CONYERS: Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr. for the Markup of H.R. 2228, the “Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017”

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

I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 2228, the “Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017.”  This bill would provide support for law enforcement agencies to protect the mental health and well-being of law enforcement officers. 

At the outset, we must recognize that law enforcement officers have a special role in our communities, with exceptional responsibilities to serve and protect.  In the performance of these duties, they see, encounter, and experience events that the rest of us would run from, but they do not. 

Law enforcement officers respond to horrendous situations that are both dangerous and stressful, and oftentimes life-threatening, as they find themselves in harm’s way while protecting the communities they serve.

For example, some recent tragedies which law enforcement officers have responded to include in June 2016 when 49 people were killed and 53 others wounded by a gunman at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida; one month later when a gunman killed five officers and wounded another nine officers along with two civilians in Dallas, Texas; and just this month when a gunman in Las Vegas killed 58 innocent citizens and injured nearly 500 others.

And, of course, law enforcement officers must respond to the calls related to violence of many kinds in our communities every day. 

In many cases, these traumatic situations remain with officers long after the threats are reduced and the communities they serve have gained a renewed since of safety.

However, members of law enforcement are left to face the continued trauma from their daily work, which can be difficult to process and impossible to forget.

That is why this bill is necessary. 

H.R. 2228 seeks to help create and improve mental health and wellness services for law enforcement officers.

The bill provides support for law enforcement agencies by requiring reports on mental health practices and services that can be adopted by law enforcement agencies and establishes peer mentoring mental health and wellness pilot programs within law enforcement agencies.

H.R. 2228 would also provide support for mental health programs by developing educational resources for mental health providers regarding the culture of law enforcement agencies and therapies for mental health issues common to law enforcement.

This measure would also provide support for law enforcement officers by reviewing existing crisis hotlines, recommending improvements regarding these crisis hotlines, and researching the effectiveness of annual mental health checks for law enforcement officers.

With this legislation, we in Congress can help better provide for and protect the mental health, safety, and wellness of all law enforcement officers as they unselfishly protect each of us daily.

For these reasons, I support this bill and ask that my colleagues join me in doing so today.

115th CONGRESS 1st Session

H. R. 2228

To provide support for law enforcement agency efforts to protect the mental health and well-being of law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 28, 2017

Mrs. Brooks of Indiana (for herself, Mrs. Demings, Mr. Collins of Georgia, Mr. Pascrell, and Mr. Reichert) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

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A BILL

To provide support for law enforcement agency efforts to protect the mental health and well-being of law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017”.

SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.

(a) Interagency Collaboration.—The Attorney General shall consult with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report, which shall be made publicly available, on Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs mental health practices and services that could be adopted by Federal, State, local, or tribal law enforcement agencies.

(b) Case Studies.—The Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services shall submit to Congress a report—

(1) that is similar to the report entitled “Health, Safety, and Wellness Program Case Studies in Law Enforcement” published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services in 2015; and

(2) that focuses on case studies of programs designed primarily to address officer psychological health and well-being.

(c) Peer Mentoring Pilot Program.—Section 1701(b) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd(b)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (21), by striking “; and” and inserting a semicolon;

(2) in paragraph (22), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(23) to establish peer mentoring mental health and wellness pilot programs within State, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies.”.

SEC. 3. SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS.

The Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall develop resources to educate mental health providers about the culture of Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies and evidence-based therapies for mental health issues common to Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement officers.

SEC. 4. SUPPORT FOR OFFICERS.

The Attorney General shall—

(1) in consultation with Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies—

(A) identify and review the effectiveness of any existing crisis hotlines for law enforcement officers;

(B) provide recommendations to Congress on whether Federal support for existing crisis hotlines or the creation of an alternative hotline would improve the effectiveness or use of the hotline; and

(C) conduct research into the efficacy of an annual mental health check for law enforcement officers;

(2) in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the head of other Federal agencies that employ law enforcement officers, examine the mental health and wellness needs of Federal law enforcement officers, including the efficacy of expanding peer mentoring programs for law enforcement officers at each Federal agency; and

(3) ensure that any recommendations, resources, or programs provided under this Act protect the privacy of participating law enforcement officers.

