Lucas, Colleagues Introduce JUSTICE Act in House
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) joined Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08), Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23), and 119 of his House Republican colleagues in introducing the Just and Unifying Solutions to Invigorate Communities Everywhere (JUSTICE) Act. The legislation provides long-term solutions focused on police reform, accountability, and transparency. The bill also promotes efforts to find solutions to systemic issues that affect people of color, such as education and health disparities. “I, like many Americans, was deeply disturbed by the video of George Floyd’s death. Hundreds of thousands of local, state, and federal law enforcement officials in Oklahoma and around our great nation wake up every day to answer the call of service and protect their fellow neighbor, yet, unfortunately it is the disturbing and cruel actions like those of the Minneapolis police officers that overshadow the actions of the good,” said Congressman Lucas. “I am honored to join my colleagues today in introducing the JUSTICE Act, which works to reinforce the need for better policing, emphasizes and streamlines data collection across law enforcement agencies, provides more resources for police departments to better train officers, increases the use of body cameras, and holds officers accountable who fail to uphold their oath. Justice is not a partisan issue and shouldn’t come at the expense of defunding our communities police departments. I’m thankful for the leadership shown by my colleague Congressman Pete Stauber who has worked to bring about positive and real solutions, and I hope our Democratic colleagues will work with us to find common ground and rebuild the trust between law enforcement officials and the communities they serve.” Of the JUSTICE Act, Congressman Stauber said, “As a former law enforcement officer, I was devastated watching the video of George Floyd dying at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. The cruel and inhumane actions perpetrated by those officers go against everything I stood for during my time in law enforcement. George Floyd’s life mattered, and the best way to honor his memory is by enacting change within police departments nationwide. That’s why I am proud to introduce the JUSTICE Act, which offers pragmatic solutions to improve policing.” Stauber continued, stating, “In order to truly make progress on public safety, and unite this nation, it is imperative to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. The JUSTICE Act will do just that by implementing community policing best practices, creating transparency when it comes to reporting incidents with law enforcement, and holding officers and departments alike accountable for their actions. Delivering lasting reform should not be a partisan issue, and I am looking forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on this important issue. Our nation is calling for change, and I am confident that we will rise to the occasion.” The full text of the JUSTICE Act can be found here, and a summary can be found below. The Senate companion of the JUSTICE Act was introduced yesterday by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC). Improving Law Enforcement Transparency:
Ensuring Law Enforcement Accountability:
Improving Officer Performance:
Additional Steps:
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