Madam Speaker, on July 6, Sonya Massey dialed 911 seeking safety, but instead of receiving help, she met with fatal gunfire from an officer of the law. Like everyone who has seen the body camera footage of her final moments, I am shocked, horrified, and heartbroken. This was an appalling act of senseless violence that strikes at the core of our humanity. I stand here today echoing the voices of my constituents in Springfield and Americans nationwide demanding justice and accountability. We must confront and end the use of excessive force against unarmed people of color in this country. My heart goes out to Sonya's children, her family, and all who loved her. They deserve answers and they deserve to see an end to this systemic issue. Sonya Massey should be alive today. We owe it to her memory to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. ____________________
Share & report
More from Nikki Budzinski
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of a beloved member of the Springfield Police Department who recently passed, K9 Thor. Thor worked second watch for 8 years as a dual-purpose police K9 until his retirement in 2019. Trained in…
Madam Speaker, I stand before you today to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Kraft Foods Group plant in Champaign, Illinois, and its dedicated employees, including my dad, who once worked the third shift. These are the people who have…
I have admired, too, how your agency has been responsible for coordinating interagency efforts to restore the Great Lakes as well.
This part of my district also happens to be 95 percent Black, and I think it is not an accident that we have allowed these unacceptable conditions to continue in poor communities of color.