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CONYERS: CBC Foundation Judiciary Braintrust: Criminal Justice Reform

Making America Accountable for Black Lives Recent events demonstrate that racial profiling remains a divisive issue that strikes at the very foundation of our democracy. 

The issues of race and reasonable suspicion of criminal conduct are so closely linked in law enforcement practices that profiling has an impact on virtually every area of criminal justice policy. 

From the prison pipeline to clemency and over-criminalization, race has a continuing impact on policy development in the criminal justice system. 

This panel features experts from the judiciary, law enforcement, and the advocacy community to provide an overview of the continuing challenges in juvenile justice, drug and sentencing policy reform efforts.

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CONYERS: Trump's ICE Detainer Report Shames Courageous Local Law Enforcement

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) today released the following statement after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued its first Declined Detainer Outcome Report, below, which, according to ICE, highlights jurisdictions that choose not to cooperate with ICE detainers or requests for notification:

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

“The Trump administration took the bold step of publically shaming courageous, committed and hardworking local law enforcement agencies around the country.  The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Declined Detainer Outcome Report (DDOR) condemns local governments and instead substitutes the anti-immigrant policies of the Trump administration for the judgment of police officers that are on the ground and in communities.  Local community trust policies are proven to keep communities safe, and they rely on the critical distinction between local police and immigration enforcement officers.   The Trump Administration has repeatedly promised to get the federal government out of people’s lives, but this report demonstrates that it intends to strong arm anyone that disagrees with its ideology, even at the expense of community safety and local police autonomy.”  

According to the Washington Post, Cody Wofsy, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project said, “This is part of an overall strategy to try to scare jurisdictions into becoming deportation agents. And the truth is that jurisdictions have the legal right to refuse to become entangled with the federal immigration enforcement system.”

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Report 2017 by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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BIPARTISAN POLICING STRATEGIES WORKING GROUP HOLDS FIRST MEETING

Washington, D.C.  – The bipartisan working group on policing strategies – announced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) – met to discuss the issues of the use of excessive force by police, aggression towards law enforcement, and public safety concerns related to these issues.

Also attending the working group meeting were Reverend Doctor DeForest B. Soaries, Jr., the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, New Jersey, and Deborah A. Ramirez, the Executive Director for Partnering for Prevention and Community Safety Initiative and Professor of Law at Northeastern University School of Law.

Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers released the following statement after the meeting:

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

“The first meeting of the bipartisan working group on policing strategies was a productive start to the important national conversation on what can be done to improve the relationship between police officers and their local communities, end excessive use of force, strengthen police accountability, and prevent attacks on law enforcement.

“Members agreed to use the coming weeks to engage with their constituents, including law enforcement, religious and other community leaders, area youth, as well as mothers and fathers who have lost children to violent crime, on these issues and reiterated their commitment to finding ways to rebuild the trust between local law enforcement and the citizens they are sworn to protect and serve. We expect the task force will be holding future meetings in the coming weeks and months as well.”

Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers are leading the working group.  Members of the working group are: Representatives Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), Doug Collins (R-Ga.), Dave Reichert (R-Wash.), Susan Brooks (R-Ind.), Will Hurd (R-Texas), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Cedric Richmond (D-La.), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), and Robin Kelly (D-Ill.).

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CONYERS Hails House Passage of Bill to Help Law Enforcement Agencies Purchase Bulletproof Vests

Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, during National Police Week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 125, the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2015, unanimously by voice vote.

Under S.125, the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant (BVP) program will be authorized at $25 million per year through Fiscal Year 2020. The legislation would provide state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies with matching grants to cover 50 percent of the costs for new bullet-resistant vests. The legislation also requires law enforcement agencies to purchase protective body armor that meets safety standards; and fits female officers properly. The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2015 passed the U.S. Senate in May 2015; and now heads to the President’s desk for signature.

