[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> tonight, a special edition of book tv airing weeknights this week. starting 8:30 p.m. eastern, astrophysicist mario libya looks at the scientific to groceries of galileo that challenge conventional thinking during his time. evolutionary biologists neil looks at evolution using dna from prehistoric fossils and later, nasa astronaut and scientist, kate greene recalls her experiences living in a simulated martian environment. enjoy book tv on c-span2.

>> social justice advocates and scholars look at police reform before a house oversight committee briefing. other topics focused on systemic racism and policing, the inclusion of black women in the discussion on police brutality and the role of police unions. >> we will come to order. i now recognize myself for an opening statement. good morning and thank you for being here for this important briefing. black lives matter. i can't breathe. no justice, no peace. these powerful phrases are rally cries for fair minded americans to live up to this country's core principles, equal justice under the law. since our founding

african-americans have died for the rights of equal citizens. this month marks 99 years the massacre, an entire vibrant community destroyed by black men, women and children, systemically murdered. today is juneteenth. a holiday that celebrates the freedom of black people in america. did not come until 1865. two and a half years after president abraham lincoln abolished slavery. we are still working to provide equal opportunity for all citizens in our country. our work is not done, unjustly brutalized by police, the fight continues.

george floyd, breonna taylor and so many others who deserve so much more from our country. these heart-wrenching murders sparked protests across our country. there are victims from the past few months that are just ones we know about. the other george floyd and rhianna taylors there have been. how many others have had their lives snuffed out? the answer is undoubtedly, too many. george floyd death was lifestream, but is was not the first captured by citizens on their cell phones. in 2009, murdered by police in california also captured on cell

phone video. how many deaths could have been prevented if we listened to the calls of this family more than a decade ago? a national reckoning of systemic racism is long overdue. police brutality and we must not let this moment pass without sweeping reform. i urge my colleagues in the house and senate to embrace this moment and heed the calls of a mournful nation. if you believe black lives matter, you will vote for the george floyd justice act. i now recognize jordan for a brief statement.

i cannot hear you. mr. jordan, are you with us? is mr. jordan with us? >> hello, can you hear me? >> is that mr. jordan? you have a video but no voice. >> i am here. >> we can hear you now. >> i could hear you the whole time. thank you, madam chair. we've had a hearing and mockup in the committee and each of those occasions, i talked about where public policy is trying to address the concerns that are

very clear. first of all, the tragedy that took place in minneapolis, it should never have happened. it's as wrong as wrong could be. mr. floyd, the family deserves justice. he talked about the riots around the country and second key points, there's a peaceful protest is part of the american experience. part of our first amendment liberties but there's a big difference between people protest and looting of people protesting and the violence in is a big difference between protests and the cities we see popping up, whatever the distinction is and third, and i

think this is quickly important, the best majority of police officers do an outstanding job every day. they put their lives on the line, protecting our communities, they are the folks here on capitol hill who protect us each and every day we are here and contribute to this country. we should keep that in mind as well while thinking about public policy and finally, and maybe most important, this proposal we are hearing from some of my democrat colleagues and certainly our big city mayors, we are going to defund the police may be the most insane policy i've ever seen. you've got the mayors of new york think he's going to cut $1 billion out of the police budget, they've already gotten rid of their 600, they just

ended that. the mayor of l.a. mayor garcetti reducing their budget by 250 million indianapolis, super majority of the city council, they are not just going to defund police but defend the police department altogether. as i mentioned, you got this situation in seattle with a several block community, no police presence and police had to retreat. those four things we need to keep in mind working on policy. i hope we do that, legislation just two days ago, not one amendment, accepted by the democrats and i think pointing out my colleagues on the other side, i hope that changes in the

attitude we can have moving forward. with that, i yield back. >> madam chair, thank you very much. our late beloved elijah cummins would be so proud of this hearing, give us the opportunity to hear and amplify the voices of the activism in the street who have galvanized the cultures of america inc. given us the chance to repair the social contract broken by centuries of police against the black community in our country. three quarters of americans support the protests despite the violence of right wing extremist groups to sabotage the nonviolence of the protesters. americans overwhelmingly want change and reject the murders

body for the officer derek eight minutes and 40 seconds torture in a 60 asian on the body of the handcuffed george floyd begging for his life. lastly, i have the solemn duty to participate in the hearing on the george floyd policy which we passed wednesday and i will be proud to vote for next week. george floyd brother things in my ear, he said, i'm tired of the pain, i'm here to ask you to make it stop. stop the pain. it's difficult to stop the pain already inflicted in the government but today, we will provide an opportunity to the community to hear and understand the pain and exhaustion experienced by black communities across america and participating

in a comprehensive legislative construction of policing in our country to prevent the further imposition of this kind of pain and more black families and bring some measure of justice and peace to the families still grieving today. it needed because government has failed to effectively address the police brutality despite repeated movements and efforts of local reform. the whole.of civil government is that we will be safer and more secure inside the social contract and outside the social contract which is a state of war, where was the social contract for george floyd and breonna taylor? where is the social contract for millions of black americans who live in fear of police officers whose salaries they pay?

social contract has always been contaminated by racism and our nations original sin. basic promise to provide safety and security for too many communities ravaged by police violence. black americans more than doubled the chance to be killed by police than white americans. leading cause of death to young black men. the problems of police brutality reflect structural racism in our country. white supremacy is the "real deep state" that we must uproot in this part of america. my friends across the aisle and search for for several years now, racism is the "real deep state" in america. violence white supremacy dominated our country for an entire century and supreme court did nothing other than constitutionalize it which determines americans have no

right to white man respect. civil war and reconstruction, opportunity to purge the violence of white supremacy for 12 years before it was washed away by the ku klux klan, literacy tests and violence and nonviolent assault on the rights of african-americans. it's been that for centuries, jim crow, before we got a number led by our colleagues like john lewis and blood sacrifice of doctor king and jamie goodman and thousands of other people who suffered at the hands of the violence of racist and we've got the voting rights act and civil rights act and again, we've experienced the rollback decisions like shelby and the

president elected majority, by the electoral college by donald trump who have people marching among races in the cities of america. we conducted a briefing today on juneteenth, national commemoration of the end of slavery in the u.s. we celebrate freedom and emancipation, we used to work for a third and final reconstruction in america. let's finish the unfinished work from the civil rights movement and the reconstruction of the 1860s and 70s where i'm proud to say in a bipartisan spirit whose report and, from ohio who led america like john in saying we must have interracial commitment to rebuilding america from the ground up, on the basis of white supremacy but the quality and justice for all, out

to think witnesses today. >> thank you. >> i now recognize pressley, who's been a leader on these issues and one of the first bills after mr. floyd death. >> thank you, chairwoman for hosting this important briefing. in the midst of a crisis, within a crisis, within a crisis.

a public health pandemic more than 115,000 lives across our nation disproportionally black lives. unveiling and reiterating the systemic inequities and disparities of our healthcare system and a crisis that led to mass unemployment and record levels of insecurity. the crisis of systemic racism in our policing system. a system rooted in this nations original bondage and slavery. a system that for too long, has perpetual latest criminalization. surveillance of black and brown bodies and resulted in lynching and murder countless black people. while covid-19 pandemic took it by storm, the only thing covid-19 didn't disrupt was racism. in this moment of truth telling and reckoning, it is critical we

sent to the humanity and dignity of all people and ensure those closest to the pain are driving and informing the policy making. things can be changed. but nothing can be changed until it is faced. the fact is, racism is not simply points of view, it's not the actions of a few bad apples, it's a structural pillar of this institution. the man made discriminatory policies that destroyed black lives in black families in this country were very precise. redlining. in this moment, we need policy solutions to be just as specific and feelings and justice. the culmination of generations of trauma have led us to this moment, it's not enough to say black lives matter. policies and budgets must value

black lives. see calls and push for policies that will provide much needed accountability and structural change. the pursuit of justice have proven thousands in the street in every state across our country, let me be clear. there can be no justice for air garner, michael brown, there can be no justice for breonna tayl taylor, there can be no justice for rayshard brooks, stephan clark, freddie gray. for a truly just world, they would all still be with us. there must be accountability. this is personal. i am a black woman married to a

black man. raising a black child. black folks still have yet to experience true emancipation and liberation. that freedom only begins the freedom from fear. i'd like very much to pass a law to our daughter will soon be 12, generational wealth, joy and generational. trauma. she already knows the unbearable pain of fearing for her life were her father's life and for those she loves whenever we are out of her sight. i know what it is to be surveyed, profiled and threatened and still, we go.

our grandchildren were look back and ask the question, will you have the opportunity to legislate with conviction? to ensure not another man is lynched in broad daylight not another woman murdered in her own home. did you? i think witnesses joining us today, holding us accountable and fighting to ensure their deaths are not in vain. thank you. >> thank you. when any of you like to be recognized for statement? another republican member would like to speak? okay. i will now introduce the next. first we have one from kentucky.

cofounder of families united for justice. next kimberly crenshaw, cofounder and executive director of the african-american. next, an activist with we the people, oklahoma. next, director for the troop campaign. last but not least, host of the bond ouija show. >> greetings. i'm a strategist the aclu black lives matter. i would like to thank you for inviting me to speak on this important issue of policy and justice policing. i come before you as we continue

to fight for justice for those who have lost their lives for police brutality. we see protests across the country saying enough is enough, isn't it time the coronavirus, america and the world force people to stop and pay attention? for years black people have been screaming and america has largely ignored us. i think the coronavirus coupled with the horrific death of george floyd forced america to look. for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the world watched as a black man lost his life and called out to his deceased mother as he lay dying. this is not something people can easily erase from their minds. no distraction could take those images, it's time for america to respond.

