Despite months of protests across the U.S. this summer, policing in America is coming under scrutiny once again after police in Kenosha, Wisconsin shot Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man, in front of his children.  Now Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D- N.Y. 9th District) is imploring the Senate to finally move on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives in June.

"We've yet to see any real meaningful action around that legislation," Clarke told Cheddar. "There can't be another generation of Black children raised in this climate and subjected to the inhumanity that unfortunately can lead to death in this nation."

While Blake survived being shot multiple times by an officer on Sunday, his family has reported that he is paralyzed from the waist down. 

When it comes to government action on policing in America, Clarke said states like New York have been responsive and are taking steps to provide transparency and accountability but action needs to be taken on the federal level.

"We need national policy. This is a problem from New York to Wisconsin. We're seeing, again, this bias that can be deadly within the policing infrastructure in our nation," Clarke continued. 

While Senator Kamala Harris already co-sponsored the act in the Senate, Clarke is hopeful that as the potential vice president, she will be able to do more. 

Clarke also championed Harris' nomination for the vice presidential role as a step in the right direction and an opportunity to "bridge that divide" of racial inequality in the U.S.

"It's reflective of the diversity of the party that we know today in terms of gender, in terms of background, race, ethnicity, and I think it's very refreshing," she said.

Share:
More In Politics
McCarthy Struggles for Debt Bill Votes, Makes Late Changes
House Republicans made post-midnight changes to their sweeping debt ceiling package to win over holdouts, as Speaker Kevin McCarthy pushed ahead Wednesday with plans to launch debate and round up support from his slim majority for a vote this week.
Biden Thanks 'Tennessee Three' for 'Standing Up' for Gun Control
Three Tennessee lawmakers who became Democratic heroes for facing expulsion after participating in gun control protests visited the White House on Monday, describing themselves as “representatives of a movement" that is demanding greater restrictions on firearms to save lives.
Speaker McCarthy Faces Big Test as Debt Bill Heads for Vote
Speaker Kevin McCarthy is hurtling toward one of the most consequential weeks of the new House Republican majority as he labors to pass a partisan package that would raise the nation's debt limit by $1.5 trillion in exchange for steep cuts that some in his own party oppose.
Biden Announces 2024 Reelection Bid: 'Let’s Finish This Job'
President Joe Biden on Tuesday formally announced that he is running for reelection in 2024, asking voters to give him more time to “finish this job” he began when he was sworn into office and to set aside their concerns about extending the run of America’s oldest president for another four years.
Load More