Monday, October 28, 2019

1600 Daily The White House • October 28, 2019 President Trump Speaks Truth to Terrorists

1600 Daily
The White House • October 28, 2019

President Trump speaks truth to terrorists


Early yesterday morning, President Donald J. Trump delivered a major announcement to the Nation: Thanks to the unmatched bravery of America’s men and women in uniform, the terrorist leader of ISIS is dead.

 President Trump: ‘The world is now a much safer place.’

“Last night, the United States brought the world’s number one terrorist leader to justice,” the President said. “Capturing or killing Baghdadi has been the top national security priority of my Administration.”

Baghdadi and the cowards around him are responsible for horrific and depraved acts of violence, including the deaths of Americans James Foley, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig, and Kayla Mueller. The group’s disgusting track record includes publicly beheading more than 300 people under Baghdadi, as well as carrying out genocidal murders of the Yazidi population and killing thousands of captured prisoners of war.

There are no words strong enough to condemn these monsters. The President’s own language was powerful and clear: “A brutal killer, one who has caused so much hardship and death, was violently eliminated . . . He will never again harm another innocent man, woman, or child."

Some in the leftwing press prefer to save their harshest language for President Trump instead of murderers. The Washington Post’s original headline for Baghdadi’s “obituary” was chilling: “Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, austere religious scholar at the helm of Islamic State, dies at 48.”

“I have no words,” White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said.

ISIS terrorists deserve no glorification. They deprived thousands of dignity in their deaths, and thus deserve no honor in their own. ISIS recruits shouldn’t be told that their evil leaders died heroically. They should be told the truth—that their masters died as cowards, traitors, and complete, wretched failures.

Arizona Republic: “Parents of Kayla Mueller grateful for death of ISIS leader”

🎬 In case you missed it: President Trump’s full address to the Nation

Watch: President Trump honors the men and women in blue


President Trump traveled to Chicago today for the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference, where he had a special message for the men and women who keep us safe each day.

🎬 President Trump: An attack on law enforcement is an attack on all Americans

You are the ones that “defend our communities, chase down criminals, and keep America safe,” the President said to a crowd of thousands of officers. “You don’t hear it enough: You do an incredible job. The people in this country know it, and the people of this country love you.”

Thanks to President Trump, America’s communities are safer:
  • After spiking for two years before he took office, the violent crime rate in America has dropped for two years in a row under President Trump, falling 4.6 percent.
     
  • The murder rate has declined for two consecutive years under President Trump—after increasing in each of the prior two years.
     
  • The number of robberies fell by more than 50,000 from 2016 to 2018 nationwide. And there were 286,000 fewer burglaries in 2018 than 2016.
Now, President Trump is establishing a new executive Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice—the first such American commission on law enforcement in half a century.

There’s been no better friend to law enforcement than President Trump.

 Watch: My Administration will always stand up for you!

Photo of the Day

Today, President Trump declassified a picture of the wonderful dog that helped to capture and kill the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi  | October 28, 2019

White House Statement on House Resolution



October 28, 2019

White House Statement on House Resolution:
Stephanie Grisham: “We won’t be able to comment fully until we see the actual text, but Speaker Pelosi is finally admitting what the rest of America already knew –  that Democrats were conducting an unauthorized impeachment proceeding, refusing to give the President due process, and their secret, shady, closed door depositions are completely and irreversibly illegitimate."

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT SIGNING OF EXECUTIVE ORDER ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE AT THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXPOSITION McCormick Place Convention Center Chicago Chicago, Illinois

Office of the Press Secretary

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP
AT SIGNING OF EXECUTIVE ORDER
ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE
AT THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE
ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXPOSITION

McCormick Place Convention Center Chicago
Chicago, Illinois



10:36 A.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you, Paul.  You've been my friend for a long time, but thank you for that introduction.  That says it all.  You can say it very shortly, but I think there's nobody that's ever done more -- certainly, in the position of President -- for our great police, and it's an honor to be with you.  And, please, sit down.  Let's go have a good time.  (Applause.)  And, Paul, I want to thank you for nearly four decades of exceptional service in the line of duty. 

I am thrilled to be here at the 126th Annual Conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, joined by thousands of amazing law enforcement leaders -- people that I know, people that I love, people that I respect -- who defend our communities, chase down criminals, and keep America safe.

You don’t hear it enough: You do an incredible job.  The people in this country know it, and the people of this country love you.  You don’t hear that from these people back here, but they love you.  (Applause.)  You don’t hear it from the fake news.  The fake news doesn’t like talking about that, but they love you.

Every day of my presidency, I will be your greatest and most loyal champion.  I have been and I will continue to be.  It was a tremendous weekend -- (applause).

As you very well know, it was a tremendous weekend for our country.  We killed ISIS leader al-Baghdadi.  (Applause.)  They've been looking for him for a long time.  They've been looking for him for many years.  He was a sick and depraved man, and now he’s dead.  (Applause.)  He's dead.  He's dead as doornail.  (Laughter and applause.)  And he didn’t die bravely, either, I will tell you that.

He should have been killed years ago.  Another President should've gotten him.  But, to me, it was a very important -- I would say all the time -- they'd walk into my office, "Sir, we killed this leader at a low level, this leader at…"  I said, "I never heard of them.  I want al-Baghdadi.  That’s the only one I know now."  (Laughter.)  "I want al-Baghdadi.  Get him."  And they got him.  (Applause.)

But he was big time.  He built the ISIS caliphate.  You hear about ISIS -- that was him.  It was once the physical size of the state of Ohio, and had 7 million people, and it was growing big, big, big.  And they had a problem -- it started about two and a half years ago.  (Laughter.)

And during my administration, I -- we, all together -- destroyed the caliphate 100 percent.  Remember?  I got it down to 97 percent.  And I said, "All right, let's go home."  And then, those people started saying 100 percent.  You know, before me, they didn’t care.  But now they say, "What about 100 percent?"

And we met some great generals.  I learned a lot about generals.  I met some good ones and I saw some bad ones -- some that didn’t have what it takes, and others that had more than anyone would’ve thought.  And it was supposed to take a year, maybe even two years.  And I said to one of them, “How long will it take?”  "I think we can do it in one week, sir."  (Laughter.)  He was a little more like you.  (Laughter.)

But we have now tens of thousands of ISIS prisoners under tight supervision.  And now we want the countries in the region to police their own borders.  We don’t want to be a policeman, in this case, of two countries that haven’t gotten along for centuries.  But we're keeping the oil -- remember that.  I've always said that: "Keep the oil.”  We want to keep the oil.  Forty-five million dollars a month?  Keep the oil.  (Applause.)  We've secured the oil. 

This morning, we are delighted to be joined by a lifelong friend of our brave police -- an incredible guy, tough guy, and somebody with a tremendous heart, also.  But he is strong.  He can take it.  Attorney General William Barr.  (Applause.)  Where is William Barr?  Where is he?  Where is he?  They're giving him a side-angle of the speech.  (Laughter.)  Good.  Thank you, Bill.  Doing a great job.

We're also glad to have with us Representatives Rodney Davis, Mike Bost, and Darin LaHood.  These are warriors.  Where are they?  Where are they?  The three of them -- they're warriors for us, for all of us.  (Applause.)  They're warriors.  Thank you.  They've done an incredible job.

Thanks as well to the entire IACP Board.  And congratulations to your new incoming president, Chief Steven Casstevens.  That’s a nice name.  I like that name.  Where is -- where’s that name?  Where is he?  He should be sitting right up front here someplace.  I mean, okay, I'm going over here -- stand up, Steven.  Okay, Steven.  There you go.  I went all the way around the room to find you.  (Applause.) Thank you very much.  Congratulations.  Incredible group.  And I hear you're an incredible leader.  Thank you very much.

And thank you also to the international law enforcement partners who join us.  Together, our nations ensure the rule of law prevails in the entire civilized world.  We work together.

I also want to extend our immense appreciation to all of the law enforcement family members in the room.  Please stand.  The family members really make you folks work.  I know how it all is.  They're so proud of you.  Family members, please stand.  (Applause.)  I know how that works.  I know how that works.  Without those family members, you wouldn’t be doing so good.  I know that. 

