Effective Prosecution of Possession of Biological Toxins and Agents Act of 2019

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of H.R. 1986 because it fixes a technical, but very important, error that occurred in the Code, and the gentlewoman from California, again, has done a wonderful job of explaining this.

She brought up an interesting case. She brought up the case out of the Northern Circuit of Georgia which is actually my circuit, and the judge in that case is actually a judge named Rick Story. And Rick Story is one of the best jurists we have in this country. His comment here is really, I think, telling for us that many times in Congress we need to take heed of when he says: ``It falls to Congress to write criminal laws or to amend them if they yield unfair or unwanted results.'' And that is exactly what we are doing here today.

This needs to be added. It was a scrivener's error and a mistake that it was not there, and it needs to be corrected.

And with that, again, the gentlewoman from California has been a great help on this, and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ratcliffe), and others for their work on this legislation.

As we go forward, I think this has been a good process. I am glad to see it coming to fruition, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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