Committee to Hold Briefing on Abusive Policing Practices and Need for Justice in Reform Act

Washington D.C. (June 18, 2020)— On Friday, June 19, 2020, the Committee on Oversight and Reform will hold a virtual briefing to examine how systemic racism and discrimination deeply rooted in America's history have led to abusive policing practices, and the long overdue need for reform at the federal level.

On May 25, 2020, an unarmed Black man named George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis Police Department officer who used excessive force for nearly nine minutes. Mr. Floyd's murder immediately garnered national and international attention as protests erupted to demand accountability and systemic reform.

Activists have protested for decades on behalf of transparency and accountability in response to the murder of Black people by the police.

On June 8, 2020, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (D-CA), Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kamala Harris (D-CA), and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) introduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020. This bill is a bold, comprehensive approach to transform the culture of policing to address systemic racism and help save lives as it holds police accountable and increases transparency. It will ban chokeholds, stop no-knock drug warrants, end qualified immunity, and establish a nationwide police misconduct database.

The bill is cosponsored by 230 members in the House and 36 senators. Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee passed the bill out of committee, and the full House will vote next week.

###