But there is one person that’s not here today.  We’re in Chicago.  (Laughter.)  I said, "Where is he?  I want to talk to him."  In fact, more than anyone else, this person should be here because maybe he could learn something.  (Applause.)
And that’s the Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, Eddie Johnson.

A few days ago, Johnson said, quote, “The values of the people of Chicago are more important than anything [President Trump] would have to say.”  I don’t think so.  Because that’s a very insulting statement after all I've done for the police.  And I've done more than any other President has ever done for the police.  (Applause.)  Over a hundred years -- we can prove it -- but probably from the beginning.

And here's a man that could not bother to show up for a meeting of police chiefs -- the most respected people in the country -- in his hometown, and with the President of the United States.  And you know why?  It’s because he's not doing his job.

Last year, 565 people were murdered in Chicago.  Since Eddie Johnson has been police chief, more than 1,500 people have been murdered in Chicago, and 13,067 people have been shot.  During the first weekend of August 2019, 7 people were murdered and 52 were wounded in 32 shootings in Chicago.  And recently, they had 78 shootings over a weekend spree, and 3 people killed.  And Chicago has the toughest gun laws in the United States.  That doesn’t seem to be working too well, does it?  And a lot of you people know exactly what I mean.  But under Johnson's leadership, they certainly don’t protect people.

Then you have the case of this wise-guy, Jussie Smollett, who beat up himself.  (Laughter and applause.)  And he said MAGA country did it.  MAGA country.  Okay?  He said MAGA -- it’s a hate crime.  That's a hate crime.  And it's a scam.  It's a real big scam, just like the impeachment of your President is a scam.  (Applause.)  And then you look what’s going on.  Smollett is still trying to get away with it.  He would have been better off if he paid his hundred-thousand-dollar bill.

Chicago is, unfortunately, the worst sanctuary city in America.  Chicago protects criminals at a level few could even imagine.  Last year, in Cook County alone, ICE asked local law enforcement people to, "Please, pretty please, we beg you, we'll do anything necessary to stop crime.  We want to stop crime.  Please detain 1,162 people.  Please."  But in each case, the detainer was denied.

And Eddie Johnson wants to talk about values?  No.  People like Johnson put criminals and illegal aliens before the citizens of Chicago.  And those are his values.  And, frankly, those values, to me, are a disgrace.  I will never -- (applause) -- put the needs of illegal criminals before I put the needs of law-abiding citizens.  It's very simple to me.  (Applause.)

So when Eddie Johnson, and many other people from lots of other regions and areas, support sanctuary cities, it's really, in my opinion, a betrayal of their oath to the shield, and a violation of his duty to serve and to protect the courageous police officers of Chicago.  And I know some of them, and they're the most incredible people.  They could solve this problem quickly.  (Applause.)

It's embarrassing to us as a nation.  All over the world, they're talking about Chicago.  Afghanistan is a safe place by comparison.  (Laughter.)  It's true.  Police officers of Chicago are entitled to a police superintendent who has their backs and knows what he's doing.  You're entitled to a police superintendent who sides with you, with the people of Chicago -- the people want this -- and with the families of Chicago, not the criminals and the gang members that are here illegally, and not the stupid politicians that have no idea what the hell they're doing.  (Applause.)

But I'm going to tell you a quick story because it happened right here.  And I was very impressed with a certain person, whoever that person may be.  I'm sure that we could find him.  But about three years ago, I was leaving Chicago, and I was accompanied by a massive motorcycle brigade of policemen.  And to do that, they have to volunteer, because, I guess, most places say you have to volunteer.  Well, I had a lot of volunteers, I'll tell you.  Hundreds and hundreds of them.  Other candidates have none.  It's almost like a free poll.  (Applause.)  I had hundreds of them.

Chicago was in the news a lot, just like it is now, because of all of the killings going on and all of the shooting and all of the horrible things happening.  When I arrived at the airplane, the police officers asked whether or not it would be possible to have some pictures.  And before I won the election, I could do that.  I would do that routinely.  Now I think Secret Service has a little bit of a problem.  If it was up to me, I'd do it.  But it was just before -- might've even been President-elect.  Wasn't long ago.

The leader of the brigade was this really powerful, strong-looking guy.  A big booming voice.  And he was definitely the boss.  Do we know what that means?  He was the boss.  "Put your cycles over here.  Come on, let's go.  He's going to take a picture.  Come on, let's go.  Hurry up.  Come on."  And yet, they all loved him.  They love Vince Lombardi.  They love Belichick.  Right?  They love Coach Belichick.  (Applause.)  They love certain people.  It's called "respect."

But he was very respectfully shouting at his men, and -- "Come on, let's go."  And they were doing exactly as he said.  He was the guy.

Just as I'm boarding the plane, I asked this man -- I had a lot of respect for him myself because I saw the way he was -- he wasn’t doing anything wrong; he was just the boss, who is a respected person.  I said, "Excuse me.  Come here.  What the hell is happening in Chicago”?  And he said, “It’s very sad, sir.  Very, very sad.  I hate to see what’s going on.  I love this city so much.  I hate it."  I asked him, “What do you think the problem is”?  And he said, “There’s no leadership from the Mayor and there's none at the top of the police department.  They're afraid to do anything."  He said, "We have great police, sir.  The best in the country."  And you all feel that about your own police.  But he said that.  He said, "But we don’t have the leadership at the top.  It's so sad."

I said, “You’re a tough guy.  How long do you think it would take you to fix this killing problem in Chicago?"  He looked at me, he said, "One day, sir.  These cops are great.   They know all the bad guys, sir.  They know exactly what to do.  We could straighten it out so quickly that your head would spin.”  I left very impressed.  Whether it was one day, one week, or one month, there was no doubt he could've done it.  And I actually told the story numerous times, and I actually sent his name in to somebody involved with Chicago.  And that's the last time I ever heard of that man.  He's probably got a good job someplace, outside of a police force.  (Laughter.)  I'm sorry to do that to you, but he's -- he's happy.  He's happy.  (Laughter.)  Because he doesn’t have to put up with the nonsense that you have to put up with.

But I thought, “There’s a guy who could be your police superintendent and do a hell of a job.”  He'd straighten things out.  So that was years ago.  And I was just thinking about it.  I just thought about it on the trip over.  I said, "You know, I'm going to Chicago and I want to tell the story," because it was, to me, a great story.  Because you could fix this up so fast.  Good leadership would be pretty easy to find.  You have a lot of people right now, in the department.

You know, I love when they go to other parts of the country and hire people, and they don’t know the name of the most basic street.  They go all over the country.  They hire somebody.  Comes in, "Oh, good, where's our headquarters?  What does that mean?  Where is it located?"  You have incredible people in the police department, in Chicago.  I know some of them.  I met some of them.

But, remember, 565 people were murdered last year.  And it’s a shame.  And I want Eddie Johnson to change his values and change them fast.  (Applause.)

Today, we’re here to report on the outstanding progress we have made to combat violent crime and restore peace and safety to American cities.  And most cities are setting records for good crime numbers.

In the years before I took office, outrageous slanders on our police went unanswered and unchallenged from your leaders in Washington.  You know that very well.  Radical activists freely trafficked in vile and anti-police hostility, and criminals grew only more emboldened as a result.  In the two years before my election, violent crime increased 8 percent.  Murders were up by more than 20 percent, and going a lot higher, nationwide -- the steepest two-year consecutive increase in over 50 years.

But with your help, all of that is changing and changing very rapidly.  Under this administration, we are once again standing up for law enforcement, we’re condemning anti-police bias in all forms, and we’re giving you the support, resources, and the respect -- and we have tremendous respect for you -- the respect that you deserve.  (Applause.)

Together, we have taken bold action to reverse the tide in violent crime.  Over the last two years, the number of murders in America and America’s major cities has dropped, unlike here, by more than 10 percent.  And if we ever took the Chicago numbers out of our total numbers, the numbers would be incredible.  And they already are -- even including Chicago.

The nationwide violent crime rate has declined for two consecutive years.  During this same time, the number of burglaries was reduced by over -- think of this -- a quarter of a million.  So a quarter of a million less burglaries.  That’s a big number.  It also helps that we have the strongest economy in the history of our country.  That probably helps.  (Applause.)  Take a little credit for that.

And it was just announced, as I was getting off the plane, that the S&P has hit an all-time high -- the highest in the history of our country.  (Applause.)  And that’s not for rich people; that’s for everybody.  That’s for your 401(k)s.  Think of that.

