Congressman Thornberry's Statement on Partisan Police Reform Legislation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jessica Graff

Date Published June 25, 2020

(202) 225-3706

Congressman Thornberry’s Statement on Partisan Police Reform Legislation

WASHINGTON -Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) released the following statement after the House of Representatives voted on partisan police reform legislation.

“Speaker Pelosi and the House Democratic majority have once again written and passed a partisan bill that will not be signed into law, joining their Senate counterparts in delaying necessary policing reform for the country. They would obviously rather have an issue for their campaigns than take action on legislation where there is widespread agreement. Although House and Senate Democrats agree on many of the reforms included in the JUSTICE Act, they continue to work in a partisan manner, emphasizing their politics over substance. As a co-sponsor of the JUSTICE Act, I will continue to support meaningful police reform that strengthens the relationship between law enforcement officers and their communities.”

Key provisions in the Republican alternative

The JUSTICE Act:

• Requires law enforcement agencies to maintain and share to any Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency disciplinary records for 30 years in order to streamline transparency and hiring
• Makes lynching a federal crime
• Penalizes any law enforcement agency that does not develop a policy banning the use of chokeholds except where deadly force is authorized
• Requires annual reporting on the use of force and no-knock warrants
• Implements Department of Justice (DOJ) training that focuses on de-escalation techniques and law enforcement interaction with mentally ill individuals
• Creates a bipartisan commission on the social status of black men that will issue a report to Congress on conditions including education, health care, financial status, and the criminal justice system

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