the killing of george floyd, ahmaud arbery and breonna taylor however we understand people was he another story, the media attention will fade and the people in those communities that have been rocked by police brutality remain. they will be left to pick up the pieces. it's essential for our people who live in these communities know they can impact legislation on a local level to stop deaths from happening. we took the first step with breanna's law and a survey want to wear body cameras, the law requires them to turn them on five minutes before and keep them on five minutes after the warrant is served. when this law was passed, is

outside tv the citizen hall so that they could watch. they understood their voice matter in the voices impact legislation on the local level. they learned the judges and representatives they elect that would affect their day-to-day living. people are engaging in different arenas, people are organizing around a budget and others are closely monitoring the bargaining agreement between police and local governments. organizing for people with survival mentality for years is a systematic racism difficult to get them interested in local politics. the truth is, it's difficult to get anyone interested in this. many people are simply trying to make it day-to-day and as we organize, educate people on how it's not just things they've done on a federal level but also

a local and state level that would impact their lives. many do not fully understand how the political system works. we need people who will go out to vote for president. [silence] >> i think we've lost you. >> mr. johnson, you are now recognized. mr. johnson. >> thank you. members of the house committee

global site reform, offering on behalf of our team, community members. in the cofounder of families united. i've been advocating for police totality for years. january 1, 2009. providing the discussion of

racism. hundred say the nation is condemning the actions and inactions that led to the death of george floyd. a horrendous killing of breonna taylor, ahmaud arbery and now rayshard brooks. also condolences to the families. there is nothing in terms of watching murders, it's forever etched in the news. they could have been prevented. the most significant responsibility is for any public responsibility's, protecting

human rights. we saw far more. these are many families devastated. these tragedies disproportionally take them. people from every walk of life are protesting for justice for fair policing. it's important that officers listen to this. the accountability of transparent and building trust. they are fully aware addressing issues and local agencies are part of a logical complex part in the policing culture.

patrols organized by groups. i'd like to share with you something, recommending national use of force for state and local policy for standards, the escalation for all officers and policies that require the use of de-escalation tactics of authority, the removal of chokehold. qualified immunity should be removed. under for the law, police officers qualified immunity unless actions violate clearly the law. a collection of use of force

data, and national data space of patterns of misconduct and support the suggestions for loopholes that continue to allow policing strategies of oversight and accountability. the requirement that all officers have for immediate medical aid with in custody or not, requirements to other stock or attempt to stop officers in them proper use and a national experiment, providing civil rights justice department oversight for discrimination. on behalf of the families, thank

you for allowing us to do this. impact of the families the house committee on oversight and passing legislation that provides national guidelines for the system of policing. hold police officers accountab accountable. we first acknowledge the national and local agencies, from this day forward, the protection of their rights.

thank you, missus chairwoman. >> we have the time, i now recognize -- >> towards the end of my testimony, government should step in and we should rethink state and local. it's time to do what's right and i believe now is the time. government to take action and prohibit police practices that allow communities, today this body should make it your duty and priority, and sure police officers don't get special protection when they engage in misconduct or use of excessive force, to protect and search and held from higher standard, police have a duty to intervene when they witnessed our

colleagues brutalizing someone, we need to end the 10:30 three program which allows how police to stop attacking people protesters with tear gas. ultimately, we must reimagine public safety. education, healthcare, safety and opportunity. thank you for allowing me to speak today and i encourage you to read my full testimony which should be provided for you. thank you for your time. >> thank you. crenshaw, you're now recognized. >> thank you. an executive director of the african-american policy from,

professor of law at ucla and faculty director and social policy studies at columbia school. i'm honored to be here on this juneteenth. wednesday, june 17, 2020, hosting a webinar for african-americans killed by police. for two hours, we bear witness to the stories of individuals and institutional contours of the problems, for a few bad apples. they told us about how the war on drugs, racial profiling, military policing, permissive relief release of force, explicit biases, police solutions to local health and social problems all lead to disproportionate black deaths. they talk about how police officers act remains with

qualified immunity and special protection that help escape accountability. we talked about how the last words uttered by giant black people must have a resolve to transform american policing. words like i can't breathe, you promised not to kill me are heartbreakingly normal. by now, i'm sure the stories you've read, the peace and justice your seeing, or what you know. the african-americans we talked about this week you might think they were black women. black women and girls as young as seven and as old as 93 have been killed by police, shot, choked and body slammed. driving while black or having

disabilities while black or being homeless while black, policing while black, defending our homes while black and serving the rights while black. the veteran was killed in virginia firing 50 rounds into her car. she had done absolutely nothing wrong. mechanic was a 5-foot three black woman, she had a half dozen officers and hazmat gear. they were handcuffed. the pasha uttered the words that will also, you promised not to kill me. stories like these are women who were dragged, disabled and elderly black women, police

violence against black women is very real, it's ritual, humanizing. yet, this discourse, it's relatively invisible. we know where a problem is only policing, we can't be fully solved and that's what police violence cannot be overlooked. in 2014, they said her name to elevate the fact that black women are in police violence and black women were the only ones having majority members unarmed. this means among women killed by police, black women may be greater risk when unarmed. the death of black women like felicia anderson in mental health situations amplify the need to rethink both police and first responders as well as the

overused claims that we support that are reasonable and necessary. the death of breonna taylor underscore the de-escalation is required. even in the sanctity of our own homes that we might die. escalation of traffic ticket points to the need to minimize police involvement in the death of sandra reflects the possibility of bias, uniquely by race and gender is real. instead of largely regulated discretion that initiates encounters of police, facilitated by permissive fourth amendment enhances the wisdom of other kinds of abuse like sexual abuse. the second complaint against

that. insisting support when george floyd policing and justice act as an important first step. essential approach to activities under the act according race, gender and other factors, institutional and individual bias and programs and protocols and grading alternatives to law enforcement activity. i want to end with two quotes from the 19th century that shaped the possibilities of this moment. 1957, from our founding black men were so furious they have no rights the white man was bound to respect. 1896, julia cooper wrote only the black women can say when and where i enter without violence.

the whole race enters with me. in this democracy, it's up to congress to lead the way of ensuring when it comes to life, liberty and freedom and police abuse, anna cooper will stand in the light. thank you. >> thank you. i'm grateful for the invitation and opportunity to speak with you today and share our concerns regarding abuse of policing practices and the need for reform. the community organizer and founder of we the people, oklahoma. necessary changes remaining in our local police department

including county sheriff. both have removal of offices, negatively impacting the community. today i would like to discuss policy changes in racial disparity. in 2016, an officer involved shooting showed how frantic the policies are to protect officers from facing criminal indictment. the officer in question was given drugs or alcohol test after the shooting. the officer was allowed to review the video of the shooting, making a statement and the officer interviewed for three days immediately north of the officer render aid. even though she was strange trained and registers as an emt.

we may note the criminal history that particular person. we have little information to know what could have been in the officer. i submit that each officer who discharge their weapon should have mandatory immediate blood and alcohol test along with psychological evaluation. this will help the department to report broken officer back in the field. this is excessive force, he cannot be left up to the jury what a reasonable long officer should do in various situations. we must have a federal standard that red flags and officer for use of force and excessive force. officer calvin who now is charged with the murder of george floyd, had dozens of complaints in his career. sixteen of those were closed

without disciplinary action. convicted of killing an unarmed african-american man joining me. not to certify. convicted of killing unarmed african-american man or decertified. most recently in tulsa, detention officer and history of racial bias if use of force claims, he is able to become a security guard and shot and killed an unarmed black man. have any of these officers spent decertified, it would not have been possible. in fact death and trauma on

anyone. they have proposed a bill that would decertify officers who held up to the oath by falsifying evidence, make false arrests or if convicted of crimes. this should be the national standard. the purposes of decertification in each state, therefore, a database of negligence and destructive law enforcement officers needs to be created, to weed out those who should be decertified. racial disparities play a part in policing practices and training. in oklahoma, officers are required 30 hours of firearm training and 69 hours of control training and get there only required to have nine hours of community relations training and four hours of mental health training. african-americans are reluctant twice as much than any other group.

also lower level crimes. the largest racial disparity in jail where the lowest level of municipal offenses. five times the rate of white women and black women black women men 3.8 times). from over policing and black neighborhoods, task force unit that target minority areas and recruitment of young teens with minor infractions and becoming informants. racial disparity to intimidate and traumatize people of color. in my conclusion, in order to reduce abuses in law enforcement, must rule out racial biases. increase community-based training, decertify officers with complaints and create a federal standard rooted in

justice. our people have suffered. now is the time to bring about these changes so children can grow up in america but they do not have to fear the person who took an oath. they should not hear the words coming from your children, and my next? the power we all have is a voice. we must never be silent until we are all free. thank you. thank you. we will now recognize. >> thank you for all the members of this committee. i thank you for the invitation to testify. my name is michael the great,

i'm a father, a husband, a minister. i was physically and sexually assaulted by a police officer. i was a student of bible college living with my pastor and his family but the police did not see my humanity. while returning home, i was racially profiled. they ran their hands, underwear, guns pointed at me, my arms were feeling like they were on the verge of snapping into. they hold things at me with no provocation. i did not try to crush my dignity. i am glad i did not die that night.

