Dear Neighbor,This week, I proudly cast my vote in favor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, House Democrats' comprehensive proposal to end police brutality and address the systemic racism that has marred American law enforcement efforts for generations. To redeem a history plagued by slavery, Reconstruction, post-Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the violent oppression of human beings because of the color of their skin. Before the vote, I spoke in support of the bill on the House Floor. You can find video of my remarks here.The Justice in Policing Act is a groundbreaking piece of legislation drafted by the Congressional Black Caucus that seeks to root out systemic racism and create a law enforcement system that truly and equally protects and serves the American people. Specifically, the Justice in Policing Act would: WORK TO END RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS PROFILINGProhibits federal, state, and local law enforcement from racial, religious and discriminatory profiling.Mandates training on racial, religious, and discriminatory profiling for all law enforcement.Requires law enforcement to collect data on all investigatory activities.SAVE LIVES BY BANNING CHOKEHOLDS AND NO-KNOCK WARRANTSBans chokeholds and carotid holds at the federal level and conditions law enforcement funding for state and local governments banning chokeholds.Bans no-knock warrants in drug cases at the federal level and conditions law enforcement funding for state and local governments banning no-knock warrants at the local and state level.Requires that deadly force be used only as a last resort and requires officers to employ de-escalation techniques first. Changes the standard to evaluate whether law enforcement use of force was justified from whether the force was “reasonable” to whether the force was “necessary.” Condition grants on state and local law enforcement agencies’ establishing the same use of force standard.LIMIT MILITARY EQUIPMENT ON AMERICAN STREETS AND REQUIRES BODY CAMERASLimits the transfer of military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement.Requires federal uniformed police officers to wear body cameras and requires state and local law enforcement to use existing federal funds to ensure the use of police body cameras.Requires marked federal police vehicles to have dashboard cameras.HOLD POLICE ACCOUNTABLE IN COURTMakes it easier to prosecute offending officers by amending the federal criminal statute to prosecute police misconduct. The mens rea requirement in 18 U.S.C. Section 242 will be amended from “willfulness” to a “recklessness” standard.Enables individuals to recover damages in civil court when law enforcement officers violate their constitutional rights by eliminating qualified immunity for law enforcement.INVESTIGATE POLICE MISCONDUCTImproves the use of pattern and practice investigations at the federal level by granting the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division subpoena power and creates a grant program for state attorneys general to develop authority to conduct independent investigations into problematic police departments.EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITIES TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY IN AN EQUITABLE AND JUST WAYThis bill reinvests in our communities by supporting critical community-based programs to change the culture of law enforcement and empower our communities to reimagine public safety in an equitable and just way.It establishes public safety innovation grants for community-based organizations to create local commissions and task forces to help communities develop concrete alternative policing practices that create accountability. These local commissions would operate similar to President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.CHANGE THE CULTURE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH TRAINING TO BUILD INTEGRITY AND TRUSTRequires the creation of law enforcement accreditation standard recommendations based on President Obama’s Taskforce on 21st Century policing.Creates law enforcement development and training programs to develop best practices.Studies the impact of laws or rules that allow a law enforcement officer to delay answers to questions posed by investigators of law enforcement misconduct.Enhances funding for pattern and practice discrimination investigations and programs managed by the DOJ Community Relations Service.Requires the Attorney General to collect data on investigatory actions and detentions by federal law enforcement agencies; the racial distribution of drug charges; the use of deadly force by and against law enforcement officers; as well as traffic and pedestrian stops and detentions.Establishes a DOJ task force to coordinate the investigation, prosecution and enforcement efforts of federal, state and local governments in cases related to law enforcement misconduct.IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY BY COLLECTING DATA ON POLICE MISCONDUCT AND USE-OF-FORCECreates a nationwide police misconduct registry to prevent problematic officers who are fired or leave one agency, from moving to another jurisdiction without any accountability.Mandates state and local law enforcement agencies to report use of force data, disaggregated by race, sex, disability, religion, age.Now that this essential piece of legislation has once again passed the House, it is my sincere hope that the Senate will consider it without delay. The American people can wait for justice no longer.Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other, and remember that my office is here to help. Be sure to visit the COVID-19 page on my website for more information and resources. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you need assistance, please don't hesitate to call us at (703) 256-3071.