On the recordJune 9, 2020
as protests over the death of George Floyd continue, House and Senate Democrats came together yesterday to unveil sweeping reforms to our Nation's police departments. The Justice in Policing Act was not only a response to the recent protests but a reflection of years of failed efforts to root out injustice and racial bias in our law enforcement. The bill would ban the use of choke holds and other tactics that have left Black Americans dead. It would limit the transfer of military weaponry and equipment to police departments. It would change the legal standard to make it easier to hold police accountable for misconduct when they use deadly force on American citizens, and through increased data and transparency, as well as important modifications to training and practices, it would help prevent police misconduct in the first place. This is a very strong bill, and rightly so. I give tremendous credit to Senators Booker, Harris, and so many others who contributed, as well as the Black Caucus, led by Karen Bass and Chairman Nadler of the Judiciary. They put together a very strong bill. The reason is simple. The moment does not call for half measures. Hundreds of thousands of American protesters are not asking us to chip away around the edges. They want bold reform and meaningful changes to assist them in something that all too often delivers unequal justice for too many Black Americans, and that has existed that way for too, too long.…
