John,

Black Lives Matter.

For too long, Congress failed to truly acknowledge the power and the grief behind those words. The death of Eric Garner, or Tamir Rice, or Breonna Taylor wasn’t enough for them to take action.

As I called to demilitarize our police and put an end to “cooling off” periods that help protect bad cops, Congress remained stagnant -- proclaiming Black Lives Matter in word only.

Now, our people have taken to the streets. And even amidst a global pandemic, they’ve come together to say enough is enough -- we are tired of police killing Black folks.

Our people need to know that we as their elected representatives hear them. The only way we can do that is to do our job and take action.

That’s why I am proud to announce the passage through the House of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act -- a comprehensive set of police reforms that will set us on a better path toward justice.

I write this not out of celebration, but out of solidarity. It is our basic duty to protect the rights and freedoms of every individual -- especially those who have been victimized, abused, and exploited for centuries.

The Justice in Policing Act is merely the beginning of our work. Demilitarizing, banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants, and creating a National Registry of Bad Cops will save lives, but there is more left to accomplish to better invest in our communities. I look forward to being a part of that fight.

May all those Black lives taken from us rest in power, and may we continue to make lasting, meaningful change in their legacy.

In service and solidarity,

-- Hank