House passes Democrat-led bill for sweeping police reform in wake of George Floyd's death

House passes Democrat-led bill for sweeping police reform in wake of George Floyd's death

NBC News
By Rebecca Shabad and
Dartunorro Clark
June 25, 2020

BREAKING: U.S. House passes sweeping policing reform bill, largely along party lines, that aims to address systemic racism and police brutality in wake of the police killing of George Floyd; Minnesota Rep. Omar presided over the vote.

WASHINGTON — The House passed a sweeping police reform bill on Thursday largely along party lines to address systemic racism and police brutality in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

"Exactly one month ago, George Floyd spoke his final words — ‘I can’t breathe’ — and changed the course of history," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said on the steps outside the Capitol Thursday morning, flanked by House Democrats, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus, chaired by Rep. Karen Bass of California.

Americans have since been demanding that that "moment of national agony become one of national action," Pelosi said hours before the 236-181 vote.

Applause broke out in the chamber after the bill's passage. Three Republicans — Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Will Hurd of Texas and Fred Upton of Michigan — broke ranks and joined Dems in supporting the bill.

"The George Floyd Justice and Policing Act will fundamentally transform the culture of policing to address systemic racism, curb police brutality and bring accountability to our police departments," Pelosi said. "It will save lives."

Bass said that it was not until the advent of cellphone cameras that stories of police abuse "were finally exposed to the world," and that deaths were previously "disregarded, not believed, not acknowledged."

"We are supposed to be the beacon of hope for human rights in other countries, and the Justice and Policing Act is a bill for human rights in our country," Bass said.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., presided over the afternoon debate as speaker pro tempore. Omar represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, which covers the city of Minneapolis, where Floyd died on May 25 while in police custody after an officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes.

"This is the first step in bringing real change to policing in this country," said Omar in a statement following the vote. "My community has been crying out for justice and real reform for decades."

"This legislation is an important step in the right direction, but we can’t stop here, she said. "We must heed the calls of the people who are impacted by police brutality daily and restructure broken police departments across our country." Read more