The House Committee on the judiciary will come to order. Without objections, the chair is authorized to declare recesses of the committee at any time. We welcome everyone to this hearing on policing practices and Law Enforcement accountability. I thank all of our members and witnesses for participating, both in person and remotely. I appreciate all the work that went into making use of this room and the technology we are using possible. Before we begin, i would like to remind members we have established an email address and distribution list dedicated to circulating exhibits, motions, or other written materials members might want to offer as part of our hearing. If you would like to submit turtles, please send them to the email address that has been previously distributed to your offices, and we will circulate the materials to members and staff as quickly as we can. In light of what is going on in the world today, i ask that everyone in the room wear a mask at all times other than when you are a speaker, when you are speaking, a member, when here she is speaking, please wear a mask at all times. This is for public health. I now recognize myself for an opening statement. We are familiar with the terrifying words, i cant breathe. They were uttered in minneapolis by george floyd while a Police Officer pinned a need to his neck for a chilling eight minutes and 46 seconds, taking from him the final breath of life. Six years ago, eric garner uttered those exact same fateful words while locked in a chokehold in new york city. He, too, died at the hands of Law Enforcement. Millions of americans have now i cant breathe, as a rallying cry and streets around the country, demanding fundamental change in the culture of Law Enforcement and accountability for officers. Today, we answer their call. Our hearts ache for the loss of george floyd and eric garner. They ache for breonna taylor, tamir rice, freddie gray, walter tamirmir rice, rice, and so many other victims of Police Violence in all parts of america. Their shocking death sparked momentary outrage, but no fundamental change. And for every incident of Excessive Force that makes headlines, the ugly truth is that there are countless others that we never hear about. Every day, africanamericans and other people of color live in fear of harassment and violence at the hands of some Law Enforcement officers. This is their reality. Our countrys history of racism and racially motivated violence rooted in the original sin of slavery continues to haunt our nation. To those who do not believe it, please look at the tragic statistics. Africanamericans are more than twice as likely to be shot and killed by police each year, and black men between the ages of 15 old ared and 34 years approximately 10 times more likely to be killed by police than other americans. This outrage is a reality we must change. Today, we look for ways to prevent racist acts of violence by Police Officers, to hold accountable those who commit such acts, and strengthen the trust between Law Enforcement and the communities they serve. On monday, i joined the chair of the crime subcommittee, karen bass, as well as the Congressional Black Caucus in introducing the justice in policing act, which would further that cause. The bill now has over 200 cosponsors in the house and 36 cosponsors in the senate. I want to make clear at the outset that the bill is not an indictment of all Police Officers. We must always remember that most Law Enforcement officers do their jobs with dignity, selflessness, and honor, and they are deserving of respect and gratitude for all they do to keep us safe. We owe a debt that can never be paid to the too many officers killed in the line of duty every year, and it is clear that there are many officers, including some local Police Chiefs who marched arm in arm with their communities, who want to separate themselves from the dangerous behavior of others in the profession. But there are too many officers who abuse their authority, and we cannot be blind to the racism and injustice that pervades far too many of our Law Enforcement agencies. The nation is demanding that we enact meaningful change. This is a systemic problem that requires a comprehensive solution. That is why the justice in policing act takes a holistic approach that includes a variety of front end reforms to change the culture of Law Enforcement while also holding bad Police Officers accountable, to separate them with a true ethic to protect and serve. Among other things, the bill would make it easier for the federal government to prosecute Police Misconduct cases successfully. It would ban chokeholds. It would end racial profiling. It would encourage prosecution independent of local police, and remove the dubious idea of qualified immunity for Law Enforcement. The department should meet a Gold Standard in training, hiring, deescalation strategies, bystander duty, and use of body cameras and other best practices. It also creates a new Grant Program for communitybased organizations to create local taskforces on policing innovation that would reimagine Public Safety so that it is just as equitable for all americans. The goal of this legislation is to achieve a guardian, not warrior model of policing. The justice in policing act is bold and transformative while also taking a responsible and balanced approach to the many complicated issues associated with policing. I look forward to bringing it before our committee in short order. To the activists who have been sounding the alarm for years only to be ignored and greeted with half measures, it is because of your persistence and determination that we are here today. If there is one thing i have taken away from the tragic events of the last month, it is that the nation demands and deserves meaningful change. We can and should debate the specifics, but at the end of the day, it is the responsibility and the obligation of the House Judiciary Committee to do everything in our power to help deliver that change for the American People. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses, who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the many issues we are examining today and will help guide us in that process. But first, i want to address one witness, the brother of george floyd. We are all very sorry for your loss, and we appreciate your being here today to discuss your brothers life. We must remember he is not just a cause, a name to be chanted on the streets. He was a man. He had a family. He was known as a gentle giant. He had a rich life that was taken away from him far too early. We mourn his loss. This is a very difficult time for our nation, we have lost more than 110,000 people to covid19, a toll that has fallen disproportionately on people of color. We have lost brave Police Officers and other frontline workers who risked their lives to serve their communities. We have lost george floyd, breonna taylor, and the many victims of Excessive Force by Law Enforcement. We must act today to honor their memory. I now recognize the Ranking Member of the judiciary the gentleman from ohio, mr. Jordan, for his Opening Statements. Jordan i want to thank all of our witnesses for being here today and extend our sympathy to mr. Floyd. We are also sorry for your loss and for what your families have had to live through and had to endure. Mr. Floyd, the murder of your brother in the custody of Minneapolis Police is a tragedy, it never should have happened, its as wrong as wrong could be, and your brothers killers will face justice. The murder of your brother by the riders in oakland is a tragedy and never should have happened. It is as wrong as wrong can be, and your brothers killers will face justice. There are 330 Million People in this great country, the greatest nation ever, not perfect, but the greatest ever. But the best nation ever. And they understand, the American People understand it is time for a real discussion, real debate, Real Solutions about Police Treatment of africanamericans. Americans also understand that peaceful protests, exercising their First Amendment liberties honors George Floyds memory and it helps that discussion, debate, and solutions happen. The people of this great country, you know what else they understand . You know what else they get . They understand there is a big difference between peaceful protests and rioting. There is a big difference between peaceful protests and looting. There is a big difference between peaceful protests and violence and attacking innocent people. And there is certainly a big difference between peaceful protests and killing Police Officers. You know what else they get . You know what else the American People fully understand . They know the vast majority of Law Enforcement officers are responsible, hardworking, heroic first responders. They are the officers who protect us every single day. They are the officers who rushed into the twin towers on 9 11. They are the officers in our neighborhoods and communities every day, every night, every shift they work, put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe. And guess what americans also get . Guess what else they understand . They know it is pure insanity to defund the police, and the fact that my democratic colleagues wont speak out against this policy is just frightening. Think about what we have heard in the last few weeks. We have heard the mayors of our largest cities, mayor garcetti said he wants to defund the police. The mayor of new york wants to defund the police. The city council in minneapolis says they want to defund the police and abolish the department. This congress started off with the democrats and folks on the left saying we should abolish ice, then saying we should abolish the department of Homeland Security, now they are talking about abolishing the police. This is wrong, and the American People know it is wrong. We should honor the memory of george floyd and work hard so that nothing like it happens again. We should honor the memory of Dave Patrick Underwood and work hard so that nothing like that ever happens again. A half ago, our mission was clearly stated. 11 days ago in florida, the president of the United States clearly stated what our mission should be. He said he stood before us as a friend and ally to every american seeking justice and peace and in Firm Opposition to anyone exploiting tragedy. Tragedy to loot, attack, rob, and menace. Healing not hatred. Healing, not chaos, is the mission at hand. Justice, not chaos, is the mission at hand. That is our mission. This is the House Judiciary Committee. With its storied history of defending the constitution and the rule of law. Lets adopt that mission, healing, not hatred. Justice, not chaos. Lets Work Together to continue to make america the greatest nation ever. I yield back, mr. Chairman. Chair nadler thank you, mr. Jordan. I recognize the chair of the subcommittee on crime, gentle lady from california for her opening statement. Bass i want to thank you for your years of leadership on this issue. What we saw in minnesota, the slow torturous murder of george