there were moments i thought i would die unprotected, as well. the 20 years has emerged from the soil of that horrific night. with so many of us who have had our humanity, our bodies mishandled, there is a pain that never leaves us. shame and anger that never subsides. there are questions that echo in our minds, why did this happen to me? why was no one held responsible? many of those who show up in the street to protest arrived with, and morning and in almost every case and every person police officers in our community with no accountability and no remorse. it's righteous and sacred but it is not enough. our country must do the necessary work and i black

racism and violence that has become part of the system of policing at work today. on this juneteenth date when we memorialize, how could we ask for anything less then freedom on the system of policing? this is what evolution points to. many of us say abolish the police, we are not saying abolish public safety. we are saying what formally bring to an end this current form of policing. a system willing to sacrifice, women's bodies, male bodies, reasonable people have the particulars of the how but all of us should agree the system of

policing cannot continue at the cost of black lives and black safety and security. good news, we need not sacrifice public safety to end this system of policing. we must start from scratch to reimagine 21st century public safety system. for 20 years, i've been immersed in the public safety and the gun violence and mass incarceration. my journey as a survivor, a faith leader, practitioner, national leader have taught me that victims and perpetrators in urban communities are often the very same people. there largely concentrating and over police. here's some evidence in respect to violent crimes, research from the initiative tells us only 5% of all arrests or are for violent crime. less than half of 1% of the city's population drives as much as 60% of gun related shooting

and homicide. we have the strategies to save lives, we must scale them up. the footprint of policing in our city for the sole purpose of reinvesting these tax dollars and community based safety and intervention program is a recipe for success and not failure. can you imagine how different our communities and country would have looked if we released them in the 80s and 90s rather than complex we could still write that long today. as i close, many members of congress how uncomfortable with the language of the fund the police as it defined, may i suggest we think of this very differently because after decades of overinvestment in the system, people are asking for a

refund. refund our tax dollars so we can put it in schools. refund so we can hire public health. refund our tax dollars to hire mental health workers and refund our tax dollars so we can prioritize for feeding the hungry. the fierce urgency of now compels me to add how much longer will you ask us to wait for progress? what is at stake? politics, it dignity, life, sense of belonging to one another. our shared humanity. in this moment, courage is with imagination and can shorten up this revolution, one that brings to an end centuries of uninterrupted, the body, spirit and souls of black americans. when we look back on our times and say these are the days when america became america. for the many who have never had america be america for them, may we launch this third reconstruction and change the

system of policing for black americans and all americans in this country. god bless you. thank you. >> thank you very much, reverend mcbride. treatment system is down, there's an outage in her neighborhood going to do this. >> thank you. i appreciate the opportunity to address your committee on this issue. reverend -- the death of george floyd was incredibly difficult for almost two hours. tragically, that moment is being sabotaged for heroism of the men and women who stand on the front lines right now mayhem, our police officers.

we can and we should focus on improving our police departments. it is critical. it's the right thing to do. our police officers to have enormous power, the power to take away freedom and some difficult cases police is. ... is devastating. it takes an emotional toll on her men and women in blue. thankfully, having said that, some can have been days. we should do better. this national debate in the conversation about improving the

quality of policing, defunding them and grotesquely offensive things like systemically racist. i asked what the story referring to. it is a fair question is not. many political figures lobbing the charge, they can't believe in a system and this is a fair question is not . the system, many of the cases have been run by democrats for decades. ignoring this reality by insinuating that the good police officers are willingly complying with the racist symptom is really tragic. i proudly serve in a largely minority percent. the police officers the work with always report to duty to looking to assist people are largely minority. a say in closing, father's day is approaching. and while some with these

perverse motors are using police officers as political goals. i humbly ask you to think about the many things across the country and wake up on father's day nothing more than picture than a police officer father that was was there. photo, lost in line of duty will never take the place of the embrace. think about that as you choose your words. when you are referring to the finest men and women i have ever had the honor to work with. thank you for your time. >> thank you. i now recognize presley for questioning. >> thank you all for being here. again the people closest to the pain should be the closest to the power. driving it from the policy and we are so grateful that you are lending your expertise to this moment. mr. johnson, i want to extend my deepest condolences to the loss

of your nephew oscar. your member of a tragic club. and i'm grateful that you join us today. for black women and mothers, and had to relive the trauma of seeing their loved ones murdered and live streamed on national television. mothers of the movement have been trying to tell us for generations, to stop murdering our children. we must listen. we must experiences of truth tally reckoning. spent to be a day of celebration and freedom and emancipation. we must take stock of this moment to be sober about the work that lies ahead. mr. crenshaw, and the policing system in our nation, who out of the practice of capturing often murdering individuals trying to

escape from slavery, could you speak to that listing system and how you see that influencing modern-day policing. >> thank you congresswoman. presley. indeed, one of the historical mentions of policing in many of these conversations and undervalued. as the fact that our policing system was grounded in the notion of athlete rollers effectively those who arrived at the plantation to use go has said to secure the safety of plantation owners and others who were not subject to slavery. when we talk about policing as a way of enforcing the order, one is to understand what the order was initially based on. when african-americans were able to escape, when they were

captured, when they were charged with. it was theft. they were stealing. so the very system of law the backs of a racist economic system is the thing the police were reinforcing and securing against what would otherwise be seen as self-help. against the baseline freedom does not look like that. it looks like freedom. so the long history of policing, together with an existing system of deep racial inequality has been so close the policing is not really ever get that far away from that history. that's why it is important in this moment that we look at this problem and see how it comes up again and again and again. and that you have an understanding also many african-americans are experiencing this moment as

basically being captured, and the same way that runways were captured and taken back to slavery. that is what this moment is really about. that is why much more fundamental structural solutions to the problem of race and policing target. >> thank you for that. he's be specifically how qualified immunity have contributed to the police officers. >> i think that one of the things that we are saying and what i have been explaining is if you are working at a place like kroger if you have your own business, and you identify a bad employee, you identify someone who is taking money out of the cash register on a daily basis are not coming back from the break or a no call or no-show. there are things that you put into place that you say this person is bad for business and we need to get rid of them. i think that what we are saying

locally here across the nation is that police have so many protections around them there when we identify there's a bad police officer comes a way to get rid of them. i think it is a thing that needs be known. we know that there are some good police officers out there however, we know that the structure of policing is not been favorable to black bodies. in the policies can i take operate under seven favorable. but we want to do need to see is that when a department are in families recognize that a police officer is starting to engage in those behaviors may some not in good employee, that we have to have ways to get rid of them. that is not always for them and their families as we know

there's a lot of domestic violence that goes on. within the household but also to protect the community. that is what public safety is. and what folks were talking about defending the place, that is what we are talking about is how do we get rid of those bad police officers to make sure there's structural policing. it is fair and upgradable for everyone. >> thank you. what about accountability. neither of three appreciate you offering best. i know it's above the law, and my colleague rep. and i have introduced the qualified immunity act which would eliminate the qualified immunity doctrine is a justice. the civil rights are violated. i have my colleagues will support that. you coined that section intersection alateen it does speak to the reality that our destiny, are tied that we must

uplift the most marginalized in her policymaking in order to realize equitable outcome. a centers on the intersection of multiple forms of structural and interpersonal oppression. i just wanted to, yielding the floor to you for you to educate those here who might be unfamiliar. >> thank you congresswoman. and her sexuality is basically something that allows us to see problems of inequality are often not single issue problems. when we are looking at the police violence issue that i was talking about, it is often not just a matter of race. in conjunction with gender and in conjunction with gender identity. so intersection malady tells us the frame work that we have to look at all the different ways the vulnerability is structured into our society. it is not about the body itself.

it is about how the body is situated in our society. in various social structures. so for example some of the women that we lift up our those who had mental health crises. but they were also african-american when they were african-american and trans in all these things come together. initiate how the officers interacted with those bodies. so intersection la says that we need an invention that understanding of the problems in the middle of the system to come together to create the vulnerability. no single issue or single things are going to solve the multiple ways that we've seen vulnerability to. >> thanks much. finally mr. johnson, tragically, we were robbed of a life, in this manner. much of the publicly distant over which for which the way they were killed. all of the american way i wanted

to know who your nephew was buried which you share a little bit about us about your nephew and the kind young man he was. >> so right before, i did want to share our executive team, and was killed. they mostly don't know about the monogram. and some other people, a 14 -year-old a florida. another one from california. michael brown will know, and was in missouri. corey jones, i can go on with the others. those will know, oscar january 1st, 2009, and station. the young 22 -year-old man who also felt about that station.

oscar was beloved by his family definitely his daughter was at the time four years old. and he was going to take her to chucky cheese is the next day. but he never came home. it was loved by his friends in his community and his high school. and a whole slew of friends read in the witness who watch and get martyred. he was my first nephew. a very special love to him because i was the uncle. a great relationship with my son and the majority - i had an opportunity to allow him to grow up. i was deeply hurt witnessing what happened to him on video. i think the world should know that in the 21st century, oscar, was part of the civil

rights movement of the black lives matter movement. there are. [inaudible]. there were 3000 bodies killed by the police that we often forget about. so we can't minimize the impact of this violence. since oxfords death, over 12000, predominantly black folks, but white folks and brown folks as well. we know some of them we told legislation, let's encourage them to be responsible to the agencies to ensure that police officers are removed. and held accountable of the murders. oscar was loved by his family.

he was loved by his grandmother. he was loved by all of us in the community typically list this. >> that today's time expired. in the next person is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you charwoman. i appreciate this a great deal. now one hour and 15 minutes into this time together. this remote context is not working. it is arduous to get back to washington. we need to get back there and do what we are called upon but we are called to do. and secondly, manager woman, i would just like to say this is yet another fake hearing under the guise of a briefing or yet again the minority is disproportionately not allowed to have a voice and witnesses in

a proportionate matter. and to take anything away from the witnesses we have. their testimonies have been powerful. i've enjoyed them. but then again we only have one i would ask the chairwoman to learn who are witnesses. we have today, is not whatever you say, and stand and we are honored to have him here with us. in light of that i would also like to say i am grateful to participate in a hearing that is addressing a serious problem. no question. blech lives do matter. they matter in enormously. and i will do everything i can to do to help in the cause to defend and protect black lives. it is my hope that at some point, we would expand our briefings or hearings to include violence in places like chicago,

over memorial day weekend alone had ten african-american lives lost pretty this past weekend, 80 chicagoans water shot by drive-by shootings. there are 21 fatalities overwhelmingly. that was within the black community. that needs to be addressed. i hope you will also one day look at the black babies lives the matter. where again disproportionately black babies are being aborted. 14 percent of women of childbearing age are black, but there 36 percent of abortions. our in the african-american community. 471 abortions per 1000 live births. i hope we will look at that as little as some point in the future. all of that to be said, thank you for joining us. i'm sure you've recently saw the shooting of brooks in the

atlanta police department. one thing that i wanted to bring up to you, and that county d.a., actually said the brooks putting the taser at the officer did not constitute a death threat read and yet just one week before he made that statement, he charged the atlanta officers with inappropriate uses of tasers with deadly force. now i am not trying to dictate one way or another. circumstances, but my concern however is the confusion that so many of our judicial departments are creating with a is a double standard work the taser in this case is a deadly weapon and one case and not another. how important is it that we get these policies, these roles clearly defined so that officers