And I have, again, a great love of the police.  And, in New York, I was there not so long ago.  And this was before it went as high as it is now.  And this policeman -- I like to shake hands after an event -- not that I like to; I do it because I respect policemen, and they want to shake my hand -- and fire marshals, people in different stadiums.

But I was at an event in New York, and came out.  I was shaking hands.  And this one policeman said, “Sir, I want to thank you.”  “Why?”  “My 401(k) is through the roof.  And for the first time in my life, my wife thinks I’m a financial genius.”  (Laughter and applause.)  It’s true.  It’s true.

Said he was up, now, 72 percent.  I said, “That’s not bad.”  He said, “She always thought I was incompetent, financially.”  (Laughter.)  “But you have made me into a genius, sir.”  (Laughter.)  He hugged me.  He actually wanted to kiss me.  I said, “No, thank you, but you can.”  (Laughter.)  It’s not my deal, but that’s okay.  (Laughter.)  But he was great.

And it gave me an idea.  I mean, you know, this is about 401(k)s.  Many of you have 401(k)s.  Does anybody in this room have a 401(k) that’s down?  Raise your hand, please.  Ah.  Does anybody have a 401(k) that’s up?  (Applause.)  Everybody.  I don’t know what you would have had to do to get one that’s down.  You would had to really be very bad.  But, no, they’re up 70 percent, 80 percent.

Last year, my administration charged the largest number of firearm defendants ever recorded in the history of our country.  Bill Barr is doing a fantastic job.  We have increased federal fire- -- (applause) -- that’s right, go ahead.  Let him hear it.  (Applause.)  Good.  It’s true.  And I say, “Let him hear it,” because he hears from the fake news back there all the time.  They want to silence everyone, you know, except for their very strange opinions.  If we went with that, you wouldn’t have a country very long.

We’ve increased federal firearm prosecutions by 44 percent compared to the last two years of the previous administration.  This is a record -- a new record.

Two years ago, we relaunched and revitalized Project Safe Neighborhoods.  Now, federal prosecutors are once again working closely with state and local law enforcement and all of the community leaders to marshal our resources, target crime in the most dangerous areas, and lock up violent offenders.

In coming weeks, Attorney General Barr will announce a new crackdown on violent crime, which I think is so important -- targeting gangs and drug traffickers in high crime cities and dangerous rural areas.  Let’s call it, “The Surge.”  We can come up with lots of names, but we’re going to be doing something that’s very dramatic, headed up by our great Attorney General.  And you’re going to see tremendous results very quickly.

The best way to reduce gun violence is to put criminals with firearms behind bars.  (Applause.)  And just so you understand, because I think there is no stronger protector than me: We will always protect our Second Amendment.  Always.  (Applause.)

My administration has also curtailed the harmful and intrusive use of federal consent decrees, which wrongly give meddlesome officials in Washington, D.C., immense authority to tie down local police departments and make it very difficult to do their work.  No longer will federal bureaucrats micromanage your local police.  And we will work with, upon request, local police to help them, not to hinder them.  And we’re waiting for a call from Chicago, because there’s no place that we would rather help than Chicago.

To reduce people going back to prisons and to help nonviolent inmates successfully rejoin society, last year we passed historic, bipartisan criminal justice reform.  It’s been very successful.  They’ve been trying to get it passed for a long time.  We had conservatives, super-conservatives, very liberal people, Republicans, Democrats -- we had a lot of people.  And I’m especially grateful to the help of Chief Cell of the IACP -- fantastic man -- as well as Pat Yoes and Jim Pasco of the Fraternal Order of Police in achieving this landmark breakthrough.

As you know, in recent years, our country has seen a dangerous trend of criminals assaulting police.  We don’t like that.

Last month, Chicago Police Officer Adam Wazny was serving an arrest warrant for a man suspected of shooting a woman, when the suspect opened fire and shot Adam multiple times.  He was very, very badly hurt.  Adam’s fellow officers chased down the gunman, while Adam stemmed the bleeding from his wound -- almost died.  After a month in the hospital and multiple surgeries after that, Adam recently came home to his wife Annie and to his two young children.  So badly hurt.  We’re profoundly grateful that Adam is with us today.  Officer Wazny -- Officer Wazny, we commend your tremendous bravery.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

Thank you, Adam.  You look good to me.  (Laughter.)  You look very handsome.  If I had a face like that, I would have been President 10 years earlier.  (Laughter.)  You’re looking good, Adam.

But an attack on law enforcement is an attack on all Americans.  Right?  It’s true.  (Applause.)  Thank you, Adam.  And we believe that criminals who murder our police should get the death penalty.  (Applause.)

To help keep you safe, I have made 600 million dollars' worth of surplus military equipment available to local law enforcement.  If you remember, the previous administration didn’t want to do that.  Nobody knew why.  Sitting in warehouses, getting older and dustier.  And I -- probably, we pay a lot of rent to a lot of landlords all over the country.  So someday, I said, you’ll explain.  Actually, I do know why: Because they didn’t want to make you look so tough.  They didn’t want to make you look like you’re a threat.  I said, “That’s okay.  We want to protect our police.”  And we made it available, and we provided nearly $29 million to train more than 80,000 police officers.  (Applause.) 

And my administration is also addressing the vile acts of mass violence.  We've seen some incredible police officers doing some incredible work recently.  A few weeks ago, Attorney General Barr sent a letter to all law enforcement agencies announcing that he will lead an effort across the government to use the most proven methods of fighting terrorism and violent crime to “identify, assess, and engage potential mass shooters” before those shooters strike.  (Applause.)

And, last month, I was profoundly honored to award the Medal of Valor to the six police officers who brought down the mass shooter in Dayton, Ohio, in 29 seconds.  I don’t know how many people saw that, but I thought it was incredible.  (Applause.)  And he’s -- he did a lot of destruction.  But he would -- it would've been the worst in history.

Twenty-nine -- I'll never forget the scene.  They showed four of them going down the street; there were six altogether.  But it was on tape.  And those guns -- and this is boom, boom, boom.  And they were out there perfect; everything -- boom.  There was no fear.  There was no anything.  It was -- they reacted.

And it's hard to figure.  You know, a lot of times, you'll see something.  It's a surreal experience by the time they get it together.  They were shooting so fast.  Twenty-nine seconds -- he was dead.  And he was going in for a lot of shooting, a lot of killing.  They were incredible.  So they came to the White House and they got the Medal of Valor.  It's a great honor.  They were fantastic.  Dayton, Ohio.  (Applause.)  It's true.

And today, we're grateful to be joined by Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl and Assistant Chief Matt Carper.  And we commend your department’s sterling professionalism.  And that’s a great state you're in -- Ohio.  We love Ohio.  And what you did in Dayton and the way those police officers acted -- and so quickly, so quickly.  Gentlemen, please stand.  Please.  (Applause.)

Come up here.  Come up here.  Come up.  Come on up here.  They look pretty good, too, I have to say.  You guys were unbelievable -- your people.  Say a couple of words, please.  (Laughter.)

CHIEF BIEHL:  Well, thank you, Mr. President and also to Attorney General Barr, for the recognition of our police officers -- six brave police officers -- that acted decisively, swiftly ending a mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, on August the 4th.  They represent the highest of ideals and performance of our profession, and we are deeply proud of them.

I have with me Lieutenant Colonel Matt Carper.  (Applause.)  He was the Acting Police Chief in my absence when I was in Washington, D.C., before I could return back to Dayton, Ohio.  And he was the senior commander on the scene in those very early hours of August the 4th, helping to coordinate the response -- the initial response -- of more than 100 police officers regionally to respond to that scene to perform the very vast duties that were required at that time.

I am deeply grateful to him and his leadership.  The Dayton community is grateful for his leadership, and for all of those dedicated law enforcement personnel that responded in the early morning hours to do the very duty that they're required to do and do in such a professional manner.  So, my gratitude to Matt Carper for all of his leadership.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Great job.

Today, I'm proud to announce another historic action that we're taking to reduce violence in America.  In a few moments, I will be signing an executive order to establish a new Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice.  They've been trying to get this for a long time.  (Applause.)

This commission will be tasked with providing concrete recommendations to address some of the systemic challenges that burden law enforcement, including homelessness and mental illness.  This includes supporting the ability of law enforcement officers to ensure troubled individuals receive the mental care they need.

