Press Releases
Congresswoman Lori Trahan Supports the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
Washington,
June 25, 2020
LOWELL, MA – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) spoke on the House floor in support of H.R. 7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020. This transformative legislation will overhaul policing in America and begin to rebuild the trust between officers and the communities they serve. “We’ve long encountered excuses as to why we can’t tackle bias, discrimination, and racism in America. Excuses that have prevented equality in health care, in the classroom, in housing, at the workplace, and yes, in the way police interact with the communities they’ve sworn to protect. That approach has led to a deadly reality where Black lives are equal on paper, but not in real life,” Congresswoman Trahan said. Trahan will cast her vote for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 when it is voted on in the House of Representatives tonight. Footage of Trahan’s remarks in support of the legislation can be accessed by clicking HERE or the image below. A transcript of her remarks is embedded at the end of this release.
Crafted under the leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 takes numerous key steps to achieve transformative, structural change to combat the pattern of police brutality and racial injustice, including:
Congresswoman Lori Trahan Remarks as Delivered Passage of the Justice in Policing Act June 25, 2020
We’ve long encountered excuses as to why we can’t tackle bias, discrimination, and racism in America. Excuses that have prevented equality in health care, in the classroom, in housing, in the workplace, and yes, in the way police interact with the communities they’ve sworn to protect. That approach has led to a deadly reality where Black lives are equal on paper, but not in real life. We know this because the data show it. The data show that Black Americans are more likely to die during a trip to the hospital and more likely to be killed while unarmed by the police. We know this because George Floyd should be alive today. So should Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner and so many others. The Justice in Policing Act would have prevented their deaths and it’s long overdue. We owe it to them and to every Black American to make this bill law. And then we must get to work fixing the injustice that has persisted in our country for centuries so that we can create a more inclusive, truly equal, and just America for everyone to call home. ### |