are able to do the work. >> it is critical, for not willing to have a legitimate conversation about what constitutes standards, then what is the point. that just a few ago, as you indicated, attacking mr. howard personally. it is his own words. you can look up on youtube. it just a few weeks ago, he quoted george a lot and clearly said it was a deadly weapon. anybody watching this hearing, and much of themselves. and yet two weeks later, he indicates the taser pointed at close range of white light, when an trained person by the way. in the death is tragic. nonetheless, make crystal clear on that by having said that, ceiling and police officers taser weapon and after attacking him and running away and fleeting to accredited parking lot and then turning and

pointing it at close range at the face of a police officer, it can penetrate eyeballs and potentially the school. have you indicated that is not deadly force is absurd. you can argue the use of force. define that's why we are here. fair. that is a power. in every instance should be looked at. but having said that, how you finish their investigation yet. this ought to process either. this is a deadly weapon. there's no question about it. and they just assaulted you. >> let me ask you this to bring i think that is a great point. and powerfully stated but it looks to me like we also have another problem besides a double standard in this judicial clarification of what is a deadly weapon. they appear to me to be

problematic and that they protect from bad actors. it was brought up in one of the witnesses earlier about officer derek. it had ha multiple complaints. in fact a couple of dozen complaints and yet he was protected by the unions i am assuming. someone was protecting him. and a lot of times, even officers, it is difficult to fire them. it is difficult to remove these bad actors. in many times if they are removed, many of them are reinstated. how serious of an issue do you think these units are and what we do about it. >> it is very serious and there have been spoken some power. the unions a good and the bad, bad quickly is obviously they're bad officers, really bad once and in this case, the mr., that

resulted in the death of george floyd, and that horrific video. we seen that went to me times is so hard to watch. it's beyond time for serious reform having said that, i would not recommend especially big cities, the associations whatever you want to call them. there are times that they need to protect the public to predict in the fair discussion we should open us up to facts. policing for profit, new york city when i was a police officer in the people who spoke out against matt, because they're being forced to harass the citizens of the minority neighborhoods i worked in. and who where were the associations the said this is not fair. including the officers and having said that there is so great discussion on ground you brought it up and we do going to have to sit down with the unions. but not everything they do is bad. and i think we should be open to hearing all sides pretty. >> last question what is the role of federal government the

state and local law enforcement offices. should the federal government be involved. and what size approach fits all. every district police department is different. rural versus urban and inner-city in all of this certain things. what is the role in the state and local department . >> the executive orders and information sharing is definitely a positive. "bad police officers. going and contaminating other police officers and other police departments everywhere having said that. a grand big federal use of force plan. i think that the president had a right to use incentives. having worked in but the secret service and the president obama and bush and clinton. in the nypd. the only use of force techniques they use in the secret service are some insane, we're shaking his hand in a while ago. we learned to do to get them off. this is the kind of thing that you would do as a police officer. but we looking at potentially

sending the president from an dangerous situation, that is the use of force technique is very specific in the secret service. think about that in terms of rural and urban areas learning how to around billing sources being out in the open. they're completely different. in federal role should be to incentivize good solid document and. the state out of national and let it go to the specific local needs but they need to do with the job functions. >> thank you. and i recognize myself for five minutes for questions rated on march 13, 2020, police officers broke into breanna taylor's home in sadr eight times in the dead of night. he were executing arrest for someone they already had in custody. and he did not live with her. raymond in the context.

today, 98 days later, all four officers are still police officers in louisville. at gartner was killed by an officer who held them in the chokehold. they were barred by the nypd. mr. garner cried, i can't breathe, 11 times. the officer was never arrested. and a 12 -year-old child was shot and killed two seconds after the officers arrived in the park. in the officer was responding to a neighbors call the child was playing with a gun that was probably a fake gun. the officer was never arrested. these are tragic, just to say a few of countless loved ones, children's, brothers and sisters and mothers and friends.

lost to a necessary way. far too long, police officers who commit traffic abuses against black americans and not face any consequences, and even when they a life. i would like to ask ms. erin, can you talk briefly about the current lack of accountability for police misconduct. >> yes and thank you for that read today it was announced that was fired today from lapd. that is a first step. and i think that happened because of the pressure on here and across the nation demanding dozen should be arrested . just like you said, it's super frustrating when we know the police officers are engaging in

misconduct and many police officers procrastination, is on the first time. that things are building up and there's all of these different things that are happening. i think that a couple of people pin on this earlier today. we just want to make sure the police are held accountable and the only way that they will be held accountable is that there is legislation that is put into place. in of the many jurisdictions have the right and i have about all of these things that pretty much protect them. just like rep. presley said earlier, if your lawyer and a doctor and you engage in such behaviors, you will lose your license and you will no longer be able to practice. that is the same things that we want for police officers.

and that is simply to ensure that our communities do not continue to be brutalized in. [inaudibl,ties. thank you. >> thank you. mr. lewis, can you briefly discuss the issues that you have encountered in trying to injurieintroduce reform in tuls. >> thank you. it is been challenging. even the republicans were saying that we do need to look get the full problem. part of the problem is that were trying to get that officer deep certified so that they will not go to another departments predict all the officer, is meant to go work for another department. at another agency and i think part of the challenges and to be frank, we have too many agencies

in the local communities. we have a particular area in tulsa. we have possibly seven different agencies in all those seven different agencies have to have their own set of policies. so to hold them accountable, also the county sheriff's office has one set of policies and the police department has another set of policies. so what we have done is ask for the law enforcement to publish your policies so that all the citizens can see that. but the sheriff's department has on it. since been a struggle just to go one step. those are things that we go through daily just to hold them accountable, just make sure that these officers who create these types of poisons within the department, we currently right now have an officer made national headlines by attending

saying that black people should be shot more worried and that officer and history of problems even writing the article, this is more after she declared the black lives matter hate group rid of that officer still officer. that person also admitted to in minneapolis deep police department saying that will go ahead and give them training after the mayor has banned the warrior type of training. so that particular police officer is a cancer within the department. so having that to be weeded out pretty went to the mayor, the chief of police and we just get very passionate type of will, we go through a process. they need to have a zero policy where they're going at him and

think that we are not going to tolerate this. you cannot bring on this type of behavior poison the other officers who were trying to do the job. >> thank you. can you discuss there only a few bad apples in the police departments that need to be identified and removed. other larger issues or is this true. >> i do not to believe that the average police officer is a bad person. i have family members and loved ones who serve with honor and distinction. but i do need to say however that the culture of policing turns too many good people into bad officers. we must reckon with this ugly truth. 300 years of policing, we have yet to reach a consistent see in this country that you cannot be a racist and be a cop. not a religion cannot be a cop

and affiliate with white supremacist groups . in the kkk members. and neo-nazis. so there are elements and police departments that must be rooted out at the corporative to preserve the public safety sermons into a race a different and reimagined way of public safety. so our task has to be taken seriously, partly part in the kind of public safety that we want in a 21st century model and realizing that the root in the culture of the department turns good people and bad cops, encouragers elements and thus reimagine those who remain in ways that move them from people who are using force to guardian. the protectors and bring in the ultimate mode of community-based and public safety strategy.

his grading our republican members mention that violence and some of our urban communities that we would love to have bipartisan support. so that we can break the cycle of violence. these kind of strategies the save lives without increasing police departments and it decreases police budgets and accuser young man and women another storm going to jail. there are solutions but we must have the political will, we must have the imagination, and we must have the fortitude to look at the institution, not the individual to root out the culture and what remains will be a public safety system for the 21st century. >> thank you and i will keep saying their names, breonna taylor, george floyd and more. help by calling school work with me that we never have to add anyone else to this list.

and now the ranking member jim jordan. forty-five minutes or as long as he would like to question. [silence]. >> hello, can you hear me? >> manager, can you hear me. >> i can hear you. >> think you know think our witnesses tonight. new york city's problem and the secret service. he spoke about them, is that

right. [silence]. >> can you hear me. yes of that is right. >> the chain of command, is that accurate. yes, so your supervisors, and and ultimately, the high authority in the police department is the chief of police. okay and the police chief, has to answer ultimately to elected officials. >> that is right. >> and to a mayor even the case of the secret service, you ultimately answer to the president of the united states. >> in the case of police department the answer to the chief. it will answer to the president of the united states. >> no. >> i do know the mayor of

minneapolis. jacob fry. he happens to be republican or democrat sharks. >> is most definitely a democrat. i'm sure his democrat. >> betsy hodges was in fact democrat. it will be for massages with american finance listing of that happen to be. >> a democrat because they haven't had a republican for long time. >> are cheap like that, a mayor for a long time. in fact the last time there was a republican man in minneapolis you remember . >> hello long time ago pretty. >> 1963. i'm getting old. and out of the fourth i was born. celeste and we had republican clear 1963, 50 some years ago, is a city council involves will. take a guess which party has the

majority's in city council. >> i think the democrats pretty. >> twenty and you'd be right. but democrat, and there were seven democrats are eight and nine and ten democrats, 11 democrats, 12 democrats or 13 democrats. that is a good deal. they're not a republican either so you you have a city where controlled by the democrats. overwhelmingly democrat. no republicans. and yet we have people on the left his opening comments reference present president trump. so many people were deployed the president for the tragedy that took place in minneapolis. and now, after that tragedy you

have leaders and terrorists destroyed businesses and dew point is been estimated at $55 million in damages across the country at 700 law enforcement personnel injuries. in the protestant rights around the country. but somehow that that also is being blamed on the president trump. and your answer in the slogan, and a statement of three words. defund the police. and again, i find it astounding. tell me how i think this is the most insane policy i've ever heard. talk to me about defund the police concept helping to the guys who wore the uniform. every single day as nypd officer, tell me about that. >> o policies that we talk about, and tax rates and a lot of that has been accounted in