The commission will provide concrete recommendations, and it will study the best practices to recruit, retrain, hire, train, and provide for the health, safety, and the wellbeing of law enforcement officers.  We want to take care of our law enforcement officers.  (Applause.)

After the commission issues its recommendations next year -- they'll have them soon, because most of them know many of the answers before they begin; you understand that -- we will begin implementing its best ideas immediately.  It will take place immediately.

Since I took office, we have harnessed the entire federal government to combat the drug addiction epidemic.  And last year, drug overdose deaths fell for the first time in nearly 31 years.  It’s a great thing.  (Applause.)

I want to thank Acting Drug Enforcement Administrator Uttam Dhillon, who joins us today, and almost every person in this room for working together to end this horrible plague.  This is a plague not only of this nation, this is all over the world.

To stop the flow of deadly drugs into our communities, we're also taking dramatic action to secure our southern border.  Illegal crossings are down 60 percent since May.  (Applause.)  And we are building the wall faster, bigger, better than ever even anticipated.  It's going up now.

And I want to thank our military.  Our military has been great.  The Army Corps of Engineers, all of the folks in the military have been fantastic.  But that wall is going up at rapid pace.  And we'll have anywhere from 400 to 500 miles built by the end of next year.  That'll have a tremendous impact.

And, as you know, the other side knows that.  But I made one big mistake on the wall: I should've said, "I do not want the wall,” and they would’ve insisted that we build it.  (Laughter and applause.)  Big mistake.  I should've said, "I want no money to go to the wall."  And they would've thrown money at it like you wouldn’t believe.  But our military came through, and it's going up great, and it's top of the line.  

Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Mark Morgan joins us today.  And I want to thank Mark and all of the members of Border Patrol for the extraordinary work to defend our homeland and protect our nation.

If Uttam is there and Mark -- just come up here for a second.  I want to show you -- I don’t want you to talk because I have to get out of here.  (Laughter.)  First time ever.  But, you know what?  Because it's you, I'll stay as long as you want me.  Come on up.  (Applause.)  Come on up.  Come on up.  Two great people.  (Applause.)  I think we should have them say a couple of words.  Yes.  Come on, Mark.

ACTING ADMINISTRATOR DHILLON:  Mr. President, on behalf of the brave men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration, who I am privileged to lead, thank you for your constant and incredible support of our mission.  And thank you for your support of all of law enforcement.  Thank you, sir.

THE PRESIDENT:  And soon, Uttam will not be "Acting," by the way.  He's done a great job.  So he doesn’t know this yet, but soon you will not be "Acting."  Congratulations.  (Laughter and applause.)

ACTING ADMINISTRTATOR DHILLON:  Thank you, sir.

THE PRESIDENT:  Mark.

ACTING COMMISSIONER MORGAN:  Sir.  So, first of all, I just wanted to (inaudible) that we will be building 450 miles of big, beautiful wall by the end of two thousand -- 2020.  (Applause.)  With every mile of wall that’s being built, I promise you, it's not just the cities and towns on the border.  I always say: Every town, every city, every state is a border town, a border city, and border state.  With every mile of the wall that is being built, we are all safer because of it.  Thank you, Mr. President.  (Applause.)

And just real quickly, I'd like to say that the Officer of the Year, Agent Morales, and all of the other nominees -- I think that they embody the law enforcement spirit.  They represent who we are as a profession and what we stand for -- that we get up every single day doing something greater than ourselves.

And thank you to IACP and your leadership for everything that you do.  And thank you to you -- the leaders of law enforcement -- for supporting and doing what you do best -- supporting the men and women who get up every single day, put the badge on their chest, and safeguard this country.  Thank you for what you do.  (Applause.)

And, Mr. President -- thank you, Mr. President, for your support.  I know this man personally, and when he says he loves us, it's sincere, it's heartfelt, and he means it.  Thank you, Mr. President.  (Applause.)  Because -- because of our President's support, as a law enforcement profession, we are stronger for it.  Thank you.       

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you both.  Two great people.  Thank you both.

To all the law enforcement partners across the Western Hemisphere, thank you for helping shut down the smugglers, traffickers, and coyotes.  Who would have ever thought, in this modern age, human traffickers -- you think of it as an ancient crime.  It's more prevalent today because of the Internet -- you understand that well -- than ever before, all over the world.

As my administration works tirelessly to protect our borders, we face an onslaught from far-left activists who want to erase America’s borders and nullify our federal laws.  We can't let that happen.

This includes activist judges who have issued nationwide injunctions prohibiting us from enforcing the immigration laws enacted even by Congress.  Just as just one example, federal law authorities expedited removal for illegal aliens apprehended within two years of entry, but a district judge -- local area -- issued a ruling saying the law could only be applied to illegal aliens caught within 14 days.  That’s a tiny fraction of the timeframe allowed by statute.  And the number of people coming in is cut to a level that’s -- becomes almost insignificant.  And we'll win as we go up.  How long will that take -- a year, two years?  These nationwide injunctions undermine our entire immigration system and other systems.

It's not the job of judges to impose their own political views.  Their job is to apply the letter of the law as per our great Constitution.  (Applause.)  That is why I have already had appointed and approved 158 brand-new federal judges and court of appeals judges -- (applause) -- who are committed to upholding the laws and the Constitution as written.  We should soon be up to 182.  We're way over record territory.  Nobody has seen anything like it.

I want to thank you, President Obama, for giving me 142 open judges.  How you allowed that to happen is beyond me.  (Laughter.)  It's beyond me.  (Applause.)  Thank you, President Obama, very much.  Everybody in this room thanks you.  We'll have 182 very shortly.

In cities such as Philadelphia, Boston, and here in Chicago, we have also seen a growing number of radical politicians and prosecutors who refuse to enforce the law.  You've heard about that.  For example, local prosecutors have declared that they will not charge certain offenders, including many theft and drug crime offenders.  They just won’t charge them.  This is a fundamental violation of their sworn duty.

The most dangerous and shameful attacks on the rule of law comes from and in the form of sanctuary cities.  Sanctuary cities order jails and prisons to release criminal illegal aliens -- people that have committed the worst crimes -- directly back onto city streets, instead of safely turning them over to federal immigration authorities and ICE so they can be incarcerated or tried, or -- what I like to do best is get them the hell out of our country and bring them home.  Let them take care of them.  (Applause.)

As you know, countries love sending their worst to us because they don’t have to bother with them, they don’t have to jail them.  "Let the United States do it."  Well, we've been very tough on that, as you probably heard, over the last couple of years.

Thousands of removable criminal aliens are set free into U.S. communities every single year because of these policies, terrorizing the public and menacing the peace.  Inconceivable that somebody would want it.  And a lot of elections -- elections are being lost because of sanctuary cities, because people don’t want it.  We just won two in the great state of North Carolina -- two House seats.  And they were won by big margins, and I helped.  I was very happy about that.

The only problem is they don’t want to write about it.  If I lose, it's the greatest catastrophe in the history of our country.  If I win, they pack up their cameras and they leave.  They don’t want to talk about it.  Let's not talk about what happened in Louisiana with the governor's race.  (Applause.)  Let's not talk about the fact that we picked up two Senate seats in '18.  We picked up two; we went from 51 to 53.  Nobody knows that.  They don’t talk about these things, but we talk about them.  And hopefully we talk loudly enough so people understand what's going on and how well we're doing.

Last year alone, here in Illinois, local officials blocked ICE detainers for illegal aliens responsible for hundreds of offensive -- including homicide, trafficking deadly drugs, trafficking humans, robbery, and sexual assault.

Just a few weeks ago, near Seattle, Washington, a county jail released an illegal alien MS-13 gang member -- the worst --who they previously refused to hand over to ICE.  And, by the way, ICE -- they're heroes.  They're patriots.  They're tough.  They're strong.  They're great.  (Applause.)  Who would do that job?  Who would do that job?  These are warriors.  And they love our country, by the way.

This man went on to murder a 16-year-old boy with a baseball bat, who didn’t do anything.  He was a young child who was on his way to a beautiful future.  He didn’t do anything.  He murdered him with a bat.

