On Monday, the White House expressed its support for the police reform bill named after George Floyd, which aims to ban chokeholds during arrests and regulate the qualified immunity protection law enjoyed by law enforcement.
The proposed bill is still pending in the House and was named in honor of the Minnesota man who died in May of 2020 after a police officer kneeled on his neck during an arrest. The police held Floyd in the position despite the man's pleas for help and repeatedly saying that he cannot breathe.
On Wednesday, House Democrats also reintroduced the legislation on the police reform. George Floyd's death also sparked nationwide protests last year as people marched on the streets against racial injustice and police brutality, CNN reported.
In a statement, the Biden administration urged the passage of the bill. The White House stated that rebuilding the trust between people and the law enforcement entrusted to serve and protect is essential in making the communities safer.
The White House also stated that trust could not be rebuilt if the police are not held accountable for systemic racism, systemic misconduct, and abuse of power in the police departments.
The House Resolution 1280, also known as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, has several provisions which aim to overhaul the qualified immunity that the law enforcement officers have. It also has several provisions which ban no-knock warrants in federal drug cases and prohibits racial profiling.
Moreover, the George Floyd Policing Act also forbids chokeholds at the federal level. It would also classify chokeholds as a violation of civil rights.
The House also aims to establish a national registry of police misconduct that the Department of Justice would maintain. The proposed bill could be voted in the House within the week.
According to NBC News, Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, the legislation would address excessive force by the police and police misconduct while also creating greater transparency within law enforcement. He added that it would grant a direct avenue for the victims to redress.
Nadler further said that the legislation demonstrates how committed the federal government is to re-examining the practices of law enforcement and building a better relationship between them and the community.
Furthermore, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also stated that the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would curb police brutality incidents and address the problem with systemic racism. She added that the proposed law would establish new standards in combating police misconduct, as reported on the speaker's website.
Last year, a different version of the bill had been passed along partisan groups just after George Floyd's death. However, it was stalled in the Senate, which was largely controlled by the Republicans then.
In the statement it released on Monday, the White House stated that it urges the House to pass the legislation and that it looks forward to enacting a landmark law enforcement reform law together with Congress.
