Dear Neighbor,This past Friday, I hosted a Community Conversation with Supervisor Andrea Bailey of Prince William County and Supervisor Rodney Lusk of Fairfax County, regarding several important issues facing the Black community in Northern Virginia. During this event, we discussed our recent efforts to dismantle the structures perpetuating injustice and inequity in this country. I was a child of the Civil Rights Movement. I remember vividly the tragedy and turbulence of that chapter in our history. It ignited my activism and it shaped my worldview. But I also remember the determination and optimism that drove the progress we made. We did not solve every problem, but we came out of it a better, stronger, and more equitable country.In 2021, over 400 pieces of legislation were introduced across the nation to suppress minority voters, and I can think of no more appropriate time to combat these antidemocratic initiatives than Black History Month. That is why I strongly supported both the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and why I have encouraged my colleagues in the Senate to abandon the filibuster, an archaic relic of the Jim Crow era, and preserve our democracy. We cannot hide behind procedures and allow our most sacred institution to crumble.I firmly believe that we can build a more inclusive America together. And as we near the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue our recovery, we must keep in mind the strides we made toward equity. We’ve seen the disproportionate impacts the pandemic has had on the Black community as Black owned small businesses were less likely to receive government loans to stay afloat. Through the pandemic, the federal government approved nearly $6 trillion to help our communities rebuild, and we specifically urged federal agencies to prioritize minority-owned small businesses when disbursing those funds. And I have worked directly with our local governments to ensure that these minority owned businesses have fair access to resources.The need for reform goes beyond the process of conducting elections and access to capital. Since the murder of George Floyd, more Americans than ever have mobilized to bring change to our policing. We have had enough tragedy in America and allowed a culture of impunity to pervade our law enforcement where we should have a culture of accountability.That is why I have introduced the Special Inspector General for Law Enforcement Act. This bill establishes a federal independent Special Inspector General for the purposes of investigating potential abuses by law enforcement. This legislation will help us address and resolve many of the issues that lead to inequitable enforcement of the law. The bill does three major things to reform the system in place:For federal law enforcement officers and agencies, it will require the Special Inspector General to investigate and potentially refer for criminal prosecution instances of racial profiling, officer misconduct, use of excessive force, use of deadly force, and patterns or practices of unconstitutional misconduct. For state and local law enforcement officers and agencies, the Special Inspector General will be authorized to investigate any instances of the use of deadly force.The bill will also provide sweeping whistleblower protections for any citizens, state or local law enforcement officers, government employees or contractors, or others who make protected disclosures to the Special Inspector General.My bill allows more direct oversight than the current system of internal investigations. No longer will our communities be left to feel frustrated and helpless in the wake of police abuses. The bill has been endorsed by nearly 40 organizations, and I am proud that two of those are NAACP Chapters within my Congressional district, the Fairfax and Prince William chapters. My Democratic colleagues and I have fought every step of the way to keep equity at the forefront of our discussions and legislation. Whether it is helping us build back from the problems of the pandemic or establishing a new office to investigate and reduce law enforcement misconduct, I am proud to work for you. And I will keep fighting for you every day.Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other and remember that my office is here to help. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to call us at (703) 256-3071.