Rob Portman: “I am here to talk about the pain, frustration, and anger that many Americans are feeling this morning. In the midst of…”

“I am here to talk about the pain, frustration, and anger that many Americans are feeling this morning. In the midst of an unprecedented healthcare and economic crisis that is disproportionately affecting our minority communities, we have seen protests spring up across the country in response to egregious examples of injustice and violence against African Americans. Just in the past few weeks, there have been graphic videos of Ahmaud Arbery gunned down while jogging on a street in Georgia; a White woman in Central Park calling 9-1-1 to falsely accuse an African-American man of threatening her; and George Floyd pleading for his life as a White officer pressed his knee onto his neck for nearly 9 minutes in Minnesota, killing him. Joining many others, I have made it clear that what happened to these Americans is outrageous and unacceptable. It was very hard to watch that video of George Floyd, a man whose family described him as a ``gentle giant,'' literally begging for his life. ``I can't breathe,'' he said. ``Don't kill me,'' he pleaded. Those were his final words. This simply cannot be allowed to continue in America. By the way, no one I know in law enforcement believes this behavior should be allowed either. Each of these acts and other acts of injustice against Black Americans is deeply troubling in its own right.…”