Last year, on the day after Christmas, America grieved when California Police Officer Ronil Singh was murdered by a criminal alien -- a known gang member, a tough guy with two prior arrests for bad things -- who was released due to sanctuary city laws.

Not one more American life should be stolen from us because a politician puts criminal aliens before American citizens.  (Applause.)

So they want open borders.  “Everybody, come in.  Come on in.”  They want open borders, and they want sanctuary cities.  Forget politics, but you tell me that's good politics?  I don’t think so.  I think you'll find that out.

Here today is someone who can tell you more about the threat posed by sanctuary cities -- a career ICE officer and the current ICE Director, a fantastic guy, Matt Albence.  Matt, please come up.  (Applause.)  Thank you, Matt.  

DIRECTOR ALBENCE:  Thank you, Mr. President, for giving me this opportunity to address our partners in law enforcement.  I would note, the remarks I'm about to make are the same I would have made two years ago, four years ago, and six years ago.

Our country, and every community within it, is safer when law enforcement at all levels cooperates.  There is significant human cost to sanctuary laws and policies, which ban local law enforcement agencies from working with ICE, to include even a simple sharing of information about criminals in their custody.  Laws and politics like these make us less safe.  It's plain and simple.

It's past time to put aside the political rhetoric and listen to the facts.  And the fact is, people are being hurt and victimized every day because of jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with ICE.

As law enforcement professionals, it is frustrating to see senseless acts of violence and other criminal activity happen in our communities, knowing that ICE could've prevented them with just a little cooperation.  And the type of cooperation we seek is simple.  We don’t ask any law enforcement agency to enforce federal immigration law.  We merely ask law enforcement agencies to honor ICE detainers, which, until recently, most agencies did for over a half a century; hold that person for a brief period of time; notify us when they're getting ready to release; and turn them over to us in the safe confines of your detention facility.

Our detainers are issued based on probable cause -- the exact same standard that every law enforcement agency in the U.S. here operates under.  And the fact is that 70 percent of the civil arrests that ICE makes are at local jails and state prisons across the country.  But we used to make more, before sanctuary laws or policies prevented us from doing so, leaving us with no choice but to expend significant additional resources to locate and arrest criminal aliens and other immigration violators in the community.  It's less effective, it's more disruptive, and it makes us less safe.

There will be criminals we don’t find.  And often, when we do, it's after they've been arrested for another subsequent criminal violation.  And these are preventable crimes and, even more importantly, preventable victims.

How many billions of dollars has law enforcement spent on crime protection and crime prevention?  You want to prevent crime?  Help us get the criminals out of your communities.  (Applause.)

You want to stop gun violence?  Get the criminals perpetrating that violence out of your communities.  Last year, ICE arrested 11,000 people with weapons violations.  And those are gone from the country now.  (Applause.)

Last year, we made more than 105,000 criminal alien arrests and removed more than 145,000 criminal aliens, to include nearly 6,000 gang members.

This year, ICE's Homeland Security Investigations -- with whom many of you work side by side, and we appreciate that partnership and cooperation -- made nearly 37,000 criminal arrests, another record year.  They seized more than 11,000 pounds of opioids, seized more than $624 million in illegal proceeds of crime, and rescued over 1,400 victims of human trafficking and exploitation.  (Applause.)

We have many HSI's Special Agents in Charge and headquarters leadership here with us today.  And I'm honored to have the privilege of representing them and the tremendous work that their special agents, their analysts, our attorneys, their task force officers, and support personnel do on behalf of this country.

As a career law enforcement officer, I'm imploring all the state and local officers in this room to work with us.  Find a way to partner with us for the sake of our communities that we have all sworn to uptect [sic] -- to protect, and for the sake of our country.

And for those that already do, thank you.  You will have every ounce of support from ICE that we can provide.  The truth of the matter, and one which every person in this room knows: that every community and every cop is safer when law enforcement works together.

Thank you.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Matt.  Doing a great job.  I mean, honestly, I didn’t know he was going to make a speech, when I invited him up, but that's okay.  (Laughter.)  Hey, but it was a good speech, Matt -- that I can say.  (Laughter.)  I didn’t know.  I said, "Wait a minute, this is -- that's five pages he's got there."  (Laughter.)  No, it's a good five pages.  And thank you very much, Matt.  You're doing a fantastic job.

And we've bring -- we’ve brought out thousands of MS-13 gang members -- thousands.  We take them out.  And we focus on the bad ones.  We focus on the worst of the people.  I mean, you have people coming in, and you have some really bad ones coming in, and we focus on them.  But we've taken out thousands of MS-13 gang members.  

Our police put their lives on the frontline for us every day, and you deserve the absolute support of your elected leaders.  My administration will always protect those who protect us.

Here with us today are three of those heroes who were nominated for the IACP Police Officer of the Year Award: Nick Grivna, Thomas Thompson, and Jonathan Morales.  Three great people.  (Applause.)

When Minnesota -- I just left Minnesota; what a great place.  When Minnesota Officer Nick Grivna responded to an active hostage situation, he found the killer holding a knife to the victim.  And putting himself in grave danger for very specific reasons, he decided to fire a single shot and took out the murderer.  He's received tremendous praise, and it was a very brave thing to do.  A very specific reason.

Grivna, please come forward.  Please come up.  Thank you.  Say a few words.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Great job.

OFFICER GRIVNA:  Thank you, Mr. President.  And I thank everyone here.  I'm actually speechless.  I really don't know what to say.  This whole thing is just so surreal to me right now, standing up here before you.

I want to thank the IACP for having me -- one of the four nominations.  And then I definitely need to thank my Chief, Nicole Mattson, of the Virginia Police Department for putting me in for this nomination and the support my entire department gave me.

But the people I want to thank the most are the people of Virginia.  My community rallied behind me, days after the shooting happened.  They took to social media by storm, they stopped in at the PD, they called me and showed their love and support for our police department.  And I'm very humbled and honored to be working for this department and in a community that supports their police department that much.  Thank you, guys.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Great job.

Texas police officer Thomas Thompson responded to a report of a robbery.  When he entered the building, a suspect began to fire violently, but Officer Thompson fired back and they arrested the criminal, who had quite a record.  Quite a bad record.

Officer Thompson, thank you for your courage.  Please come forward to the podium.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Great job.

OFFICER THOMPSON:  I feel incredibly honored to be here and to be recognized for what is, essentially, just a story of me just doing my job.

The President is right.  There is literally hundreds of thousands of law enforcement men and women in this country who are ready and willing to win the moment, when the time comes.  I feel very honored to be here, because I won a moment.

Mr. President, thank you for your support of law enforcement, especially in this day and age.  That's no small thing.  It matters, so thank you.

Thank you to the Lubbock -- yes, thank you.  (Applause.)  I want to say thank you to the city of the Lubbock and to Lubbock Police Department for supporting me through a very difficult time.

Finally, and most personally for me, I want to say thank you to my wife.  (Applause.)  You're my rock and you're my best friend.  I love you.  Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  Great.

Finally, we are very proud to have with us the hero who was just recently announced as the 2019 Officer of the Year: Border Patrol Agent Jonathan Morales.  (Applause.)  In May, I met Border Patrol Agent Jonathan Morales when he came to the White House for the National Day of Prayer.  Just days before, Agent Morales was off-duty attending a service for Passover, when a gunman opened fire at a synagogue in Poway, California.  You all read about it.  It was terrible.

Without hesitation, Agent Morales raced towards the shooter and began firing back, driving the gunman away from civilians.  Agent Morales’s swift and selfless action helped save many, many lives.  That was terrible.  I just want to say, it's great to meet you a second time, Agent Morales.  And your courage and strength is really appreciated and so respected by the entire nation.  Would you please come forward?  (Applause.)

AGENT MORALES:  Good morning, everybody.  Thank you, Mr. President, also for being here with us.  You're our biggest supporter in Border Patrol.  And we all know, in this day, we need all the support and help we can.  So, our agency really appreciates what you do.

Thank you also, Commissioner Morgan; my Chief, Ms. Chavez, El Centro Sector, representing us also.  And you guys are responsible for giving us the training and tools that we need each day to complete our mission out there of immigration enforcement.  And most of these times, these illegal criminals -- we're the ones they first see when they enter our country.  When I have the green uniform on, this is who they will encounter.

