June 22, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 114 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session

[Page S3113]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, President Trump recently signed an 
Executive order requiring commonsense administrative steps to promote 
police accountability. Democrats immediately criticized it as weak and 
insufficient to combat racial injustice, citing the need for changing 
laws. Of course, this is an Executive order. In itself, it does not and 
cannot solve the whole problem.
  This reminds me of when the President was criticized for not ordering 
a nationwide lockdown, despite having no such power, and then was 
accused of being a dictator for suggesting that he had a role in 
reopening the economy.
  The President deserves credit for taking steps within his authority 
to improve police accountability, but he cannot change the law.
  Congress must now work and do it in a bipartisan way to do what we 
can within the scope of our constitutional authority to make things 
better.
  You cannot legislate away racial injustice overnight, but Federal, 
State, and local laws must reflect our national creed that all people 
are created equal.
  I yield the floor.

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