[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 88 (Tuesday, May 21, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H3393-H3395]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING GEORGE FLOYD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 9, 2023, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.


                             General Leave

  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of the 
Special Order hour.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is now my privilege to address you.
  In the play ``Julius Caesar,'' Mark Antony proclaims: ``What cause 
withholds you then to mourn for him?''
  I rise tonight because this is our question today. By what measure 
and according to what standard might we allow this week to slip between 
our fingers and not remember what happened on a street in Minneapolis 
on May 25? What in all creation would justify our forgetting a 
collective unconsciousness?
  We are summoned into this Chamber tonight because George Floyd should 
be alive today. He should be enjoying the matriculation of his daughter 
from one grade to the next. He should be living out his days under the 
protections afforded to every American citizen, such as the presumption 
of innocence, equal protection under the law, and all the Eighth 
Amendment rights against cruel and unusual punishment.

                              {time}  1945

  Tragically, none of what ought to be is true in the case of Mr. 
George Floyd. George Floyd is not alive, George Floyd was not 
protected, and George Floyd was not a victim of just bigotry and 
neglect. He was killed by the very institution employed to ensure his 
safety.
  This is what happens when people don't see you as being someone and 
something worthy of protection. This is what happens when you are 
viewed as a threat and Blackness is seen as a problem and not as a gift 
to the world. Indeed, what happened to Mr. George Floyd over a $20 
alleged bill--they said there was a $20 bill that was counterfeited--
that had the assistance of five officers dressed in uniform, in broad 
daylight, to suffocate him. No one would ever know what happened to the 
alleged $20 fraudulent bill.
  What happened to George Floyd is a predictable outcome when the 
country you live in would rather build prisons than reimagine schools, 
would rather blame poverty on the poor but never question the gluttony 
of the rich, and would rather ignore the persistent evil of racism as 
if the record of our inability to honor each other's humanity had not 
already resulted in tragedy and death.
  The beaches of American history are cluttered with the bleached bones 
of the innocent, needlessly slaughtered on the battlefield of this 
Nation's preoccupation with subjugation and hatred. I remind Members 
that Mr. George Floyd died in the new millennium. This isn't some type 
of tragedy I am talking about from a century ago. This was the new 
millennium, and George Floyd deserves to be alive today.
  What happened to Mr. George Floyd is the rhyme that makes history, it 
makes whatever we fail to be honest about: racism, militarism, and, 
indeed, a destructive system.
  We have gathered here today to answer Mark Antony's question. There 
is no cause, and there are no foreseeable circumstances that would 
compel us to forget what happened to Mr. George Floyd.
  George Floyd was murdered by a police officer who refused to see the 
humanity of the helpless, who refused to see the humanity of a 
handcuffed man, who refused to see a man gasping for his last breath 
with a knee wedged on his back while suffocating him and imperiled. I 
say to Members: Anyone born of a woman should have been able to 
identify with the pleading of George Floyd not to lose his life.
  Mr. Floyd asked for his mother as he gasped his last breath. One does 
not need a graduate degree in ethics, morality, or philosophy to have 
been moved by the elegy of George Floyd. Not only does this event say 
something about the totalitarian impulses of policing in America, but 
it also says something about the kind of Nation we have allowed 
ourselves to become.
  We have also allowed certain political influences to compel us to see 
each other as enemies and not merely as adversaries. We have allowed 
resentment to determine how we respond to one another and not what is 
required of us if we are to survive.
  This week also presents us with a golden opportunity that we cannot 
ignore. The painful anniversary of the murder of George Floyd presents 
us with a chance to not only recommit ourselves to the eradication of 
racism and police-sponsored violence in America, but it also reminds us 
that there is a piece of legislation pending in the Senate that needs 
to be passed right away.
  The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act deserves to be taken under 
consideration by every United States Senator immediately because not 
reforming how Black people are policed in this country will render the 
murder of George Floyd a tragedy, but nothing more. I say to my 
colleagues today: Why settle for a tragedy when we can pass the George 
Floyd Justice in Policing Act and we can make a new beginning. We have 
it within our power to make sure that what happened on May 25, 2020, 
just 4 years ago, never happens again.
  We have it within our reach to lift America from the fatigue of 
despair to the buoyancy of hope. Every Member of the United States 
Senate has a moral obligation to reconsider and, indeed, pass the 
George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and not hide behind the politics 
of our respective parties.
  The question before us is a simple one: Do my colleagues want our 
beloved and great country to be a place that is safe and fit for our 
children to forge a future without fear and the prospect of 
indiscriminate hate and violence?
  If the answer is yes, then let us work toward getting together to 
ensure that we will never again be driven into this Chamber to remember 
the death of innocence.
  If the answer is yes, then let us choose a more excellent way.
  If the answer is yes, then let us not be weary in well doing, for in 
due season we will reap what we have sown if we faint not.
  Mr. Speaker, it is so important that, today, we remember those from 
Central Park, the innocent young men who were tortured into a false 
confession. They received no mercy 35 years ago. They received no 
recognition by a former President 35 years later. Those young men had 
their lives turned upside down when they were accused of a hateful, 
vengeful attack and rape--indeed, it was done by a person who had been 
convicted of such. Yet, this man asked for these men to be given the 
death penalty, and these were teenagers who had been found innocent.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib).
  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, my wonderful colleague 
from Illinois, who continues to speak truth to power, especially around 
police violence.
  Mr. Speaker, George Floyd's life mattered. We all know and keep 
chanting, Black lives matter, but we have to show it in action.
  Today, I am thinking of George Floyd's daughter, Gianna, who will 
grow up without him. I can still hear George Floyd crying out for his 
mama, yelling: ``I can't breathe,'' more than 20 times while he was 
murdered by police, pleading for his life for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. 
His murder and the countless others in the hands of police sparked 
outrage, mobilization, and movements for change.