And just a little recap of that tragic day.  We're sitting in our Chabad house of prayer.  We were attacked.  But at that moment, I made a split-second decision.  I was off duty; I was on annual leave, enjoying my time off.  But I wasn't off duty as an officer, as an agent, sworn to protect my community, protect my people.  And I immediately went into action and I did what I could to save as many people possible.  And this terrorist, who attacked us, just ran away like a coward.  Didn't even bother to challenge me or engage me and return fire.

And I'm grateful to HaShem.  And also, on behalf of Rabbi Goldstein and the Chabad of Poway community, that they thank you also for your support and your love for our community also.  So, thank you.

And all my fellow officers out there: Always be safe.  Remember, you can't be complacent, even on our off duty, because that's when it always happens -- when we least expect it.  And, like I said, always be safe out there.  And we never are off duty when we take the uniform off.  Our mind- -- our mindset -- we're still prepared for a worst-case scenario.

So, thank you all.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  He's in much better shape right now than he was the last time.  And in a very short period of time, he's going to be perfect-o.  Thank you very much.  Great bravery.  That was a big, big deal.  (Applause.)

Each one of these heroes represent the selfless service of more than 685,000 law enforcement officers all across our country.  Every day, Americans get up and go to work, our children go safely to school, and our families sleep soundly at night because the people in this room stand guard.  You risk your lives and you save countless others.  And I've always heard you risk your lives for, in many cases, people you don't know, people you've never met.  It's an incredible thing.

And I have to say, in concluding, you have no idea how much the people of this country love you and respect you.  (Applause.)

The sight of your badge strikes fear into the hearts of criminals and pride into the hearts of our citizens.  When children hear the sirens of your patrol cars, they race to catch a glimpse, because they know that you are the heroes of their streets.  And, in many cases, they know that’s really what they want to do someday.  That's what they want to be.  That's what they want to do; they want to be a police officer.  They see it.

Out of love for our neighbors, care for our communities, and commitment to our country, we will shield peace-loving, law-abiding Americans from anyone and everyone who would do them harm.  We will keep our streets secure, our cities guarded, and our loved ones safe.  We will fight violent crime, uphold the peace, enforce the law, and, with God as our witness, we will proudly serve, protect, and defend the citizens of the United States.

To all of the terrific law enforcement officers here today: Thank you for your unwavering courage and your unbreakable devotion.  Today and every day, I vow to stand proudly, loyally, and faithfully with the incredible men and women in blue.

Now, I would like to invite the Attorney General of the United States and the IACP and FOP leadership to join me on stage while I sign our new Commission on Law Enforcement.

God bless you.  And God bless our great law enforcement, our police officers.  God bless our military.  And God bless America.  Thank you all very much.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

(The executive order is signed.)  (Applause.)



                         END                 11:44 A.M. CDT

First Lady Melania Trump and Second Lady Karen Pence will Travel to South Carolina to Highlight Disaster Preparedness and Meet with Troops

Office of the First Lady
First Lady Melania Trump and Second Lady Karen Pence will Travel to South Carolina to Highlight Disaster Preparedness and Meet with Troops
 
WASHINGTON, DC – Wednesday, October 30th the First Lady and Second Lady will visit Charleston, South Carolina to highlight the emergency preparedness efforts within the community.

Mrs. Trump and Mrs. Pence will visit Lambs Elementary School where they will join 5th graders in participating in the Red Cross’s Pillowcase Project – an emergency response program designed specifically for children to help them be better prepared both mentally and physically for natural disasters.

At Joint Base Charleston, Mrs. Trump and Mrs. Pence will meet with Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and civilians to thank them for their service and to learn more about the base’s capabilities in disaster response, relief, and recovery efforts. 

Mrs. Trump and Mrs. Pence will receive a briefing from five major emergency response teams at the base: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the 841st Transportation Battalion, the US Coast Guard, 437th and 315th Airlift Wings and the 628th Emergency Operations Center at Joint Base Charleston.

Mrs. Trump will deliver remarks to the troops and families thanking them for their service and their sacrifices for our country.
 

Executive Order on the Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice

Office of the Press Secretary


EXECUTIVE ORDER

- - - - - - -

COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

 

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to enhance public safety and support the well-ordered administration of justice, it is hereby ordered as follows:

    Section 1.  Purpose.  Crime, especially violent crime, denies people their unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Together as a society, we must work to prevent crime from occurring, ensure that those who perpetrate crime face justice, and assist victims in overcoming the effects of crime on their lives.  My Administration is focused on reducing crime, and the social and economic problems -- including family and neighborhood disintegration -- that contribute to criminal behavior.  In addition, the continued malign activity of transnational criminal organizations, and the widespread abuse of drugs trafficked by such groups, are challenges that confront our communities and law enforcement in their efforts to keep the American people safe.

    Rigorous study of crime, including its causal factors, and current law enforcement practices is essential to assessing our current criminal justice system's merits and opportunities for improvement.  Over 85 percent of United States law enforcement personnel are State, local, and tribal officials.  The Department of Justice has long respected this traditional balance of law enforcement resources while supporting State, local, and tribal law enforcement efforts with Federal resources.  State and local law enforcement benefit from Federal programs and partnerships in the areas of information-sharing, collaborative enforcement operations, training and technical assistance initiatives, and Federal grants.  Public safety and proper policing are issues of both national and local significance that continue to require the close cooperation and coordination between the Department of Justice and State, local, and tribal law enforcement.  In particular, the Department of Justice has a historically important role in helping to develop, identify, and establish best practices for law enforcement and supporting a range of programs related to the administration of justice.  My Administration builds upon that important work every day.

    Sec2.  Establishment.  (a)  The Attorney General shall establish a Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice (Commission), and designate an individual to chair the Commission.

    (b)  The Attorney General shall determine the composition of and procedures for the functioning of the Commission.

    (c)  Officers or employees of the Federal Government designated to the Commission shall be full-time, or permanent part-time, officers or employees of the Federal Government.  Any such designation shall not affect the civil service status or privileges of the Federal officer or employee.

    (d)  The Attorney General may, at his discretion, invite elected officers of State, local, and tribal governments (or their designated employees with authority to act on their behalf) to serve on the Commission in their official capacities.

    Sec3.  Function.  (a)  The Commission shall study issues related to law enforcement and the administration of justice and make recommendations to the Attorney General, who shall submit a report and recommendations to the President on actions that can be taken to prevent, reduce, and control crime, increase respect for the law, and assist victims.  The Commission shall undertake, as directed by the Attorney General, a review of relevant research and expertise and make recommendations regarding important current issues facing law enforcement and the criminal justice system such as:

        (i)     challenges to law enforcement associated with mental illness, homelessness, substance abuse, and other social factors that influence crime and strain criminal justice resources;

        (ii)    the recruitment, hiring, training, and retention of law enforcement officers, including in rural and tribal communities;

        (iii)   the potential for public and private initiatives, including in "qualified opportunity zones" as defined in section 13823(a) of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, to reduce crime and improve police-community relations;

        (iv)    refusals by State and local prosecutors to enforce laws or prosecute categories of crimes;

        (v)     the physical safety, health, and wellness of law enforcement officers;

        (vi)    the need to promote public respect for the law and law enforcement officers;

        (vii)   better integration of education, employment, social services, and public health services into efforts to reduce crime and ease the burden on law enforcement, courts, and corrections systems;

        (viii)  the use of targeted deterrence approaches to reduce violent crime;

        (ix)    new and developing methodologies, technologies, and best practices for combatting criminal activity, delinquency, and public disorder;

        (x)     the effects of technological innovations on law enforcement and the criminal justice system, including the challenges and opportunities presented by such innovations;

        (xi)    the effectiveness of contemporary law enforcement training methods around critical topics, the direction of next generation training methods, and an understanding of critical training needs;

        (xii)   the effectiveness of Federal grant programs in establishing best practices for law enforcement and supporting the administration of justice in State, local, and tribal jurisdictions; and

        (xiii)  other topics related to law enforcement and the control of crime as the Attorney General deems appropriate.

    (b)  In carrying out its functions under subsection (a) of this section, the Commission may host listening sessions and otherwise solicit input from a diverse array of stakeholders in the area of criminal justice, including State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and organizations; government service providers; businesses; nonprofit entities; public health experts; victims rights' organizations; other advocacy and interest groups; reentry experts; academia; and other public and private entities and individuals with relevant experience or expertise.

