Biden calls for police reform after tragic death of Sonya Massey

President Joe Biden has stated the death of Sonya Massey, a young Black woman who lost her life during a police response to her call for assistance. The President expressed his condolences and called for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

In his statement, President Biden noted that Massey “should be alive today.” He emphasized the expectation that all Americans should be able to seek help without fearing for their safety, regardless of their background or location.

The President acknowledged the swift actions the Springfield State’s Attorney’s office took in response to the incident. He also commended Massey’s family and expressed his sympathy for their loss.

President Biden used this opportunity to renew his call for Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, describing it as crucial for upholding the nation’s “fundamental commitment to justice.”

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 is a comprehensive bill to reform law enforcement practices in the United States. Its key provisions include:

1. Increasing police accountability by adjusting the criminal intent standard for convicting officers of misconduct and limiting qualified immunity.
2. Establishing a National Police Misconduct Registry to track complaints and records of police misconduct.
3. Mandating the reporting of use of force data by state and local law enforcement agencies.
4. Banning certain police practices, such as chokeholds and no-knock warrants in federal drug cases.
5. Requiring federal uniformed police officers to wear body cameras and incentivizing state and local law enforcement to do the same.
6. Prohibiting racial, religious, and discriminatory profiling by law enforcement agencies.

The bill’s journey through Congress has been complex. It passed the House of Representatives on March 3, 2021, with a vote of 220-212. However, its progress in the Senate has stalled. Bipartisan negotiations collapsed in September 2021, primarily due to disagreements over qualified immunity for police departments and officers and opposition to a national database for tracking police misconduct.

As of July 2024, the bill remains in the Senate without sufficient support to overcome potential filibuster opposition. Its status on the Congress.gov website is listed as “Passed House,” indicating no further progression in the legislative process since clearing the House of Representatives.

The future of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act remains uncertain. Its passage would require a breakthrough in negotiations between Democrats and Republicans on key issues of police reform.