[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 113 (Thursday, June 18, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E549]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE LIFE OF MR. GEORGE FLOYD AND CALLING FOR SYSTEMIC LAW 
                 ENFORCEMENT REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 18, 2020

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mr. 
George Floyd and to call for systemic law enforcement reform and 
accountability in our nation.
  On May 25, 2020, Mr. George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis 
Police officer while three other officers stood by. This was a horrific 
crime that demands that the perpetrators be held fully accountable by 
our justice system and our society. The shocking video of Mr. Floyd's 
murder makes us all a witness to the brutally cruel and excessive 
treatment that caused Mr. Floyd's death. Now that the four officers 
involved in this outrageous act have been taken into custody and 
charged, the family of Mr. Floyd and our communities deserve to see 
justice done.
  But the tragic death of Mr. Floyd was not an isolated incident of the 
cruel and excessive use of force against Black Americans or other 
people of color in police custody. It is only the latest example of a 
systemic problem that has plagued every state in this nation for 
generations. It is the duty of police and peace officers to keep our 
communities safe, but protecting public safety fundamentally demands a 
respect for the civil rights and human rights of all residents. All too 
often, people of color do not get that respect from the police.
  Mr. Floyd should be alive today. He was a loving father and a proud 
older brother who looked out for his siblings. His family describes him 
as a kind soul and a gentle giant. My thoughts and prayers are with his 
family in their time of grief.
  Mr. Floyd's death was a senseless tragedy that should never have 
happened. What we can do now to honor his memory is to finally bring 
accountability to our law enforcement practices and ensure that 
everyone in this nation regardless of the color of their skin is 
treated with dignity and respect. In Congress, that means passing the 
Justice in Policing Act of 2020. Madam Speaker, I am proud that the 
House of Representatives is advancing this critical reform legislation 
to a vote on the floor so that every Member of Congress has the 
opportunity to say loud and clear--no more.

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