September 24, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 166 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session

[Pages H4893-H4894]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       JUSTICE FOR BREONNA TAYLOR

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Green) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, and still I rise.
  Mr. Speaker, and still I rise in the name of justice for Breonna 
Taylor.
  Mr. Speaker, it has been widely reported that the death of Breonna 
Taylor is a tragedy. Her death is being reported as a tragedy: a 
tragedy because she was innocent, she committed no crime; a tragedy 
because it happened in her home in the midnight hour; a tragedy because 
she was unarmed. It has been reported that her death was a tragedy.
  But there is a question, Mr. Speaker, about her death that we have to 
ask that few want to hear, because few want to consider the answer. But 
this is the preeminent question as it relates to her death, a question 
that will haunt us because of the history that we have with race 
relations in this country.
  We have to ask the question. It is a question that the status quo 
doesn't want to hear, because the status quo is concerned about the 
answer. It is a question that deals with systemic discrimination.
  Today I ask the question: If Breonna Taylor were a 26-year-old 
innocent White woman--innocent White woman, innocent White woman--who 
was killed in the middle of the night when Black police officers 
intruded into her home,

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would her death be a tragedy or a crime?

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