Rep. Casten Votes to Pass George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
WASHINGTON, DC – Tonight, Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) voted to pass H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, Democrats' bold, transformative legislation to reimagine the culture of policing in America with unprecedented reforms to curb police brutality, end racial profiling, eliminate qualified immunity for law enforcement and build greater trust between law enforcement and our communities.
"Last summer, our state and the nation were rocked by a reckoning around the horrors of police brutality and racial injustice," said Rep. Casten. "Sadly, despite countless Americans from every walk of life peacefully protesting and raising awareness for these crises, the epidemic of police brutality continues – with more police killings and police brutality occurring last year than in the year before, and with communities of color and vulnerable groups disproportionately bearing the brunt of this cruelty. To honor my responsibility to Illinois families and the American people, I proudly joined the Congressional Black Caucus and my colleagues to once again pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to deliver the urgent, critical reforms needed to address systemic racism while increasing transparency and holding police accountable."
The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act will take numerous key steps to achieve transformative, structural change to combat the pattern of police brutality and racial injustice, including:
- Banning all chokeholds;
- Banning no-knock warrants in drug cases;
- Ending racial, religious and discriminatory profiling;
- Eliminating the qualified immunity doctrine that is a barrier to holding police officers accountable for wrongful conduct;
- Establishing a National Police Misconduct Registry to improve transparency and prevent problematic officers who are fired or leave one agency, from moving to another jurisdiction without any accountability;
- Requiring data collection, including mandatory body cameras and dashboard cameras;
- Establishing new standards for policing and the Public Safety Innovation grants for community-based organizations to help reimagine policing in their communities;
- Making lynching a federal hate crime; and more.
"I stand with my Democratic colleagues and countless Illinoisans to insist on the truth that Black Lives Matter as we turn this moment of agony into one of action, to honor George Floyd's life and the lives of all killed by police brutality," continued Rep. Casten. "I remain committed to working with the Biden-Harris Administration and the millions of Americans marching and demanding action. We will not stop working until the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act becomes law."