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
Conservative Majority Signals to Uphold Mississippi Abortion Law
The Supreme Court appeared prepared Wednesday to uphold a Mississippi law that would ban almost all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The ruling is far from over, with Roe V. Wade at risk. Susan Rinkunas, senior reporter at Jezebel, joins Cheddar News to share the developments of the hearing.
Supreme Court to Hear Arguements on Mississippi Abortion Law
The nine justices heard arguments Wednesday, around a Mississippi abortion law that bans the procedure after 15 weeks and appeared to lean toward upholding the law, while leaving uncertainty about the landmark precedent, Roe v. Wade. Kristin Ford, vice president of communications and research at NARAL Pro-Choice America joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Powell Retires the Word 'Transitory' to Describe Inflation
Just about a week after being re-nominated, Federal Reserve Chair Jermone Powell is changing his tune. After nearly a year of referring to inflation as 'transitory,' Powell said he will retire the 'T' word as inflation remains elevated. Christopher Russo, Post-Graduate Research Fellow, Mercatus Center joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Omicron Spread, School Shooting & Cuomo Suspended
Jill and Carlo cover the latest on Omicron, another school shooting in America and more. Plus, bidding farewell to 'transitory' inflation, and the controversy surrounding 'Lovely Bones' author Alice Sebold.
Build Back Better Act Boosts 'Tree Equity'
Disparities in tree coverage across America is a huge issue that affects air quality, heat exposure, and ultimately determines how resilient communities are against climate change. The Build Back Better Act is allocating $2.5 billion to boost 'tree equity.' Lemir Teron, assistant professor at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, joins Cheddar News to explain why this is a priority for Democrats today.
Load More