Unfortunately, we know that far too often throughout our history and even today, our nation has failed to live up to our highest ideals. Eight minutes and 46 seconds. Thats how long a Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the neck of george floyd. An unarmed, handcuffed black man lying on the pavement. For four for eight minutes and 46 seconds. George floyd pleaded for his life. He said, i cant breathe. He cried out for his mother. He suffered and then he was silent. Millions of americans watched the video in shock and horror. Why didnt the officer just lift his knee off of mr. Floyds neck . Why didnt he just lift his knee up for just a minute, just lift it up . Why didnt one, just one of the other officers push his knee off of mr. Floyds neck . Whats happening in america that someone let alone Police Officers thought this was okay . Of course, we know it was not okay. It was not okay. It was a crime. It was murder. Watching those images has awakened something deep in the s
Protected civil rights writ large. So this is going to require a longterm bipartisan commitment. But not just from us in washington but folks in the state capitals, city halls, and Police Departments across the country. Because ultimately its the local officials that have the responsibility to hire and fire the police chief, to make sure that bad Police Officers are removed from the force. And thats where the nearterm responsibility needs to lie, because we dont have that capability here. But we do believe, i do believe there are concrete steps we can take right now to address the racial injustices that were exposed once again with the death of mr. Floyd. So i appreciate senator scott and leader mcconnell for responding to this crisis with the urgency that it deserves, and im proud to be part of this effort in the senate. Mr. President , i yield the floor. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call the presiding officer the senator from. The presiding officer the s
Mr. Biden mr. Mayor, thanks for your hospitality, and to all the elected officials that are here, i bring you greetings. I cant breathe. I cant breathe. George floyds last words, but it didnt die with them, are still being heard echoing all across this nation. They speak to a nation where too often just the color of your skin put your life at risk. They speak to a nation where more than 100,000 people have lost their lives to violence, 40 million have filed for unemployment with a disproportionate number of those deaths and job losses concentrated in black and brown communities. They speak to a nation where every day millions of people, and millions, not a moment of losing the light but in the course of living the life are saying to themselves, i cant breathe. Mr. Biden its a wakeup call to our nation in my view. Its for all of us, and i mean all of us. Its not the first time we heard those words. They are the same words we heard from eric garner when his life was taken away six years
President trumps recent handling of the protest and called on congress to begin addressing racial injustice. Mr. Biden mr. Mayor, thanks for your hospitality, and to all the elected officials that are here, i bring you greetings. I cant breathe. I cant breathe. George floyds last words, but it didnt die with them, are still being heard echoing all across this nation. They speak to a nation where too often just the color of your skin put your life at risk. They speak to a nation where more than 100,000 people have lost their lives to violence, 40 million have filed for unemployment with a disproportionate number of those deaths and job losses concentrated in black and brown communities. They speak to a nation where every day millions of people, and millions, not a moment of losing their life, but in the course of living the life are saying to themselves, i cant breathe. Its a wakeup call to our nation in my view. Its for all of us, and i mean all of us. Its not the first time we heard t
I cant breathe. George floyds last words, but it didnt die with them, are still being heard echoing all across this nation. They speak to a nation where too often just the color of your skin put your life at risk. They speak to a nation where more than 100,000 people have lost their lives to violence, 40 million have filed for unemployment with a disproportionate number of those deaths and job losses concentrated in black and brown communities. They speak to a nation where every day millions of people, and millions, not a moment of losing their life, but in the course of living the life are saying to themselves, i cant breathe. Its a wakeup call to our nation in my view. Its for all of us, and i mean all of us. Its not the first time we heard those words. They are the same words we heard from eric garner when his life was taken away six years ago. But its time to listen to those words, to try to understand them, to respond to them, respond with action. They country is crying out for th