Cartwright to Support Justice in Policing Act on House Floor this Week

Press Release

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) today announced his support for the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, which will be considered on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives later this week. This comprehensive legislation would improve public safety by reforming police training and ensuring law enforcement officers who engage in misconduct can be held accountable.

"Communities in northeastern Pennsylvania and across the country are speaking out peacefully against racial injustice and demanding change. We need to meet this moment with real reforms like improving law enforcement training and making sure officers who behave badly can be held to account," Cartwright said. "I'm encouraged that both Democrats and Republicans are beginning to find some common ground on policing reform solutions, because all Americans deserve to feel safe in their communities. I hope for productive negotiations going forward.

"More will need to be done to achieve justice and equality, but I do not support defunding or abolishing police," Cartwright continued. "They play a critical role in our public safety, and I believe we can make real improvements in training, transparency and accountability without defunding or abolishing police."

The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 would:

- Ban chokeholds;
- Ban no-knock warrants in drug cases;
- End racial, religious and discriminatory profiling;
- Eliminate the qualified immunity doctrine, which makes it harder to hold police officers accountable for wrongful conduct;
- Establish a National Police Misconduct Registry to improve transparency and prevent problematic officers who are fired or leave one agency, from moving to another jurisdiction without any accountability;
- Require the use of body cameras for federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as dashboard cameras for federal law enforcement;
- Establish new standards for policing and Public Safety Innovation grants for community-based organizations to help reimagine policing in their communities;
- Make lynching a federal hate crime; and more.

A week after the introduction of the Justice in Policing Act in the House, Republicans in the U.S. Senate unveiled a police reform bill, titled the Justice Act. The Senate is expected to hold a floor vote on it later this week as well.

Source