some cases. x-rays probably the long run are not going to kill you. that is not this. if you support defund the police, is in the last year you know state again, you should raise your right hand take an oath tears constituents to go to all of the funerals you will see because this happened. because they absolutely no mistake about this, i was in this on the record and broadcast is everywhere. people will die. kids lie, teenagers will die. but also dykema bonsall die, death would like. and then such as the first order we are talking about when we talk about the policing but i am talking about less uniforms presence on the streets. there's uniform presence around, crime goes down. because smart people don't make crimes from the police officers. also talking about the officers that god forbid your house present. and fingerprints that will never be pulled. the officers trained in sexual assault know exactly how to talk to that woman or man in some

cases safest, what happened here. that trained, the interview hundreds of kids and's tragic situations. they know exactly when that child fear is trying to protect an abusive parent because of the hurt in a hundred times before. norton defund that. we are going to begin. social workers . a door with social workers do. my graduate degrees in psychology. they do a great job. they are not police officers. and on the frontlines. ostrow one more unto. broken windows. no one on the side respect what everybody said and, i mean, that. nobody wants him in the did policing place like it safer. i lived through new york. one of the busiest most high crime areas in new york city east new york brooklyn which is largely black and hispanic. it come out of tap me on the

shoulder and say officer, don't tell me he's selling crack in my corner, what is going to be hard election then about these two policing free to have a social work and come out. i was there and i sat on the camcorder and i listen to a you're not going to tell me didn't happen pretty that have been more than once. they deserve a police officer. having said that, didn't serve a good i understand the concern. people will die if you support this abomination of the policy. i can't ask you strong enough, please stop talking about this on the other side. as a nightmare for me and any of the good americans. they just want peace in this country and the safety and security. >> well said, loss of, you lived it, you've seen it, you came in and your career we saw that happening and changed it. do you take them at their work. because we have a lot of people here in the last few weeks to

defend the police it doesn't mean defend the place. i find that interesting. defund the police yet they say that is not what it means. you take them at your word when they talk about this context rita. >> the gentleman mansour big time has expired. >> defund means defund, police organizations are not charitable organizations, they are played government employees. you not going to have police and government employees if you're not going to play them for it is a simple understanding. if you don't mean it, then don't say it. it is as simple as that. summa thank you for your service. and thank you to the families of folks who have served and protect us. i yield back. >> i recognize the next person for five minutes following that the clerk will take over the process of letting the members know who is next.

this is my on going connectivity issues. i am staying on until the end of this. but as far as the connection that we have, anyway i yield. thank you for the hard work in developing this hearing we have today. thank you. >> thank you. i first one agree with my friend about the superiority about being in washington together. this covid-19 pandemic has cost hundred and 17000 american lives. and we warned and it sickened it to million people brought our economy down. and it's not real problems for congress. i hope we can get that simply and having meaningful contact tracing above all, i hope that every member of this committee and every other committee are aware that that is becoming a serious obstruction to our doing

our business in congress. so just want to agree with mr. heights about art and parts of getting back quickly as possible. professor karen preach, seems like whenever we get the patient's attention through mass nonviolence with protests, immobilization on the problems of police violence and brutality. people want to change the subject. do we have to overturned the supreme court's decision. do we have to deal with these abortions before we make policing say for all of our citizens. >> thank you congressman. absolutely not. for those who are concerned about the lives and welfare of black children, i couldn't agree more that we should bring their lives in the conversation. here's how i would suggest we do so. most of the women that i

mentioned of, have children. at least three of them plus their lives in front of their children. two of them experienced their children being harmed by the police shooting and killing of the mothers. so when would at least expect that of black children are of concern to anyone was involved in this conversation, they were certain late start with the black children who were shot by the police. they might extend that concern to children who would sit there parents estate attempt to sue for the loss of their parents. they've not been able to secure any significant settlement to reflect with the loss of the parent means to them across their entire lives. and the one case that i am aware of, in which the juries provided

verdict and killing of $36 million, for injury to the child, and in the loss of their parental relationship, the judge ultimately overturned the jury verdict. site for the first time, community. so we would hope there would be a concern about this matter and that de-escalation also be tied to the fact that many of these instances, the children and other family members are present. some also concerned about children i would hope that it would be trace where the actual violence is happening. >> thank you very much professor. mr. lewis, in his testimony, said that people should stop talking about defining the police is a sand dune during the police. i don't know of a single member of this committee rather committee and house, and start

about the house for this who have advocated of this policy which happening the defining of the police raided the other other side he keeps bringing it up. in this irrelevant discussion. our george floyd policing legislation which is about banning chokehold. and in developing the nationwide database and conduct it's a one. but we always start with what is so full. and i seen that somebody had an wall street journal in the summer fourth, recorded as saying as a talking about the strangulation and death. this definitely not closing off the windpipe he said gardner is oddly still talking. sing the can't breathe mean you can breathe. saying you can't read, means you

can braids. what is your reaction to the officers statement there and will not be helpful for us to rebuild social consensus in the context of america. >> know it's not helpful at all. best part of the problem. language has power. so when you have the decorated officer, you have the power that is used for say i want to be like him. what do it like he does. when you have a person in the chokehold, should be outlawed. that's just it, plain and simple. slicing he cannot breathe, you take him at his word. this not your duty to be medical advisor to find out whether or not it they can are cannot breathe. >> should we wait for them to

decide first pretty. >> absolutely not. job is to preserve life pretty is not to take life. and unfortunately, the officers of mentality, i'm going home tonight. and i believe that mentality raises concept of i'm going to get to you before you get me. i understand, there are neighborhoods where officers are on heightened alert right ago we were talking about the funding, or putting money in resources that are needed. in my opening testimony, i talked about how little mental health, training is given. locally within tulsa, we have all heard in reference to we need more money, we need more power, more funding. so just recently, the mayor has got a new police car. and that money is going to the police cars. imagine how much money could be

given to mental health services. de-escalation, racial bias training. >> thank you. light times that but i just want make one final point which is an heroes act, passed several weeks ago, the democrat majority and funded state and local government including police forces, first responders, republican allies refuse to support the heroes act who refused the money and the funny in the state and county and local government. and i will yield back. >> next we will go to mr. roy. you are now recognized pretty. >> thank you. i appreciate the opportunity to join here. i wish we were all meeting in person. and i think it's important that we work with each other together to work through issues such as

these. one thing i would point out joy from the maryland. chairman raskin, and the subcommittee i should say. heroes act of not being passed, and significant amount of political priorities for the democrat majority in the house. and was not a straightforward simple piece of legislation which i am happy to work with. straightforward bills like getting the ppe flexibility act, having work with my friend from minnesota on bipartisan basis. and just dropping a massive multi- hundred under know how many pages 2200 pages or how many of her was to pass the bill. a whole lot of provisions in it with a significant amount of dollars attached to it. it had no real debate or significant input. the minority or frankly the

majority. we need to actually have debates. given the floor the house. running to talk about the virus. let's get on the floor with straightforward bills. let's have debate on this amendment. let's discuss that. this talk about what we need to do to make sure the police have the backing of the american people and the support that they need to do the job but they were making sure that liberty is being protected. we will want that. in what order and liberty. if you don't have one you don't have the other interest rate is on that point, i would ask mr. longino, who attend a little bit light and i might not heard, one of the things that i have been focusing on and trying to understand two things that are bothering me. what is the extent to the police officers broadly are being painted with ron rush stroke which is in a way undermining their way to do the job pretty

pinning them with a brush that is not fair for all members of the police. and if there is something like millions of interactions between americans of law enforcement each year depending on how you can't the numbers, you could comment on that it to the extent which follow the directions and studies that i have seen, which hundred thousand directions were studied in the vast majority of those, 99 percent resulted in no force being applied and of those, 98 percent of those that were being applied, resulted in either no injury or some mild injury. the narrow that down. i wonder if you would zero in on the problem. i want to zero in on what is actually occurring in the root out the problem. if you could, on the overall engagement with law enforcement and civilians throughout the nation and how we approach that. and then secondly, what we do to address bad actors.

ones that are doing it the wrong way. where you have situations like we saw in minneapolis. we have an officer the 12 previous complaints if i have the number right in my head. i don't have it right in front of me. a significant number of complaints in the minneapolis police department some of which were not necessarily pursued preopening short but the right cops are there. the wrong ones are not. i would appreciate your thoughts on both those. >> on the first one, entirely mischaracterized when i was trying to get across in wall street journal interview. because he is a lack of understanding about supporting the police officers. but what i'm trying to get across in that interview with the wall street journal is a lot of misinformation out there. when it comes to policing and again, as i just said, we had witnessed. i have the numbers here.

0.0004 percent of police and russians, that is a zero adjustment .3 more zeros and incorporated actually result in the legal force of a police officer. and again they're all tragic. i don't want it offense of my conservative friends but having said that, these are not simple questions. the reasons police officers engaged in the supports are recent force, they aren't unique in that situation. they should be evaluated. having stated that, this is not a simple question. when you throw out talking points ik, listen we need to get rid of charcoals. have you thought any of that through. number one what is it. i only ask members of congress and others they have no idea what a chokehold even is. and when i was trying to get across in interviews is are you talking about tracheal chokehold on the depression of that five, if you're that's very dangerous. and some are almost instantly deadly force of applied wrong.

and that point that i was making is that if it was, so the carotid one. they may look the same, but they look the same because you are not trained to apply one and don't know what you are talking about. the carotid restraint is a progression the carotid artery on both sides of the neck. that technique is not dangerous. and if it was, there would be no competitions what happens every night. and anywhere in america where it happens, hundreds of thousands of times a day. it is very safely applied technique. rendering a subject temporarily unconscious so he stops attacking you. it is not something that you play around. it is not a tool to be casually thrown around in a parking ticket situation but if you'd notice, the tragic case with men died. one of the officers refused to go for neck restraint like that. and later resulted in a use of a firearm brightest of the numbers of want to throughout the term

chokehold without determining what they are talking about, carotid restraint or tracheal history, i asked them a simple question pretty wealthy don't want to use that tool, what is your suggestion. we got to firearms. you don't have a suggestion of course because you don't know we are talking about. secondly how do we get rid of that cops. we'll body camera's, for a good start. they protect both the police officer in the public. and they will be able to go to that video and secondly the indicated before, rep. ice, we've got to work with the policing. they've gotta step up here. they know that pretty good cop so that's. we've got to stop protecting bad cops. the creating harm to the community the deadly in some cases but there also contaminating the reputation of the good cops out there. and they have a desire just to help the community. >> one more question and then i might have time. a quick question.

manager. one thing that i find that we need i think, intentionally more police on the streets forming relationships and walking and engaging. fewer. so when i hear about defining, talk about floyd and those types of things. if we have been talking about other things like that for years. they probably have to agree on a number of these areas with respect to civil liberties. we think that i want to ask is i have introduced the bill hr 7270 together crimes. they require doj to file. [inaudible]. >> it your time has expired. >> if i can finish, about. >> it would require to file inventory to congress to get another look attion. got a significant number of federal statutes and relations. how does that, reducing the number of crimes, easier law-enforcement crimes in the

manner and are highly over criminalized society. >> is an think that a great question. in the tragic death of mr. garner. and i'm not saying that we should get rid of every law in every regulation. this created a number of situations in the community that are entirely unnecessary. that is a great question and i agree with your assertion wholeheartedly. >> thank you for the indulgence manager. >> i want to thank all of our witnesses are being here. police witness. [inaudible]. but this committee.

