Fellow Illinoisan,

Over the past couple of weeks, in cities across the country, hundreds of thousands of Americans have engaged in peaceful demonstrations following the heartbreaking killing of George Floyd.  The anger and pain that we have seen is a reflection of generations of trauma.  People are exhausted by pervasive, systemic racism that has led to devastating injustices across the United States.

Congress has an important role to play in bringing about the change that people are crying out for.  We need to do something that the Senate rarely does anymore -- pass laws to help improve the lives of the American people.  We need legislation, not just lamentation.

That’s why I am proud to join my colleagues Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris in introducing the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. 

DURBIN CALLS ON SENATOR MCCONNELL TO BRING JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT TO FLOOR FOR A VOTE

• Our bill includes the End Racial Profiling Act, legislation I have cosponsored for many years.  This provision will finally prohibit the scourge of racial profiling, which strikes at the core of our nation's commitment to equal protection. 

• It will also ban chokeholds - like the one that killed George Floyd.  And it will ban no-knock warrants - like the one that led to the death of Breonna Taylor. 

• This bill will limit the transfer of military-grade equipment to state and local police so that weapons of war can’t be used against the American people. 

• Our bill also establishes a National Police Misconduct Registry to prevent officers who have engaged in misconduct from simply moving to another department without any accountability.