House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13) spoke on the House floor in support of the legislation shortly before it passed the House. Below are Ranking Member Conyers’ remarks as prepared for delivery:

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

“Mr. Speaker I rise in strong support of S. 125, the “Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2015.”  This bill – which would  provide matching grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies so that they can purchase bullet-resistant vests for their officers – is important for several reasons.  To begin with, S. 125 will facilitate the provision of critical protection to law enforcement officers, who often risk their lives while serving our communities.

           

“While some of the approximately 800,000 law enforcement officers throughout the United States do have some form of bullet-resistant armor, far too many of these brave men and women are not afforded the same protection due to state and local budget constraints.

“Since its inception, the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program has assisted state and local law enforcement agencies in obtaining the necessary protective equipment to safeguard the lives of their officers.  To date, this Program has provided more than 1 million officers with life saving vests. 

“During the past 30 years, bullet-resistant vests have saved the lives of more than 3,000 law enforcement officers.  The timeliness of this bill provides a perfect opportunity to acknowledge National Police Week.  Right now, thousands of law enforcement officers are in Washington, D.C. to honor their fellow officers who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

“Each year, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial holds a vigil to recognize the newly engraved names of officers who died while serving and protecting the people in our communities. 

“We must do everything in our power to protect those who protect us.  The Bulletproof Vest Program will help prevent the deaths of officers, and we hope that even fewer names will have to be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.  

“Second, the bill is critical because it provides up to 50% of the costs for an officer’s new armor vest.  The officer’s department, in turn, pays the remaining costs.  Importantly, smaller police departments that service areas with less than 100,000 residents receive priority funding under this measure. 

“Finally, S. 125 responds to the critical concern that bullet-resistant vests – to achieve their intended goal of protecting an officer from life threatening gunshots – must meet certain standards.  

           

“To this end, the bill requires a law enforcement agency to purchase body armor that meets strict performance standards set by the National Institute of Justice.  Additionally, the agency must have a policy that encourages officers to wear their vests while on duty.  And, the agency must ensure that these vests properly fit female officers. For all of these reasons, I strongly support S. 125 and I reserve the balance of my time.”

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Conyers Applauds White House Police Data Initiative

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Obama Administration announced that 53 jurisdictions—including Detroit, MI—have committed to Police Data Initiative (PDI). As part of President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, the White House launched PDI as a community of practices aiming to improve the relationship between citizens and police through uses of data that increase transparency, build community trust, and strengthen accountability.

House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) applauded the President’s Police Data Initiative with the following statement:

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

“Data collection is a critical component of law enforcement management and oversight.  Dating back to the Traffic Stops Statistics Study Act, we have sought federal data collection as part of means of improving law enforcement management, oversight and transparency.  This initiative represents a commitment by the federal government and major law enforcement agencies to lead the way in developing best practices for eventual use by all agencies.”

Conyers noted that, “Following the lead set by the White House, I hope that Congress can pass legislation to fully authorize programs like those highlighted by Policing Task Force as part of our Judiciary Committee Criminal Justice Initiative.  The full authorization of police practice programs will send the signal that the entire federal government has a long term commitment to developing concrete strategies that build community trust and security.”

Ranking Member Conyers is the sponsor of the Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act (H.R. 2875), legislation designed to provide incentives for local police organizations to voluntarily adopt performance-based standards to enhance both agency operation and community accountability.

LAW ENFORCEMENT TRUST AND INTEGRITY ACT SUMMARY by Beverly Tran

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Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member Full Committee Hearing on “Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation”

“Today, we welcome Director James Comey of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for his second appearance before the House Judiciary Committee since taking office on September 4, 2013.

“The FBI’s mission is a complex undertaking: to protect the United States from terrorism, to enforce our criminal laws, and to lead the nation’s law enforcement community.

“And yet, as vast as this mission seems, I think nearly all of the discussion we will have here today can be distilled into one word: trust.