[inaudible]. i cannot help but have a question for mr. lewis. oklahoma and tulsa. it is tulsa at a moment when you're looking at structural racism and policing, and the stoplights, are not so much because of what happened, is happening in tulsa now. it happened in 1921 in tulsa. the president was forced to read his rally from june 10th, and a when african-americans. [inaudible]. they first understood they had been emancipated. it is not because of necessarily

the value but because of what occurred in tulsa. and now is probably fair to say that in no american communities has had violence by police but that what happened in tulsa, and the massacre virtually of african americans. ... ... and occurred after an african-american was accused of killing aye person. mr. lewis, are you aware, the

green would section is located in so-called black wall street. there's a search going on there and no one was ever charged. the government has invited the president and once he comes for this rally the reaction of the african-american community to the rally being held here? in light of the massacre that took place there? do you think inviting the president there is recognition of what happened there to haps encourage greater recognition? what is the reaction of the

african americans? >> thank you congresswoman. the african-american in tulsa are still reeling. we have some here who have not been able to say goodbye to their loved there have been mass graves the mayor has now commissioned a team to look for. so is a 1920 race massacre. they did not have a chance. this was a black thriving community, black dollars belated the street of greenwood. this was a thriving community white supremacist came in and destroyed this community. ninety-nine years later we are still trying to hold on to those truths.

we're still trying to hold on to rebuilding. the president coming to tulsa, oklahoma was a slap in the face of those defendants. it was a slap in the face of african americans in the city. african-americans in oklahoma. we have heard the president rhetoric we have heard everything he has said. we have seen african-americans used as pawns, we have seen that we are not ignorant, we can walk and chew gum. the one thing we are as we will not tolerate when someone use us as a prop. a lot of organizations have gotten together to put pressure back on the governor and say we don't want him to come to greenwood. we don't want these people and we know the president travels with black supremacist. we do not want those people in greenwood. we've already experiencing greenwood burned down by white supremacy. that is ugly don't want and we don't have it.

we will not have it. one of the things we love about our city as we have always been peaceful. the only violence that happened to our city has been brought by the hand of white supremacist. what we do, we lock arms in lov love. we love link arms in prayer and lift up the ancestors to let them know we are still fighting on their behalf. two dates, compensation is not been given to any of the survivors or family members. that is something we have to work towards and say something has to be done. we are preserving whatever legacy we have and try to build from. the president did not make juneteenth popular. he did not make greenwood popular. i urge everyone to go do your research. please go to look at the 19201 race massacre.

please go find out about greenwood. come tour and find out more. find out how this thriving city was once dubbed little africa. thank you. >> thank you very much and the demonstrations will you be locking arms or otherwise recognizing what happened there 1941? >> yes there'll be several demonstrations will be there. there are groups who always go through symone neal libations to give credence to the ancestors. there will be tours, i think reverend alan sharpton will be there to speak. it will be a celebration. and we celebrate juneteenth here in tulsa. it is not a misnomer. we celebrate that. we want everyone to know that tosa is a beginning of hope and the beginning of light.

but we also have to let people know we will not tolerate any form of white supremacy in our community. >> thank you very much mr. lewis very important testimony. >> next will go to mr. lynch. >> thank you, can you hear me? >> yes, sir. thank you very much first of all i want to thank the chair, thank you ms. maloney, ms. presley for your perspective it is very, very helpful and valuable. and i want to thank our witnesses. just on the mask and going down to d.c. and doing the hearings live which i missed, i did attempts the last two days for 20 hours a mockup, i'm on the transportation infrastructure committee as well. i am concerned that while he did go down there and wear a mask, many of my republican colleagues did not wear a mask.

i think we need to get together on that to protect each other. the last couple of days.back down in d.c. is an example of what's going on, i would be very leery about getting into that situation again if a lot of people are not going to wear masks. let's protect each other, let's wear masks, with dewar work. my subcommittee, want to thank the witnesses. my subcommittee is national security. i have much more experience. i have 30 trips to iraq, 15 trips to afghanistan, yemen, sudan, somalia, all of that. most of my experience of looking at the truth of detainees is in military context. i reviewed a lot of rules of engagement for our sons and daughters who may be overseas.

and on the domestic side i was stunned when i read the use of force policy in minneapolis that the use of force a policy there that called for rendering a unarmed detainee unconscious, would violate the rules of engagement for u.s. ground forces in afghanistan and iraq and elsewhere around the world. i was very surprised to hear his remarks about a police officer on the street rendering a detainee unconscious. i really do think we need to look at that policy, that chokehold policy. there are only two people who are authorized to render someone unconscious that is a police officer, apparently

under this this active in minneapolis. in anesthesiologist. one works on the street and will do it on a sidewalk, the other and goes through 12 years of training and does that in a hospital setting also for liability. i do not believe we should have a policy with 16000 police departments and we put folks through police academy we do not think about that. i brought the police officers to the degree that we can safely assume they can render a person on the street, in the middle of a struggle unconscious. the margin of between rendering a person on conscious and strangling him like what happened in minneapolis and with others,

is just unacceptable. we cannot in good conscience continue that practice. i note mr. lewis you remarked earlier on governor baker's police reform policies and i was wondering if you want to comment on that because that is my state i work with governor baker regularly. i support his perspective and his policy. i wonder if you want to elaborate on that little bit you seem very well-versed in that. >> you might be muted, i'm sorry mr. lewis. are you able to hear me? >> yep. sorry about that. thank you congressman. these certifications it's

definitely a big solution if we can start decertify these officers we will not have them go to smaller agencies that's typically what happens there in these larger agencies and they spent so much money training them and they can just quit and go to a smaller agency and that small agency may not have the funding they need so they will go ahead and get these people who are decorated officers trained but yet they have a track record that officer should have been decertified prior to going to that agency. they know use of force goes to excessive use of force and goes to killing and death. if we can stop it in the beginning we will not have officers shirking a person, a citizen in the streets.

there was a pattern that was there. there, like the governor's go out and try to find out what's going on was going out these officers and recertify them so they never become a police officer in that particular field they will not create harm going forward. >> thank you, mr. chairman i yield back thank you for your indulgence. >> thank you next will go to mr. connelly. >> thank you think all the witnesses for being here i particularly want to thank the passion our colleagues from massachusetts, ms. presley expressed bird i wish every american can hear it. it also do think mr. roskam and putting in context what we

are doing today. not a new issue, unfortunately. , going to have to ask you to keep you brief because i only have five minutes. is it your position there is systemic racism that we need to weed out law enforcement a few bad apples? >> my position is yes racism exists. but thankfully it is isolated and becoming more so. i don't think any of the other fellow panelists would agree with that needs to be addressed in a much more fundamental way the institution reinforces racism

the institution allows particularly at people of color. that seems to be a fact not just an opinion. seems like words and with the culture of impunity. so that when a particular police officer is charged, if that ever happens, with brutality or use of force that was excessive and unjustified, what happens culturally as a circle the wagon kind of mentality. that is the impunity. right now in buffalo we saw them resign from a special unit in protest to the fact one of their own had been charged with lethal force,

unjustified force led to a concussion and the inability of the victim to walk. a person by the way accused was actually associate with the social justice group. man is 75 years old practice : catwalk. and then, after that when he was arraigned in court, a number of the colleagues on the police department came out to applaud him walking out of the courthouse. and they fully supported him. was excessive issues of support. we saw police officers and louisville turn their backs on the mayor because he dared to say think we need to have some fundamental reforms the new york police they were in protest of the fact they're held accountable at all. historically policing, police associations, and the

aggregate oppose body cameras for more accountability. and consistently defending and get reinstating cops who repeatedly charged with brutality. especially brutality of people with color. how do we get to a culture of accountability will you're still denying this is a fundamental social problem. and secondly with the culture of impunity there is this any kind of accountability. >> thank you congressman for that important question. they couldn't agree more with the culture reinforces the lack of accountability. take for example i minneapolis event more than 20 complaints against him he been involved in three shootings he said he

doesn't feel a thing about that. fact is proud of it. may well be a few bad apples and those who are willing to resort to violence in circumstances that are quite questionable. that institutionalize the mention of it is that kind of behavior is not punished but rewarded. so those officers who were able to rise up the ranks by having this attitude they are actually at war with the people they're meant meant to serve. and let me underscore the notion of the unions creating bargaining with preferences for potential wrongdoing that our police officers might do that no one else gets take two or three days before they have to testify or say what happened.