floyd by uniformed officer was an outrage and tragedy. What we have seen since then, millions in the street demanding justice and calls for reform, it has been an inspiration, and minus a few days of violence, it has been peaceful and in the american tradition. What we have here today is a hearing in the u. S. Congress to examine policing practices in america in an attempt to reform. We have an opportunity. What we have seen since then is an opportunity to rethink the nature of policing, an opportunity for meaningful accountability in policing, and it is an opportunity to show the nation and the world we are listening and will act. Too often, this debate is framed in citizens versus the police, us versus them, but this is about the kind of america we want to see. We all want to be safe in our communities. We all want the police to come to our rescue when we are in trouble. We all want to support the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day. And when we interact with police, we want to be treated with respect and not suspicion. Nobody should be subjected to harassment because of the color of their skin, or suffer racial profiling or be on the end of a deadly chokehold. We should want for our children and our neighbors the same. On monday, i introduced, along with chairman nadler and 200 members of congress, the justice in policing act. This bold, transformative legislation would reimagine the culture of policing, while Holding Accountable officers who fail to uphold their service of the community. Of protecting their communities. When we do a markup, we will entertain an amendment to change the name of the legislation in honor of george floyd. If this had been a law last year, george floyd would be alive, because chokehold would be banned. Because chokeholds would be banned. Breonna taylor would be alive because no knock warrants for drugs would be banned. Tamir rice would have graduated high school this may because the officer that killed him had been fired from a nearby department, and he lied on his application. But this legislation calls for a National Registry so that would not have happened. Tamir rice would have graduated high school. I understand change is difficult but i am certain that Police Officers are professionals who risk their lives every day and are just as interested in building a strong relationship with the communities that they serve based on mutual trust and respect and those who rely on their action. As those who rely on their protection are. They want to increase and upgrade the profession, having having National Standards should never be that you can do a chokehold in one city and not another. There should be basic standards and basic accreditation. There should be continuing education, just as there are in so many other professions. When i was at the service yesterday, when i was there, i looked at the picture of george floyd, and i saw the year he was born. He was born in 1973. That was an important year in my life, because that was the year i joined the coalition against police abuse in los angeles. That was 47 years ago. Our police chief at the time we were suffering from victims who had died because of chokeholds. Our police chief held a press conference where he told los angeles that the reason why black people die of chokeholds is because our neck veins were different, and did not open up as rapidly as normal people. That is where we were 47 years ago. The question remains for us, it was 29 years ago that we saw the rodney king beating. And as an activist at the time, i was sad at the tragedy, it was horrific to see him beat like that, but most of the activists said, finally, we know we will have justice. Theres no way these Police Officers will get off, because the whole world saw what happened. In the civil rights movement, what led to great change and the end of legal segregation, aside from the house and the people that protested, it was the fact that there were cameras there. The beatings, the treatment of black people themselves had gone on for hundreds of years, but it was not until the cameras exposed to that that things began to change. What has happened in the 29 years since rodney king with the advent of cell phone cameras . We have seen example after example after example. 29 years since rodney king. Six years since eric garner. Just weeks since the death of george floyd. His death cannot be in vain. I told his brother that his name will live on in history, because the tragedy that he suffered has been the catalyst for what i believe will be profound change. And not just change that helps to Professionalize Police departments, not just change that prevents further abuse and death, but an opportunity for communities through receiving grants to take a look at their community and say, there are all of these issues that we face, why should Police Officers have to address homelessness and Mental Illness . Police officers complain all the time that they are not social workers. With these grants maybe communities can take an opportunity to reenvision what Public Safety is and come up with better models to work with police, and better models to reduce the problems that wind up needing a Police Officer. That is what we have the opportunity to do in this congress with that piece of legislation. With this piece of legislation. I hope that we work for passage of this legislation in the house, it gets through the senate, the president signs it, and in the year 2020, we never see again what we saw a few weeks ago. It was not just a tragedy for