    (c)  In developing its recommendations under subsection (a) of this section, the Commission shall seek to recommend only practical and concrete actions that can be taken by Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement and other government entities to improve the administration of justice.

    (d)  Upon the request of the Chair, the heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide the Commission with reasonable access to the information it needs for purposes of carrying out its functions.

    (e)  Upon the request of the Attorney General, the heads of agencies may detail personnel to the Commission to assist in carrying out its functions, and shall endeavor to provide such personnel and other assistance to the Commission to the extent practicable, consistent with applicable law and within existing appropriations, through appropriate interagency agreements, including agreements under the Economy Act.  Consistent with applicable law and within existing appropriations, the Attorney General shall use the resources and personnel of the Department of Justice in support of the Commission and its activities.

    Sec4.  Reports.  The Commission shall submit a report and recommendations to the Attorney General no later than 1 year from the date of this order.  The Attorney General, following consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, shall submit a report and recommendations to the President no later than 60 days thereafter.

    Sec5.  Termination.  The Commission shall terminate no later than 90 days after submitting its report and recommendations to the Attorney General, unless extended by the President.

    Sec6.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

        (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

        (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.



 

                        DONALD J. TRUMP



 

THE WHITE HOUSE,
    October 28, 2019.

White House Appoints 2019-2020 Class of White House Fellows

Office of the Press Secretary

White House Appoints 2019-2020 Class of White House Fellows
 

Today, the President’s Commission on White House Fellows announces the appointment of the 2019-2020 class of White House Fellows.  The highly regarded White House Fellowship provides professionals from diverse backgrounds an opportunity to engage in public service for one year by serving in various roles in the Federal Government.

Created in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the White House Fellows Program was designed “to give the Fellows first hand, high-level experience with the workings of the Federal Government and to increase their sense of participation in national affairs.”  The Fellowship was created as a non-partisan program and has maintained this tradition throughout both Republican and Democratic administrations.  The mission of the White House Fellows Program is to encourage active citizenship and service to the Nation.  Throughout the year, Fellows actively participate in an education program that expands their knowledge of leadership, policy-making, and contemporary issues.  Community service plays a vital role in the program, and Fellows take part in service projects throughout the year.

The highly competitive selection process to become a White House Fellow is based on a record of professional accomplishment, evidence of leadership skills, the potential for further growth, and a commitment to service.  Selected individuals spend a year working as a full-time, paid fellow to senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries, and other top-ranking government officials.  Applications for the 2020-2021 Fellowship year will be accepted from November 1, 2019 - January 8, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. ET.  The application link and additional information is available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/participate/fellows.

2019-2020 Class of White House Fellows:

Rita Avila is from Charleston, South Carolina, and is placed at the Department of Veterans Affairs.  After graduating from The Citadel with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, she joined the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office in 2003 and was assigned to the Patrol Division.  She became a detective in 2007, specializing in crimes against children, vulnerable adults, and sexual assaults.  She provided training to community agencies and law enforcement personnel in child abuse and sexual assault investigations.  In 2011, Rita was promoted to sergeant.  During the next two years, she supervised the Special Victims Unit and the Metro Narcotics Unit and served in the Office of Professional Standards.  In 2014, she was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to the Patrol Division as the shift commander.  The next year, she was transferred to the Community Affairs Office.  Her duties include organizing community outreach programs to ensure a strong relationship between the Sheriff’s Office and the community.  She is also tasked with leading the Recruiting and School Resource Officer divisions.  Rita is the assistant public information officer, handling media contacts and requests for agency information.  She is the team commander of Crisis Negotiation Team, a crisis intervention instructor, and a member of the Peer Support Team.  Rita is a graduate of the Carolina Command College and is a Furman University Riley Institute Fellow.

Jermon Bafaty is from Margate, Florida, and is placed at the Department of Energy.  Jermon is a senior technology services executive who most recently was the Federal Health Growth Leader for General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT).  In this role, he led the strategy, development, and pipeline execution teams for the company's billion-dollar health sector.  Previously at Lockheed Martin, Jermon served in senior engineering and operational leadership roles for business lines that provided mission and technology support to the Defense and Intelligence Communities.  He is passionate about creating safe and healthy learning environments for children and is the immediate past board president for the Boys and Girls Club of Alexandria, Virginia.  Jermon received a Bachelor of Science in business from the University of Central Florida and a Master of Science in management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Mark Bicket is from Edmond, Oklahoma, and is placed at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.  Mark is a board-certified physician, investigator, and educator specializing in pain medicine and focusing on the opioid crisis.  He previously directed the nationally recognized Pain Medicine Fellowship Program and Pain Medicine Quality and Safety at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he trained and mentored fellows, residents, and medical students while treating patients in East Baltimore.  His research led to the growing appreciation that surgical prescribing contributes to the broader opioid crisis, work that shaped clinical practice and influenced policy makers.  He recently led Johns Hopkins in creating a new system-wide pain management policy, impacting millions of patients receiving care there every year.  Mark has served on committees for the National Academy of Medicine, the Delaware Division of Public Health, and numerous professional organizations.  Mark received a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, summa cum laude, from the University of Oklahoma and an M.D. and a Ph.D. in Clinical Investigation from the Johns Hopkins University.  He completed anesthesiology residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he served as Chief Resident and pain medicine fellowship training at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

Marshall Boyd is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is placed at the White House Office of Management and Budget.  Marshall is a Commander in the United States Navy and a Navy SEAL.  Throughout his 15 year career, he has led in various levels of combat and managed organizations that conducted counter insurgency, counter terrorism, and other Special Operations spanning 5 continents.  Most recently, he served in a principal leadership role for a SEAL Team as an Executive Officer.  In this capacity, he managed the training, operations, and deployment task organization of more than 100 SEALs and combat support technicians to sustain Department of Defense mission requirements for the National Security Strategy.  He has conducted multiple overseas deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Eastern Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula, receiving an array of valorous awards and commendations.  He received his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the United States Naval Academy where he competed as a Division-1 athlete on the men’s swim team, serving as captain his senior year.  He also earned a Master of Public Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, where he was a member of the men’s rugby team.

Elizabeth Daitz Lombardo is from East Rockaway, New York, and is placed at the Office of the Chief of Staff at The White House.  Elizabeth is the New York City Police Department (NYPD)’s inaugural Executive Director, Civil Litigation.  Elizabeth leads an NYPD command designed to ensure just results in civil litigation challenging police action, and improve the quality of police service to the community.  During her tenure with the NYPD, new lawsuits challenging police action have declined by 50 percent, contributing to almost $100 million in taxpayer savings in the last fiscal year.  Elizabeth began her legal career as a litigator at the Office of the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, where she handled multiple high profile Federal civil rights cases in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.  Elizabeth is a 2005 graduate of St. John’s University School of Law, and a 2002 graduate of the Honors College at Adelphi University.

Brandon Dues is from Owensboro, Kentucky, and is placed at the Export-Import Bank of the United States.  Brandon is a Major in the United States Air Force and most recently served as the Senior Military Assistant to the Deputy Chairman of the Military Committee, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s highest military authority.  While at NATO, he provided politically informed military advice in defense of the 1 billion citizens in the 29-nation Alliance.  Primarily a Special Operations pilot on the U-28 aircraft, Brandon served with various units executing counterterrorism and counter-insurgency missions to support Presidential tasks.  While supporting multiple combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa, Brandon flew 299 Special Operations combat missions and helped lead a $20 million flying program producing 15,000 combat flying hours in a year – the most at the Air Force’s most deployed Wing.  He received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the United States Air Force Academy, where he was the top graduate of all United States Air Force commissioning programs and received a Master of Philosophy.  Brandon earned his Ph.D. in Public Policy Analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School.

Max Ferguson is from New Rochelle, New York, and is placed at the Department of State.  As an Infantry Officer in the United States Army, Max has deployed numerous times to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Western Africa in both conventional and Special Operations units.  He led Soldiers in Baghdad, Iraq, and deployed three times to Afghanistan, leading Soldiers in Kandahar Province and later as a commander in the 75th Ranger Regiment.  As a Task Force commander in Northern Cameroon in 2017, Max worked closely with the United States Ambassador, host nation military and regional government leaders, as well as United States and foreign agencies in support of regional security and stabilization initiatives.  Max most recently served as a Special Assistant to the 39th Chief of Staff of the United States Army.  Max holds a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a master’s degree from United States Naval War College.