no one else at the chance to hold onto their own jobs and less there is evidence of wrongdoing such as a video of them doing something wrong. yet turning off their video is not enough for the presumption to be perhaps you have done something wrong's you have to take the risk if you turn off your video and could not the truth of what happened. we need to rollback the concessions that have been made to police unions we have to create incentives in spending so those communities that have real limits on what can be negotiated away in terms of the rights of the individuals the same way if it proceeded as anyone else. >> would you allow mr. lewis to answer the question and i would yield back. >> i believe that when there

are investigations that should be public. the general public should know if there officers are under investigation. that is something the general public does not know. a lot of this comes out after the officer is terminated or something has happened on the medium look into their past. that should not be a personnel record that should be general public information. the accountability of the blue line i'm sorry but i called them again because sometimes the mentality that they are going to go no one crosses this blue line. i have seen other officers and even right now i believe her name is caroline horn out in buffalo she lost her job because she tried to correct an officer and she lost her job for that. now we have the mayor of buffalo's going to try to open that and get her job back. there are good officers within y try to do the right thing.

how do we stop this culture? most municipalities the mayors over the police department. i want this panel to understand has absolute power there is no one over the sheriff. that is something we need to revisit because that is the first form of law enforcement is the sheriff's department and i yield back. >> next will go to ms. scholz. >> on friday may 29 the morning after protesters and police crashed into minneapolis president trump took to twitter to declare that thugs were dishonoring the memory of george floyd when the looting started the shooting started i want have a

rapidfire series of questions to really establish the impact that we have on the overall cascade of events that follow. and the choices that people make with their words really shape the direction that the protest and the follow-up to an egregious act like the murder of mr. floyd, can go. so, can you tell the historical roots of that statement when the looting starts the shooting starts just briefly what the president was invoking? >> yes thank you so much for that question. it basically refers to the historical fact that law enforcement was used and continued to be used by mayors

and other government officials, reinforcing bright white supremacy. it was a phrase by walter a chief of police in miami florida who was basically using that as a warning, a threat, a justification about the use of violence for those who are seen as lawbreakers. let's be clear when we are talking about lawbreakers, we are basically talking about individuals and groups who are protesting discrimination. the history we are talking about is that history. the history of really even turning law enforcement against martin luther king. >> we need to be clear about this. >> i'm being that i represent part of miami dade county on the rules don't ask the question if you don't know the answer to. ask appreciate having an expert actually articulate that so thank you so much. mr. lewis what is it mean to

you when you hear the looting starts the shooting starts? >> we know what that means we here in the media constantly we know exactly what group they are talking about, they are talking about minorities. it is an insult. minorities are not the ones who are always looting. >> thank you it's ridiculous the president later attempted to clarify his remarks by saying is spoken as a fact and not a statement and said no one should have a problem with it other than the haters and those looking to cause trouble in social media. which leads me to it jump therapy countless other nationwide protests in this administration the women smart , protesting and see muslim ban, the march that took place after the douglas shooting, march against having kids in cages, you notice the

administration did not react to any of those protests. , professor why do you think the government reacted to protest with racial injustice differently? and what i want to zero in on is there is a double standard we see with the trump administration appears to be rooted in racism. no matter what tactic they use the trump administration always seems to really zero in on an inappropriate over-the-top unacceptable race stating reaction when it is people of color protesting. but yet the other protest that has hundreds of thousands and in one case a million people, nothing. where do you think that comes from? >> congresswoman, that double standard has many of us deeply in despair. partly because of the continuation of a double standard parade so let's be

clear over the course of history when black people have protested with discrimination that protest has been seen as out of order. our own fbi called martin luther king the greatest threat to the security of america. but it extends even today we have a category we are called black identities extremism. that has been applied to black lives matter. they have been framed as a deep threat. sometimes that frame has even extended to be on the kkk and other white supremacist organizations. >> thank you and really quickly, would you agree that the language from the white house was not mere words but reflective of how this administration polices black americans? >> absolutely when i hear those words i think it's something we have seen historically in our nation and

definitely something the current president what he lives by. >> thank you madame chair i appreciate the indulgence and yield back. >> thank you, next will go to ms. kellie. >> thank you madame chair, thank you for having this hearing and thank you to all of the witnesses and thank you for your patience i do represent the chicagoland area and compelled to comment what my colleagues said when you talk about the people that were recently shot in chicago and he talked about un- born children losing their lives. to find it so very interesting that comments were made about that because iran on gun violence prevention and since i've been in congress for seven years when the democrats took over to even get a vote on having background checks, closing the charleston loophole very few republicans voted for that i also have an

internal mortality bill for too many women have died, black women have died three to four times the rate of aye women in illinois six times the rate. i could not get on my bill. it's interesting to me they talk about how much they care but when given the opportunity to save lives they have not done that. ms. crenshaw i want you to know my office was and say her name tweet for 12 hours. we had 15 minute increments we put it out there. i just want to thank all of you for what you are doing. but what i want to know is this moment or something going to really happen? what do you think? and why has this really i guess got into the soul of americans it seems like?

>> ms. crenshaw, this is the question of the hour, is this a movement or is this a moment? i think there are indications this may in fact be more than a moment. it is been mentioned by many people today, when the police were actually in everybody's view and we could see exactly how the police and many of these cities were reacting, you have to go back to old videos one did not have to just trust our testimony for so long the idea was because it's happening out of sight, out of mind we can't really get society to look seriously at the problem. for two weeks, every day seven days a week there's plenty to see. and it was important that it

was not just pictures of african-americans that were under the baton as it were. but even white americans and others who came out to protest. so i think that vision was abundantly clear. and give us the text from which to see so many things that have not been legible until this moment. >> mr. lewis? >> i don't believe this is a moment. people are tired we talked about the institution of racism which is the foundation of this country. i want to definitely make sure everyone is aware of crystal mason she's about to serve five years in prison for just voting that's the institution of racism we have. i want to make sure we understand this is not a fleeting moment. we are here. when i first started i will

give you my own testimony. when i first started people who were on the opposite sides at oh you are wrong. that's not fair, they were so pro police and they thought i was the problem. now those same people are coming back to me and saying i'm sorry, i thought it was that, thank you. >> i definitely think what you're seeing right now it is a movement in this more than a moment. i know for us here in kentucky we have seen our young people lead, we're sitting across the nation are young black folks lead. i think one thing that is important as we see some of the other movements with some of the gun violence things with young folks the black voices been left out. the black voices not going away anytime soon.

i think what you are seeing is people have to listen to the voice now. our young. you're not going to get up. this is their nation, this is their society this is the ones who will be raising the next generation being our next legislators. >> we run out of time out of a fillet that other two witnesses speak but thank you so much. we are all in this together. >> thank you ms. kellie next we will go to mr. grossman. >> hello this is not to anyone in particular. i have a long history and politics. i was in the state legislature had a bill about 12 years ago make it easier to get bad of a bad police officer. i got almost no help at the tim time. her head democratic senator sign on.

i'm very pro police by think even the good police do not want to protect the bad police sometime the power of the police union and politicians going to bat for them are a problem. it's particularly a problem in the big cities where there are rumors that was a problem in minneapolis that resulted in death. could someone comments on why -- live you hear live in big citie cities, why so many people vote for politicians and big cities who really is part of their campaign, their major goal is to help the union in one of the goals is to help the unions protect the worst actors. why did those politicians tend to get elected in big urban cities? >> i would just say i believe it is because we have not yet

created a robust imagination for the electorate to understand. >> this is been going on for like 20 years. my bill came up 13 years ago it's not a new thing. it seems by design. >> and for the last 50 years the inability to understand beyond police for the electorate allows politicians to only depend on that one tool exclusively and not paint a broad picture for folks to imagine that we can indeed have public safety be on policing i think elected officials are afraid of the police union because people in our community to not understand the implement strategy. that can't make our community sacred. >> okay my next comment i do want to point out on behalf of people in my district, we come from all over the world they bristle at the idea we have a racist society to understand that everyone feels that way,

i talked to people who come hear from all over the world and are making it. when they compare america to their countries at home they feel it is so much easier to be a success in america than in asia, southeast asia, africa, what have you. so at least in my experience in my district is with people who have done very well despite coming here and not being able to speak the language, having a different religion, you can just look at them they don't look european it all and they make it all the way i think we can go overboard and saying it's difficult to make it in america if you're not a european background. because many people make and in my district so many make it and they take it as an insult when they imply you can't make it. a question, i see behind you

you got a picture of angela davis. i know what her politics are. kind of concerns me a little bit, do you buy into her politics? >> absolutely angela davis is someone i have looked up to i have studied and i admire her as a black woman and her fighting for black folks to be free. she is definitely someone i am honed into on a daily basis to ensure that i am well protected and have the knowledge i need. one thing i would like to say is historically black folks are the only folks in this nation have been enslaved and that weibel were talking about what states need to do and what they need to change their built on the back of black slaves. our policies have been created whether it's in healthcare,

criminal justice have been to keep black folks oppressed. so until we address the systemic policies on the federal level working to continue to have issues. to make okay thanks. one final question. one of the things, like i said i was out trying to make it easier to get rid of a bad cough about 14 years ago before is fashionable. one of things it frustrates me and my district is not improved its adjacent to the city of milwaukee right now our murders are up more than 20 more than this time last year including someone i've heard a little bit about who died working in an all-night gas station. kind of late into the morning after black lives matter demonstration. twenty more people have died this year than last year. nevertheless we are having

hearings everyone cares about as well they showed their bad problems about the gentleman who died in minnesota. but we have so many people dying in milwaukee. we had a weekend, two weekends ago of 30 people dying in chicago. that makes people like me wonder little bit where is the outrage when people die on the north side of milwaukee or south the west side of chicago other than guns i don't blame guns as being the answer we have guns all over my district we don't have a high murder rate. where is the outrage over these deaths which are so wildly more than a handful of deaths with police. it frustrates me when i see -- i don't know why black lives matter can't have a gofundme page for the people who died kind of in the aftermath of the protest why is there not

more outrage or sympathy for this much larger group of people who are dying? >> there is outrage and there is sympathy. i work with people in milwaukee, reggie moore of the 414 for life, i literally walk every time there are people who were killed there outrage in the congregation there outrage in the homes people are weeping and grieving at the loss of life often not covered by the press but i do believe we should continue to ask these kinds of questions but also lift up solutions. we have solutions the urban progress act is a solution of scaling up gun violence prevention programs is a solution. if they were resource to the full extent of their budget it would eliminate those kinds of shootings. i met a pushback on this idea. [inaudible] >> okay i have one more question. >> your time has expired.