“Trust in the executive branch to respect and secure our privacy and our civil liberties.  Trust in the FBI as an institution.  Trust in the state and local agencies that police our communities.

“In many respects, Director Comey, I think we agree on this point.

“For example: you have spoken powerfully about ‘the hard truths’ we must keep in mind when we discuss race and policing—and particularly when we discuss the use of force by police officers.

“I am told that you require all new agents to study the FBI’s interaction with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to visit his memorial at the Tidal Basin.

“I am also told that you keep on your desk a copy of Robert Kennedy’s approval of J. Edgar Hoover’s request to place a wiretap on Dr. King. 

“These are powerful reminders of a troubling and not-too-distant history.  It is not difficult to draw a line from that era to recent events in Ferguson, Baltimore, New York, and Cleveland.

“And that is why your work to build trust between police and our communities is so important. 

“Nowhere is that effort more apparent than in your call for better data on the use of force by police. 

“Although the FBI is the national custodian of crime statistics, that data is reported voluntarily and inconsistently. 

“You have been honest in your assessment that official statistics in this area are so incomplete as to be ‘embarrassing and ridiculous.’

“We need a better understanding of what drives police use of force, and we cannot study the problem without reliable data.  I urge you to continue to press your state and local partners for consistent and accurate reporting to the National Incident-Based Reporting System.

“Just as we must rebuild trust in certain state and local law enforcement units, we will look to your testimony today to reassure us about a number of programs and activities at the FBI.

“Earlier this year, the public noticed a small plane flying in a tight pattern directly over the site of unrest West Baltimore.  Other reports from other parts of the country—including my district in Detroit—raised questions about similar aircraft. 

“The FBI has since confirmed the existence of its aerial surveillance program.

“On June 3, fifteen members of this Committee wrote you to ask for more information about this program.  Your team provided our staff with a briefing soon thereafter.

“But the public still has many questions about aerial surveillance, and you have said that there is a great deal of misinformation about this program.  I would like you to use your testimony to explain, from your perspective, how this program works and why we should trust the Bureau to operate it.

“Similarly, I think we would benefit from a fuller discussion of encryption and what you have called the ‘Going Dark’ problem.

“Over the past year, you have called for a congressional mandate to give the FBI special access to otherwise encrypted data.

“I have a difficult time understanding this proposal.  Every technical expert who has spoken on this issue has concluded that it is technically impossible to provide this access without also compromising our security against bad actors.

“Even if it were technically feasible, it would cost our technology sector billions of dollars to implement the scheme—and perhaps billions more from loss of business overseas, where U.S. government surveillance programs have already taken a toll on the industry.

“And even if it were technically feasible and easy to implement, a new rule for U.S. companies would not succeed in keeping bad actors from using unbreakable encryption—which is open source, free, and widely available from companies based overseas.

“As Chairman Goodlatte argued when we had this debate in 1999: ‘Only by allowing the use of strong encryption, not only domestically but internationally as well, can we hope to make the Internet a safe and secure environment.’

“I agree with that sentiment, you have made similar public statements, and I hope that you can help us to reconcile that view with your call for special access.

“Finally, because rigorous oversight is necessary for public trust, I hope that you will commit today to full compliance with the Inspector General Act.

“For the past five years, the FBI has resisted the clear mandate of that law.  The Inspector General of the Department of Justice is to have timely access to every document he requires to carry out his duties. 

“Noncompliance has real consequences.  This Committee waited until February of this year to receive a report about the FBI’s use of Section 215 orders from 2007 to 2009.  The public waited until May for the unclassified version. 

“In the middle of a national debate on government surveillance, we waited six years for critical information.  This delay is unacceptable.

           

“I understand that there are other interpretations of the law.  Congress will soon clarify the matter, likely in overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion. 

           

“But in the meantime, Director Comey, I hope that the Bureau will step away from its litigating position and give the Office of the Inspector General the access it requires and deserves.

“Your job is a complex and demanding one, Director.  We appreciate your being here today.  I look forward to your testimony, and I yield back.”

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