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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT OF 2020
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speech of
HON. PETER A. DeFAZIO
of oregon
in the house of representatives
Thursday, June 25, 2020
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, nearly a month ago, our nation watched in
horror as a white Minneapolis, MN police officer murdered George Floyd.
His murder, and those of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbury, Rayshard
Brooks, and far too many others, serve as a sobering reminder of the
original sin on which our nation has been built--the brutal legacy of
slavery, segregation, oppression, and discrimination spanning more than
400 years.
In the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, thousands of Americans
peacefully assembled in every state and the District of Columbia to
exercise their First Amendment rights to protest and petition their
government for change. My hometown, which has a proud tradition of
civic participation and free speech expression, saw the largest protest
in our history as residents demanded immediate justice and reform.
On Tuesday, June 23, I held a listening session with Black Lives
Matter activists, community organizers, and local officials to discuss
systemic racism, police brutality, and what it will take to heal the
deep wounds that still ail our nation. This session was powerful and
moving, cementing my commitment to the eradication of racism in every
corner of the nation. Racism is present in nearly every institution,
every system.
One individual, whose family has lived in Oregon for generations,
shared her family's experience growing up in segregated Eugene, OR. Her
mother's two sisters, only four and six years old, were hit by a fast-
moving vehicle and when community members called for help, no ambulance
came. They both died. Why? Because the victims were two black girls.
They were seen as less than human, and our public safety response
treated them like they were. Racism is present in our public safety and
emergency response.
A member of the CAHOOTS Crisis Response team also joined our
discussion. CAHOOTS is a nonprofit in our district which provides
mental health crisis intervention. Last year alone, CAHOOTS responded
to roughly 20 percent of the area's 911 and public safety calls.
She shared how just a few weeks ago, she convinced an armed black man
in crisis--surrounded by armed police--to disarm himself. She then
escorted him to her van, uncuffed, and helped him receive the mental
health intervention he needed. CAHOOTS is a model for what our future
public safety response could look like, and heroes like her exemplify
how an armed response may not always be the best or most appropriate
response.
One activist spoke about her experience with racism in professional
spaces. She told me about how her identity as a Black woman made her
supervisors scrutinize her work more heavily and less willing to help
when employees of color were dealing with personal struggles. Racism is
present in our workplaces.
One community leader, joined by a separate activist, discussed
disparities in mental health and how our healthcare system often fails
Black Americans and people of color. They called for the creation of
institutions that specialize in delivering mental health care to people
of color because it's clear: racism is present in our healthcare system
and its consequences can be fatal.
Racism is present in nearly every sector of American life, and
everywhere around our nation, including in the progressive communities
of Eugene and Springfield, where I call home. It is abundantly clear we
have reached a tipping point. Americans will no longer tolerate
antiquated systems of oppression. They are demanding that their
government act, and I have heard their calls. I am committed to
proactively working to dismantle institutional racism and oppression.
It will take anti-racist policy and direct action to finally exorcise
these evils and heal the wounds they created.
We must rethink and reform our institutions. The Justice in Policing
Act is a critical first step; but make no mistake, much more work needs
to be done. We must look at increasing funding for alternative public
safety programs.
We must fight racism in every corner of the country. It is a cancer.
Too long it has been ignored and allowed to grow and divide out of
control. We must, and we will, take a stand here and now. Enough is
enough.
____________________