>> next will go to porter. >> hello thank you all for being here. my colleague on the other side of the aisle just reference the gentleman from minneapolis who died say his name, george floyd. that is who died and that is what's prompting this long overdue continued national discussion about what we're going to do about the systemic racism in this country which manifests itself in the police system and so many other aspects of her country as well. i wanted to talk today on juneteenth a really significant day and our country's history for all of us. but especially for the black communities. most people really do not know about juneteenth. i know growing up in rural iowa the 1980s we did not learn what juneteenth was in school. even when i went to college

and was an american studies major even my own exposure to black cities and afro-american history was more limited than it should have been. this really has not changed today, and 2017 the southern poverty law center surveyed high school seniors to understand how american slavery is taught in our school. the findings are really alarming. more than a third of the students thought the emancipation crop proclamation ended slavery. knopp the 13th amendment they were not aware of that. nearly 16% of teachers did not believe the textbook coverage slavery was adequate. i wanted to get to how teachers are constrained by curriculum and testing. there's so many parts of this country's history that we have intentionally overlooked live shielded our plans that we are

shielding her eyes from seeing them have been wiped from our history books. once look at how to improve for adults and of racial injustice in our communities. to start by briefly explaining to everyone what intersection analogy is? >> thank you for that question. intersection analogy is basically a framework for understanding the way that racism, sexism and other forms of illegitimate discrimination come together. they create burdens, obstacles and experiences that are greater than the sum of its parts. basically to say when you have an understanding of racism does not look at the weight race plays out across gender, it is limited. if you are understanding of

sexism doesn't look at intersections with the race it's a partial understanding. think we can see many of these examples one mentioned earlier sexual abuse against black wome women. they are of raping 13 black women. that is an intersectional vulnerability. they don't see interpersonal violence what happens by police officer as part of their agenda. some who fight against antiblack racism to not often see how that intersects with the patriarchy and sexism. so basically let's run the way we think about this issue because that will help us see it more clearly. and if we can see it more clearly our actions will

follow suit. >> thank you so much for that how to integrate that into educational curriculum? i have seen from my education to my children's education about teaching at different cultures, different people, different parts of our country and treated as a unit. this is a unit on this. this is a month on this. how does intersection analogy help us create a more rich curriculum they are experiences of americans. this ought to be woven throughout our studies other than treated as a special topic. >> that is the essential question of the moment. head would take the energy that conversations were having about we teach our children. i have to say that challenges in the broader structural race and understanding some school

districts finally get comfortable interrogating our past how it constitutes this moment to put a case in point the african-american is it unequal opportunity race video it's on youtube. they used it in other occasions to show people when an entire group of people has been cut out and not allowed to participate even formally. so until 1965 and that shapes everything. parents got obsessed about this and one local district and the school board withdrew unequal opportunity rates and calls it aye video. looking honestly at history is creating guilt that creates

massive ignorance we see across american society about how race and racism shaped the baseline that not everybody takes for granted. >> thank you very much everyone for being here my time has expired. >> give ms. porter next we will go to mr. raskin. >> first of all we are waiting for jackie spirits good to see all of my colleagues will be seeing each other next weekend voting for this important bill. while we are waiting for jackie spear we are trying to find her. i would like to ask mr. johnson i'm so glad to have you here today who spent years advocating on behalf of your nephew and family across the country who have lost loved ones. as we consider steps as

sweeping reform what do you and those families want members of congress to know? >> today on the west coast the question was asked if this was a movement or a moment. today here on the west coast, all 29 ports are shut down for eight hours in regards to police accountability and transparency. the i owe w local shore unit number ten is up and down the west coast's stop to work today. international cargo coming into the west coast could not enter because what we are witnessing with the people of color in dealing with police they're being held accountable. i want us to forget ionic

jones severs old kilts in detroit the same way breonna was killed because of our failure to pay attention to these type of murders breonna taylor, as you know was murdered. douglas was seven year old. isabel 107 years old and yet a swat team down his door and murdered him. no person of color irregardless of your age is excused from being murdered by these rogue police officers. and again we note good police officers exist. however the good police officers need to hear our cry to become accountable to hold those bad officers accountable and have them removed from the system with accountability and that type of help would eradicate the problems we have today. it's also important to also understand that i believe that though i have bought for

legislation for the past seven or eight years, the use of force data collection in the state of california the department of justice, the racial identification profiling act, up to sp 1421 the right to know, ab 748 audio release and just recently the most ab 3392, the question is, are agencies locally and statewide of fighting by the laws that are being passed? i say no. so it requires on a national level that the department of justice involve national legislation that the agencies are held accountable to abide by. that in itself will begin to help. i hope it begins end the murders we see happening by

these rogue police officers. but it is a call out from a family member of the officers come on our side and begin to cross that blue line so the bad officers can be arrested, charged, fig didn't sent to jail. the murder of my nephew by the only officer in the state of california the most deadliest in this country to government arrested, charged, convicted and sent to jail. he only did 11 months and takes us to the other question just because we get one arrested and convicted did not mean the system does not fail that does not mean that the judges that stood on these cases and robert. claims and therefore reduce the time that happens on a regular basis. we have much work to do but i believe there is taken

placement labor comes on board will see the impact of this movement. stomach thank you so much. i believe jackie is available now that correct? hello. madame chair can hear me? i want to thank you madam chair to bring this panel together have just one question probably should be addressed. [inaudible] the death of so many victims

number of deaths we have the united states. death by police officers. year than the knighted states and canada is known and i'm just curious from the panel as to what extent do we also attribute this to view talent he there are so many guns in our society? >> it is without a doubt that proliferation of weapons in the united states is certainly an issue. and we know there are ways for strategy to reduce gun violence in our society without having to fall into that. we believe the strategy that have been championed by so many across the country cities like oakland, camden, a brick decrease gun violence in their

cities by 30% on the low end than 70% on the high-end and less than 24 months. so a comprehensive gun violence strategy is about limiting the illegal trafficking of weapons also scaling up public health interventions can they be leveraged in the municipalities that help us rely less and less on the kinds of policing strategy that cause civil rights abuses, the collective punishment of all communities. these strategies are at our disposal. that is a wonderful start. we hope it with police violence and the concerns about public safety we can indeed talk about the solution to those fears being in the strategies that are championed by so many across the country.

>> would any of the other panelist went to answer that question? >> i think i would like to point out a couple of problems with the way in which much of the conversation about gun violence undervalues the concerns of african american gun owners. there seems to be a functional reality that african-american gun owners are basically operating under a sort of lower form of protection of the second amendment. breanna taylor's boyfriend was initially arrested and charged with attempted murder because he exercised what he thought was his right to protect his family. it was like a break get in the

same thing happened with others who had a registered firearm which she initially said she had when she thought the police were people breaking into her home. she ended up being killed after facebook turned off her stream of her effort to protect herself and her child. so while it is utterly significant and important to be concerned about gun violence, also to be concerned about the disparity, no one that i know thanks african-americans can march into a state capital and have a standoff with officers, with legislatures inside holding guns. we are very much concerned about the disparity in the second amendment rights.

>> stomach thank you. [inaudible] other other questions? >> jackie refinish? >> mr. raskin is recognized for questions. >> thank you i have one final question for reverend mcbride. the point was made to representative porter that too often people interpret the efforts to educate about the actual history of our country in an effort to impose guilt on white people. i saw it interesting speech by brian stevenson he said this moment is not about assigning guilt and punishment to the population it's about liberatio liberation, liberating ourselves and the injustices and cruelties of the past.

this occurred to me whose children had gone down to protest at the white house and got caught up in that un- identified police paramilitary riots that president trump released on the protesters in lafayette square with robert bullets, tear gas and pepper spray. said he could not believe his family is treated like that. i am wondering if you'd reflect a little bit what's in this not just for the african-american community or for all americans take away the power of arbitrary violence that the police or some police officers have irrigated themselves. i am convinced is a victim of violence one who has worked with law enforcement officers to receive training and other forms of training that

violence erases your humanity. it erases your capacity to have compassion. your ability to respond to people with gentleness, tenderness and patience. it steals your soul and it steals your heart. i believe the importance is doctor king says the greater exporter of violence in the world is the united states government. the apparatus and appendages of our government at the local and even national level not become less addicted to violence so our souls can be redeemed in our bodies can be based. it is indeed all of us at this moment we have an opportunity to do what 300 years of previous lawmakers and citizens have been unable to do, to begin to build a community and a system and a structure and a nation that is not dominated by the forces of

violence in the humanization that is at work and it is ubiquitous. so i say to all of our countrymen and women, loved ones that violence is not the way to secure peace. it is an illusion. violence is the solution for the kinds of issues were facing, there are other ways to use our tax dollars, our talents are gifts are human ingenuity to solve our worse conditions. violence cannot be our tool. it must be a ultimate ultimate last resort. right now it is our first option. >> thank you very much for that that was a beautiful evocation of reverend king's message about violence it is the salvation of everybody in america all races and creeds people uniform as well we've got to move towards nonviolence and society i move back madame chair.

>> thank you i want to thank all were very insightful we thank you for being here today i want to respond to a statement that infected people do have a voice. we will not forget what we feel, what you've gone through, and what you have expressed today. we are grateful to all of you for your presence, your voice, and everything you have expressed today. i encourage all of my colleagues to go towards the floyd policing actually must not let this moment pass us by. in the words of our former chairman, elijah cummings, we can and we must do better. i think the staff, i think all the members, i especially thank those today for their insight, their experience, their wisdom and we will carry

that to the floor of congress only vote next week. we will carry it to our colleagues in congress is a work for the passage of this important bill. thank you and i yield back. ♪ ♪ c-span has unfiltered coverage of congress, the white house, the supreme court, and public-policy events. you can watch all of c-span's public affairs programming on television, online, or listen on our free radio app. be part of the national conversation through ccn's daily "washington journal" program or thorough social media feed. c-span, created by americans as a public service and brought to you today by your television provider. ♪ ♪ : : :