  I saw with my own eyes, right here on this House floor, watching 
Republicans and Democrats come together and passing the George Floyd 
Justice in Policing Act while it went to the Senate to die.
  His murder and the countless others in the hands of police require us 
all to

[[Page H3394]]

understand the truth about what is going on in our neighborhoods and 
our communities. We demand that this body take immediate action to 
dismantle systemic racism in our country and systems designed to 
oppress Black and Brown lives in every corner of our country. It is not 
enough, Mr. Speaker, to honor George Floyd's life with words. We must 
honor his life with action.
  The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act has still not been signed 
into law 4 years later. Last year was the deadliest year of police 
violence on record. That should shock us all.
  Just this month, Mr. Speaker, Roger Fortson, a Black senior airman, 
was shot six times by police and killed at his home in Florida. This is 
his family. Just watching his mother kneel down at his open casket, 
that should be enough for us to act.
  How many more mothers have to experience the loss of their child?
  When will Congress finally act?
  We must ensure true accountability, justice, and reparations for the 
generations of harm that policing in our Nation has inflicted on our 
Black neighbors.
  This is the justice they deserve: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Roger 
Fortson, and so many others who have lost their lives to police 
violence. That is the least they deserve. This is justice for our 
communities, and they deserve to be fully seen, heard, and protected.
  I will continue, along with my good colleague from Illinois, to 
continue to push for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in 
Policing Act.
  I know, in Detroit, where I grew up, the most beautiful, Blackest 
city in the country, for all those who continue to demand justice in 
our communities, know this: The President of the United States didn't 
wake up one day and say the Civil Rights Act was a good thing. People 
marched, did sit-ins, and did boycotts until they moved this 
institution and the White House. We will continue to march. We will 
continue to demand that Black lives matter in our country.
  Again, with my good colleague, we will continue to demand that the 
George Floyd Justice in Policing Act pass this Chamber, through the 
Senate, and to the President's desk.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my good colleague from Illinois for yielding to 
me.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honorable 
Congresswoman from the great State of Michigan (Ms. Tlaib) for her 
outspokenness.
  Mr. Speaker, we have heard from my distinguished colleagues today 
about policing in our communities and about the loss of innocence, all 
issues of great importance to the Congressional Black Caucus, our 
constituents, Congress, and all Americans tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, this week marks a somber 
anniversary in our Nation's history. Four years ago, our Nation watched 
in outrage, as yet another Black man was brutally killed by a police 
officer who betrayed his oath of service to his community.
  George Floyd's murder sparked an ongoing national conversation that 
shone a bright light on the racism that exists in every corner of our 
society. As a Nation, we have a moral imperative to root out these 
injustices and build a better society.
  In memory of George Floyd, I urge my colleagues to pass the George 
Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which will deliver meaningful reform for 
our communities, hold rogue officers accountable, and save lives. 
Congress' inaction is unacceptable when we all recognize there is a 
problem and there are concrete steps we can be taking to save lives. I 
urge the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and thank 
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and the Congressional Black Caucus for their 
leadership to make our communities safer.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Committee on 
the Judiciary, and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime and 
Federal Government Surveillance, I want to thank my colleagues for 
hosting this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order to discuss the 
families of police violence, their experiences, and the CBC's 
commitment to enhancing public safety in this nation.
  The horrifying killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, by a 
Minneapolis police officer shocked and awakened the moral consciousness 
of the nation.
  The world witnessed the brutal and traumatizing nine minutes where 