Jeffrey Howard is from Harlan County, Kentucky, and is placed at the Office of the Vice President of the United States.  Jeff, a proud native of Appalachia, was appointed as the Commissioner for Public Health and Chief Medical Officer of the Commonwealth of Kentucky by Governor Matt Bevin in 2017.  To serve in this role, he took a sabbatical from his position as a senior surgical resident at the University of Louisville, where he focused on a broad spectrum of surgical ailments as well as healthcare policy issues.  During his tenure as Commissioner, his primary focus was the opioid crisis, adverse childhood events, and leading a transformation project that will bring financial solvency to the system and emphasize locally determined health priorities.  His recent awards include Louisville Business First’s 20 young leaders, de Beaumont Foundation’s 40 leaders under 40, and Kentucky Public Health Association award for meritorious service.  He also has more than 10 peer-reviewed publications including a textbook chapter on the surgeon’s role in the opioid crisis.  Jeff received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Union College, where he was an academic all-conference athlete, a Bonner Scholar, and AmeriCorps member.  He earned his medical degree at the University of Louisville, where he graduated with distinction.  He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Northern Kentucky University and a Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Heidi Overton is from Gallup, New Mexico, and is placed at The White House Office of American Innovation.  Heidi is a general surgery resident at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a Ph.D. candidate in Clinical Investigation at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.  She studies the appropriateness of medical care through the innovative Improving Wisely program, where she leads quality metric development.   Her dissertation work on post-operative opioid prescribing has demonstrated national impact.  Heidi is also a physician advocate for price and quality transparency in healthcare through Restoring Medicine.  She holds national leadership positions as the Resident Liaison Representative to the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and the resident member of the Surgical Outcomes Club Board of Directors.  During medical school, Heidi was appointed by Governor Susana Martinez to serve on the University of New Mexico (UNM) Board of Regents.  This two-year term encompassed fiduciary and full-voting responsibilities for all business and clinical operations of the university and health system.  Heidi graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Health, Medicine, and Human Values from UNM’s Combined BA/MD Program and received her medical degree from the UNM School of Medicine.

Alberto Ramos is from Las Vegas, Nevada, and is placed at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.  Lieutenant Alberto Ramos is a submarine warfare officer in the United States Navy Reserve.  He completed multiple deployments aboard the fast attack boat USS CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI (SSN-705) and qualified as a Department of Energy Nuclear Engineer.  During this time, Alberto was responsible for the successful planning and execution of several missions vital to national security, complex multilateral naval exercises, and transits through some of the most challenging straits in the world.  He most recently served as the flag aide and speechwriter to Vice Admiral Ted Carter, Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy.  Alberto earned a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Science with Distinction in Political Science from the United States Naval Academy.  He was selected as a 2018 Next Generation National Security Fellow with the Center for a New American Security.  He is also a lifetime member of the Naval Submarine League and was the youngest member appointed to its Advisory Council.  Among various personal and unit decorations, Alberto was awarded the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal and continues to serve underprivileged communities today.

Dakota Roberson is from Shelley, Idaho, and is placed at the Department of Defense.  Dakota is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Idaho, where he is an Associate of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies.  Dakota leads an interdisciplinary research team studying electrical grid stability and security and is an appointed Nuclear Engineering Affiliate Faculty.  He has collaborated with numerous national laboratories, electric utilities, private stakeholders, and universities to mitigate 21st century energy system threats.  Likewise, his engineering courses are structured to prepare students for careers in this area.  Before joining the University of Idaho, he was with Sandia National Laboratories.  To better serve his region, Dakota promotes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education through secondary school outreach and public speaking engagements to spark the curiosity of young scientists.  As a Wyoming native, he volunteers at a tech start up and as an advisor to regional energy infrastructure programs.  Dakota earned a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering with a Graduate Minor in Statistics at the University of Wyoming, where he won the Fisher Innovation Challenge for contributions to energy storage control.  He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Minor Mathematics, from the same institution.

Amit Sachdev is from New York, New York, and is placed at the Department of Health and Human Services.  Amit is an interventional gastroenterologist and board certified internist who completed his training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.  He is focused on developing novel approaches to fight obesity, transforming healthcare delivery, and is passionate about healthcare innovation.  Amit has led large-scale social media campaigns, and he has won numerous awards for his community outreach initiatives and research.  His work has been published in peer-reviewed literature and presented both nationally and internationally.  Amit has worked in large, diverse clinical settings, including Bellevue, Kings County, and Los Angeles County hospitals.  In addition, his clinical experience at leading academic centers including the New York University, Columbia University-New York Presbyterian, Harvard University, and several veterans’ hospitals has informed his unique perspective of the health system.  At the Rockefeller University, Amit had the privilege of studying cell signaling with Dr. Gunter Blobel, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine.  He is committed to serving the underserved and has volunteered in many international settings, including missions in Tanzania and India.  Amit has also provided strategic direction to several healthcare start-ups.  A Presidential Honors Scholar, Amit earned his bachelor’s degree with Honors in Economics as well as his medical degree from New York University.

Adam Scher is from Staten Island, New York, and is placed at the White House Office of Management and Budget.  Adam is a Major in the United States Army and most recently served as the Aide-de-Camp to the commander of all North Atlantic Treaty Organization and United States Forces in Afghanistan.  As an Infantry Officer, he led soldiers in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, serving in the 101st Airborne Division, the 82nd Airborne Division, and the 2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment while stationed in Germany.  Adam previously served as an Assistant Professor and Debate Coach in the Department of Social Sciences at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he taught courses on American politics and participated in debates with the Bard Prison Initiative.  He continues to volunteer with the New York City Fire Department, where he interned as a member of its Center for Counterterrorism and Disaster Preparedness and guest lectured at an annual seminar on crisis leadership and the dangers of terrorism in megacities.  Adam is a Council on Foreign Relations Term Member and an Advisory Board Member to the American Democracy Month Council.  He received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a concentration in American Government from West Point in 2004, and a Master of Public Administration with a specialization in International Security Policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in 2013.

Ryan Tauriainen is from Grants Pass, Oregon, and is placed at the Department of Education.  Most recently, Ryan directed charter school Early Childhood Strategy in Washington, D.C.  In that role, he created and led programming that produced the highest performing early childhood classrooms in the district.  Ryan’s efforts helped multiple local education agencies meet Federal requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act.  Ryan began his career in Hawaii, with Teach For America, where his classroom outperformed all others in the State.  After his two-year commitment, he moved to Washington, D.C., to pursue a career in school leadership.  In 2012, Ryan became one of the youngest principals in the United States at the age of 26.  His Title I school would push proficiency scores to over 90 percent in math and literacy, essentially closing the gap for his economically disadvantaged students.  Ryan was twice named “Most Outstanding Principal” by the D.C. Association of Chartered Public Schools and was The Washington Post’s “Principal of the Year.” As a leader in education, Ryan has won national awards from Leading For Children, the Council for Exceptional Children, and the National Council of Teachers of English.  He is the author of five children’s books.  Ryan received a Bachelor of Arts from Middlebury College on a National Merit Scholarship and received a Master of Education from Chaminade University of Honolulu.

Donald Williams Jr. is from Cleveland, Ohio, and is placed at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Donald is a Major in the United States Air Force.  As an Air Battle Manager, he has planned and deployed in combat missions in Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as multinational counterdrug operations in South America.  During Donald’s most recent assignment in Japan, he directed a $22 million annual bilateral operations program for the largest combat wing in the Air Force, and commanded air defense missions in the senior United States Command and Control agency in Japan.  Donald served as an Executive Officer, responsible for strategic-level coordination for 26 organizations, with $3 billion in military assets, serving over 26,000 joint military personnel and families in Okinawa, Japan.  Donald has completed community-building events in over 10 countries and has led more than 4,000 volunteers in 10 years.  He created an orphanage volunteer partnership in the Netherlands Antilles, taught math and English in a rural community in Ghana, led global disaster relief efforts, and directed an outreach organization in Japan.  Donald earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, a Master of Science in Engineering and Technology Management from Oklahoma State University, and received his Ph.D. in Global Leadership at the Indiana Institute of Technology.