Rep. Cleaver Votes In Favor of Transformational George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

(Washington, D.C.) - Last night, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The transformative legislation would reimagine the culture of policing in the United States with significant reforms to curb police brutality, end racial profiling, eliminate qualified immunity for law enforcement and build greater trust between law enforcement and communities across the country.

'The murder of George Floyd last summer shocked the conscience of the nation and laid bare for the world to see just how far the United States still must travel to fulfill its foundational principle that all people are to be treated equally under the law,' said Congressman Cleaver. 'I'm proud to once again be an original cosponsor of this vital legislation, which would take significant steps to ensure that what happened to George Floyd-and countless other Black and Brown individuals in the United States-never happens again.'

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would implement numerous reforms to ensure the structural change needed to combat the pattern of police brutality and racial injustice that has been tolerated in law enforcement for far too long, including:

• Banning all chokeholds from law enforcement;
• Banning no-knock warrants in drug cases;
• Ending racial, religious and discriminatory profiling;
• Eliminating the qualified immunity doctrine that is a barrier to holding police officers accountable for misconduct;
• Establishing a National Police Misconduct Registry to improve transparency and prevent problematic officers who are fired or leave one agency, from moving to another jurisdiction without any accountability;
• Requiring data collection, including mandatory body cameras and dashboard cameras;
• Establishing new standards for policing and the Public Safety Innovation grants for community-based organizations to help reimagine policing in their communities; and more.

'I stand with countless Missourians of all stripes and from all walks of life who are demanding structural changes to a policing system that has been immune from accountability for far too long,' said Congressman Cleaver. 'The time has come for the U.S. Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and announce to the world that Black Lives Matter in America.'

You can find a Fact Sheet on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Acthere.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or [email protected] A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.