George Floyd begged for his life--uttering his last words ``I can't 
breathe''--as an officer, ignoring the pleas of George and all those 
witnessing his death, refused to lift his knee off the neck of George 
suffocating him and ending his life.
  ``I can't breathe'' continues to echo around the world alongside our 
cries for justice, change, and protection from and under the law.
  We are horrified by the continued massacre of Black bodies in this 
country for merely existing.
  Our homes, our cars, and our neighborhoods continue to be invaded 
with violence at the hands of racist ideologies that breed fear into 
our institutions and threaten our lives.
  There have been countless murders of Black Americans by the state.
  Just last week, Roger Fortson, a 23-year-old Black U.S. airman was 
shot and killed in his own home by a Florida deputy.
  This vicious cycle must end.
  There are countless young Black men and women who have had their 
lives tragically cut short by law enforcement officers who took their 
lives in their hands.
  This year also marks one year since Tyre Nichols was brutally beaten 
by five Memphis police officers to the point of being unrecognizable.
  The nation was shocked but not surprised by his murder, comparing it 
to the police beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles 32 years prior.
  And of course, this isn't a new phenomenon of racist abuses of power.
  Indeed, the history goes back much further, past Amadou Diallo in New 
York City, past the Central Park Five, past Emmitt Till, past the 
racist abuse of law enforcement power during the struggle for civil 
rights and equal treatment.
  But we also must remember that are countless lives and stories that 
did not make headlines. Stories of victims who never received justice 
and family members who never received closure.
  Just this year alone, police have killed 93 Black people in the 
U.S.--93 in less than 5 months.
  These are not isolated killings, as they are occurring all across the 
United States, in 28 states documented this year by Mapping Police 
Violence.
  According to a recent ABC poll, 39 percent of Americans are confident 
that the police in this country are adequately trained to avoid the use 
of excessive force.
  For the first time in the nine-year history of this question, just 
under half of white Americans say they are confident about police 
avoiding excessive force or racial bias. About two-thirds of Hispanic 
Americans lack confidence in police on both excessive force and racial 
bias.
  Americans are 41 percent confident in police treating Black and white 
people equally.
  Despite an uptick in legislation and police reform since June 2020, 
there has been a steady increase in police killings.
  In 2020, 1,152 people were killed at the hands of the police, in a 
year where much of the population was stuck at home during a pandemic. 
In 2021, police killed 1,145 people.
  In 2022, murders by the U.S. police force reached a record high. At 
least 1,176 people were killed, an average of 3 murders per day, making 
2022 one of the deadliest years on record.
  The murders are never ending.
  Bianca Austin, Breonna Taylor's aunt said that ``there was a movement 
and uproar across the globe, and we're still having more killings? What 
are we doing wrong? It's so disheartening''.
  It is so true. It seems like the United States is sliding backwards. 
We had a grandiose movement, where people from all over came together 
to say this is wrong, yet it does not seem like we have progressed.
  How can we make America better for Black men and women? For American 
Natives? For the LGBT community? For immigrants? For each other?
  We are all deserving of better, but we must work together to do 
better.
  The death of Tyre Nichols and Roger Fortson has created serious 
urgency for the re-introduction of the George Floyd Justice in Policing 
Act. The legislation was the product of intense bipartisan negotiations 
with civil rights advocates, law enforcement stakeholders and the 
Department of Justice.
  The legislation is truly an omnibus product and reflects 
contributions from across the Congressional Black Caucus, including 
bills like the PRIDE Act; the PEACE Act; the End Racial Profiling Act; 
and the Eric Garner Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act.
  The House has twice passed the George Floyd Act, with the support of 
219 Democrats in 117th Congress. It is critical that we introduce the 
legislation with overwhelming support this Congress. Last Congress, the 
bill gained 199 cosponsors.
  Last Congress the Senate failed to introduce the George Floyd Act, 
largely because Senate Republicans failed to engage in good faith 
negotiations. The current high watermark for Senate cosponsorship is 37 
Democrats in

