Mass Incarceration

What happens next time, if a black individual is killed by the hands of police but there is no video footage of that incident? As a black man that question angers me because I am not sure the outcome of that trial would be the same.

Incarcerated people are contracting COVID-19 at a staggering rate, this is not only an alarming public health issue but because of our country’s racist system of mass incarceration -- it’s a major racial justice issue, too.

Tonight’s House passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act represents an important step toward reforming our broken criminal justice system. But much, much more remains to be done in the days, and months and years ahead to ensure that every American receives equal justice under the law. We hope that this bill will be strengthened in the Senate because we cannot continue to accept this epidemic of injustice. We must reform the system of injustice that treats Americans differently because of the color of their skin or where they live.

Once an American is eligible to vote that right should never be taken away. Washington, DC joins Maine and Vermont in making a stand for the most important and sacred right we share, our right to vote.

Every American deserves fair and impartial law enforcement, free of racial bias, but too many do not receive it. And too often racially biased law enforcement ends in tragedy. The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 is an important step in rooting out systemic racism in law enforcement and we commend the House for passing the legislation. More will need to be done, but we must first take this first important step to addressing a national disgrace.