[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 114 (Monday, June 22, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3114-S3115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Justice in Policing Act

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, the American people are crying out for 
major, significant changes in policing in this country. Being killed by 
the police is now the sixth leading cause of death for young men in 
America. Young Black men are 2.5 times more likely than White men to be 
killed by police, while Black women are 1.4 times more likely than 
White women to be killed by police.
  As hundreds of thousands of Americans of all ages and colors take to 
the streets to demand change, we need legislation that rises to the 
moment. So Democrats introduced a bill 3 weeks ago that would bring 
strong, comprehensive, and lasting change to police departments across 
America: the Justice in Policing Act.
  Our colleagues in the House are expected to pass that bill this week. 
However, here in the Senate, our Republican colleagues have responded 
to our comprehensive proposal with an approach that is piecemeal and 
halfhearted. The longer you look at the Republican policing reform 
effort, the more obvious are the shortcomings and deficiencies.
  The Republican bill does nothing--nothing to reform the legal 
standards that shield police from accountability for violating 
Americans' constitutional rights. The Republican bill does nothing--
nothing to encourage independent investigations of police departments 
with patterns and practices that violate the Constitution. The 
Republican bill does nothing--nothing to reform the use of force 
standard, nothing--nothing on qualified immunity, nothing on racial 
profiling, and nothing on limiting the transfer of military equipment 
to police departments.
  The Republican bill doesn't even truly ban choke holds or no-knock 
warrants. It leaves major loopholes when it comes to choke holds and 
only requires more data on no-knock warrants. More data would not have 
saved Breonna Taylor's life. Allowing police to use choke holds 
whenever they say that deadly force is necessary is not going to save 
lives.
  We need a bill that achieves genuine police reform. The Republican 
proposal comes across like a list of suggestions.
  I would repeat this important warning: If we pass a bill that is 
ineffective and the killings continue and police departments resist 
change and there is no accountability, the wound in our society will 
not close; it will fester. This is not about making an effort or 
dipping our toes in the water. It must be about solving a problem that 
is taking the lives of too many Black Americans.
  This is not a time for studies or commissions or tinkering around the 
edges.

[[Page S3115]]

This is not a debate about tax policy or transportation policy. It is a 
matter of the constitutional rights of the American people, and it is 
truly a matter of life and death.
  Unfortunately, Senator Scott's bill is deeply and fundamentally 
flawed. It would not have prevented the death of George Floyd or 
Breonna Taylor or Ahmaud Arbery or Michael Brown or Eric Garner, and if 
it will not stop future deaths of Black Americans in police custody, 
then it does not represent the change that is demanded right now.