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[Pages H3592-H3593]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DECLARED WAR ON PORTLAND, OREGON
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today with a heavy
heart. I see Donald Trump's administration declaring war on my hometown
of Portland, Oregon.
After failing the American people in the coronavirus, in the face of
6 months of not just weak leadership, but virtually no leadership at
all, there are tens of thousands of people dying unnecessarily.
It is hard to focus on the unprecedented assault on our environmental
protections that they have unleashed, but now they are declaring war on
America's cities, sending in an occupying force drawn from Homeland
Security, particularly the Customs and Border Protection patrol,
ostensibly to protect monuments and statues.
What about protecting the American people and their constitutional
right to protest?
Don't attack our people with tear gas without warning, seriously
injuring people exercising their right to protest, things that people
can see on video with their own eyes; watching the gentleman hit with a
projectile, requiring serious surgery, inflicting facial injuries; a
person just asking what was going on having officers assault him,
breaking his hand.
They can't be that inept. It must be purposeful, taking a very
challenging situation in my hometown and making it worse.
But make no mistake. This isn't just about Portland, Oregon.
We watched what they did in Lafayette Park across from the White
House, again assaulting innocent protestors in
[[Page H3593]]
order to have a photo op for the President of the United States.
There are indications that they are moving to Chicago, Atlanta,
Kansas City, Seattle. Who is going to be next?
Talking about the challenges that have been taken in Philadelphia
with a reforming district attorney, Larry Krasner, and somehow holding
him up as an example of breakdown in law and order and an assault on
the American public. It is just crazy.
{time} 0915
Portland, Oregon is not out of control. To be sure, there are some
people who have strong feelings, and there are some who have done
things that are inappropriate and unlawful. But that is the challenge
of our local and State officials to manage it; not having somebody
unwelcome, uninvited, and unprepared coming in to take this difficult
situation and make it worse.
I deeply appreciate the congressional leadership, chairmen of the
Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith, the Judiciary Committee, Jerry
Nadler, Bennie Thompson, Homeland Security, who have decried this
activity.
It is important that we deal with Trump's weaponizing law enforcement
for his own agenda, not driven by people's needs, but by his poll
numbers, and becoming an occupying force in our community and, sadly, I
fear, elsewhere.
We need to move forward dealing with what they are doing. We want to
pursue legislative initiatives, spending limitations, oversight
hearings. This needs to be front and center. At a time when we have so
much to deal with, people cannot ignore what is happening in Portland
and what may be coming to their city.
With the administration becoming more hysterical in their charges
leading up to the election and falling poll numbers, there is no
community that is safe from this interference. We must do all we can to
not just spotlight but push back.
Our democratic process and our constitutional rights are literally at
risk, and you can see it in terms of what has been happening in
Portland, Oregon.
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