05.25.22

Durbin Statement On President Biden's Executive Order On Effective, Accountable Policing

WASHINGTON – On the second anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on President Biden signing an Executive Order to advance effective, accountable policing and strengthen public safety:

“Two years ago, George Floyd died on the streets of Minneapolis with the knee of a police officer on his neck—an image that haunts me to this day.  The injustice of his killing is undeniable.  And so is the fact that systemic racism continues to plague America—including in far too many interactions between law enforcement and Black and Brown Americans.

“The House did its job in 2020 and passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.  Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, Senate Republicans refused to join Democrats to pass meaningful police reform legislation.  So today, President Biden took action and signed an Executive Order to advance effective, accountable policing and criminal justice practices that will build public trust and strengthen public safety. 

“I’m grateful to the President for working with both the civil rights community and law enforcement to craft this measure.  However, a set of policies will not erase generations of systemic racism.  We must continue this conversation and actively work to build a more just and equitable America—including through working on a bipartisan basis in Congress to create safer communities for all Americans.”

Durbin attended today’s White House Executive Order signing ceremony.  Durbin is a cosponsor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020, a comprehensive approach to hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement, and build trust between law enforcement and our communities.

 

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