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
Speaker McCarthy Vows to Pass Debt Bill — But Can He Do It?
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pledged Monday to pass legislation to raise the nation's debt ceiling — but only on condition of capping future federal spending increases at 1% — as he lashed out at President Joe Biden for refusing to engage in budget-cutting negotiations to prevent a debt crisis.
Rep. George Santos Announces Reelection Bid
U.S. Rep. George Santos, the New York Republican whose lies about his background and wealth helped propel him into office, announced Monday that he's running for reelection.
Kamala Harris Rallies as High Court Eyes Abortion Pill Rules
Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday urged Americans to take action during “a critical point in our nation’s history” as thousands of protesters demonstrated across the country against new limits to abortion rights making their way through the courts.
Load More