WASHINGTON, DC – Earlier today, U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives in support of H.R. 7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020. Rep. Jeffries urged his colleagues to act to end racial profiling, criminalize the chokehold, demilitarize the police, end qualified immunity, create a national standard on excessive use of force, create a database of brutal officers and expand the DOJ Office of Civil Rights’ jurisdiction.

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Remarks as delivered:

“To the protesters: we hear you, we see you, we are you. 

We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired. 

America is a great country; we’ve come a long way, we still have a long way to go. 

We’re tired of police violence in a country where the Declaration of Independence promises life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

We’re tired of police violence in a country where the Pledge of Allegiance promises liberty and justice for all.

We’re tired of police violence in a country where the Constitution promises equal protection under the law. 

We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act includes H.R. 4408, the Eric Garner Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act, legislation Rep. Jeffries originally introduced in 2015 to make the chokehold and other strangulation tactics illegal under federal civil rights law.