[[Page H3395]]

the 116th Congress. It is important that Senate Democrats timely 
introduce the George Floyd bill with significant cosponsorship and not 
repeat efforts that stymied action on the legislation.
  Two years after the murder of George Floyd, in May 2022, the Biden 
administration released a police reform executive order. Key reforms in 
President Joe Biden's executive order include:
  Improving data collection. All federal law enforcement agencies will 
contribute to a National Law Enforcement Accountability Database 
regarding instances of police misconduct as well as submit information 
to the FBI related to use-of-force incidents. The U.S. attorney general 
will review the status of and compliance with federal reporting 
requirements. This also includes the issuance of guidance to state, 
local, and tribal law enforcement agencies on best practices for 
contributing their data to federal systems.
  Revising use-of-force standards. All federal law enforcement agencies 
will revise their use-of-force policies to ensure they meet or exceed 
the standards included in the recently revised policy for the 
Department of Justice. The Department of Justice's policy provides that 
use of force is permitted only when ``no reasonably effective, safe, 
and feasible alternative appears to exist.'' All federal law 
enforcement use-of-force policies will also include de-escalation 
provisions as well as an affirmative duty to intervene to stop 
excessive use of force and render medical aid.
  Limiting the use of no-knock entries. Building upon the U.S. 
Department of Justice's September 2021 policy, all federal law 
enforcement agencies will be prohibited from the use of no-knock 
entries unless an agent has reasonable grounds to believe that knocking 
and announcing the agent's presence would create an imminent threat of 
physical violence to the officer and/or another person.
  Limiting the militarization of law enforcement. Federal agencies are 
restricted from transferring and selling additional types of military 
equipment to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, 
expanding the Obama-era restriction on this practice.
  Credentialing of police agencies. The attorney general will develop 
and implement a process by which state, local, and tribal law 
enforcement agencies will seek accreditation by an independent entity.
  Leveraging federal grants. Federal discretionary grants will be 
awarded to state, local, and tribal governments to encourage compliance 
with the executive order. This will include an assessment of what 
discretionary grants will be limited to the law enforcement agencies 
that achieve accreditation.
  Improving crisis response to include alternatives. Guidance will be 
issued and resources identified to support state, local, tribal, and 
territorial officials as they implement a range of alternative first-
responder models to meet the needs of people experiencing a behavioral 
or mental health crises or persons who have disabilities. This includes 
civilian community responder models being developed in jurisdictions 
across the country that do not include police officers.
  The executive order also contains important provisions that improve 
investigations into deaths in police custody; strengthen the 
effectiveness of pattern-of-practice investigations; ban choke holds 
and carotid restraints except in certain circumstances where use of 
deadly force is authorized; enhance recruitment, training, and 
retention practices; ensure the use of body-worn cameras by federal law 
enforcement officers; and advance key criminal justice reform and 
reentry measures.
  Advocated have also urged that Congress do its part by passing 
comprehensive police reform legislation that creates meaningful 
accountability and restores trust between police and the communities 
they serve by eliminating qualified immunity and strengthening civil 
rights protections.
  Legislative reforms will follow the pattern of the George Floyd 
Justice in Poling Act: amending 18 U.S.C. Section 242, which defines 
the circumstance when a government official can be criminally 
responsible for violating someone's civil rights. (Section 242 does not 
specifically define prohibited conduct and has historically been 
interpreted too narrowly, failing to hold police officers accountable 
for a wide range of misconduct.)
  Legislative action is also needed to reform/eliminate the judicial 
doctrine of qualified immunity that drastically reduces the legal 
liability of police officers. Qualified immunity limits the 
circumstances in which an individual can sue a police officer for 
violating their civil rights only to situations where the behavior 
violates ``clearly established law.'' This strict legal standard 
curtails accountability in policing to such a degree that officers face 
few repercussions--even when their conduct violates the Constitution.
  While it is broadly recognized within the police reform movement that 
changes to the doctrine of qualified immunity and Section 242 are 
needed, Congress will need to pass legislation for these changes to 
become law.
  As I have stated many times, direct action is vitally important but 
to be effective it must be accompanied by political, legislative, and 
governmental action, which is necessary because the strength and 
foundation of democratic government rests upon the consent and 
confidence of the governed.
  Effective enforcement of the law and administration of justice 
requires the confidence of the community that the law will be enforced 
impartially and that all persons are treated equally without regard to 
race or ethnicity or religion or national origin.
  As the great jurist Judge Learned Hand said: ``If we are to keep our 
democracy, there must be one commandment: thou shalt not ration 
justice.''
  Equal justice is the proud promise America makes to all persons; the 
George Floyd Justice in Policing Act will help make that promise a 
lived reality for African Americans, who have not ever known it to be 
true in the area of community-police relations.
  And when Black Lives Matter, then and only then can it truthfully be 
said that all lives matter.

                          ____________________