americans. Its passage out of the House Judiciary Committee is a significant step forward in the process, and I’m confident that it will soon be passed in a full House vote.”

Chairman Goodlatte: “The House Judiciary Committee today approved another important piece of our bipartisan criminal justice reform initiative to protect Americans from having their property wrongfully seized by law enforcement. The Due Process Act reforms civil asset forfeiture to prevent incentives to improperly seize Americans’ property. The bipartisan bill also strengthens protections for Americans who have had their property confiscated by law enforcement and increases the accountability and transparency of this law enforcement tool. I thank the many members who have worked on this bill and look forward to continuing our good work on criminal justice reform.”

Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Jackson Lee: “I am pleased to support H.R. 5283, the Due Process Act, a bill that is critically needed to update our federal asset forfeiture laws. In 2000, we adopted the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act, a law that made a number of improvements to our civil forfeiture statutes.  That law reversed the burden of proof from being on the property owner to prove that the assets should not be forfeited to the current requirement that the government must prove that seized assets are subject to forfeiture. However, for an unusual process whereby the government may seize and forfeit someone’s money, car, or other assets they need to sustain themselves, the standard should be higher. Therefore, this bill would elevate the burden on the government from ‘preponderance of the evidence’ to ‘clear and convincing evidence.’ We must ensure that the federal laws that allow for the forfeiture of money and other assets include the necessary protections to ensure the innocent do not suffer from wrongful confiscation. That is why I support this bill and urge my colleagues to do the same and look forward to its passage on the House Floor.”

Key Components of the Due Process Act:

Reforms federal civil asset forfeiture programs

·         Enhances procedural protections of forfeiture proceedings in both civil and administrative settings and prevents government overreach

·         Increases the government’s burden of proof in civil asset forfeiture cases to help protect innocent victims

Strengthens protections for claimants

·         Creates a right to counsel for Americans in all civil asset forfeiture proceedings

·         Provides that a claimant may recover attorney’s fees in victorious cases against a government forfeiture

·         Speeds up the process for the government to notify the property owner of a seizure

·         Expands protections to innocent owners by requiring the government to prove the connection between the property and the offense and that the property was used intentionally in order to seize it

Increases accountability and oversight of seizures and forfeitures

·         Requires the Inspector General to conduct a yearly audit on a representative sample of federal civil forfeitures to ensure they are being conducted within the letter and spirit of the law

·         Requires the creation of two federal databases on forfeitures in order to make information more readily available to the public, including a catalog of federal forfeitures to assist those whose property has been seized and to provide broad details on the types of forfeiture, agencies involved, and the conduct that lead to forfeited property

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