Following the grisly public murder of George Floyd in 2020, the United States saw the largest wave of political demonstrations in the nation’s history.
Former President Joe Biden (D) and congressional Democrats, including Rep. Glenn Ivey (D- Md.), introduced legislation and enacted policy since this mass movement to improve accountability and transparency while reforming police strategies, tactics, and training methods.
Ivey, who served as Prince George’s County’s state’s attorney from 2003 to 2011, is the chief sponsor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
“The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act has been important from the beginning. It has passed the House twice and has over 100 sponsors. We need to ensure accountability,” Ivey told The Informer on Sept. 15, shortly after announcing the bill’s reintroduction.
The Maryland congressman emphasized the urgency of this bill amid the Trump administration’s deployment of the military into America’s cities.
“The Trump administration has made it an even more immediate concern; there has been backsliding to say the least. The militarization in D.C. and LA is a huge step in the wrong direction,” he continued. “The need is even more important and obvious now that the military is in the streets of the District.”
This bill would require training on racial bias and duty to intervene, ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants in drug cases, expand the use of body-worn cameras, and reform qualified immunity.
While the House of Representatives passed this bill in 2021 on a 220-212 vote, Senate Republicans stalled negotiations and have blocked the Justice in Policing Act since then. President Biden’s Executive Order 14074 enacted some aspects of the bill, including a police misconduct database, and President Donald Trump (R) reversed these reforms in February with Executive Order 14148.
“We need this legislation to make sure police are doing their job the right way. Congress needs to do everything to get us moving towards making people in the streets safer and making police more effective.”
Floyd Family, Ben Crump Appreciate Ivey’s Efforts
The Floyd family said they were grateful to Ivey and his colleagues for reintroducing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
“Nearly five years after George’s life was taken, our family continues to grieve but we also continue to hope. This legislation carries his name because it represents more than just his memory; it represents a call for real change so that no other family has to suffer the way we have,” Philonise and Keeta Floyd, the brother and sister-in-law of the legislation’s namesake, wrote in a statement. “We urge Congress to act with the courage and compassion this moment demands and finally deliver accountability, transparency, and justice in policing across America,” said Philonise and Keeta Floyd, George Floyd’s brother and sister-in-law.”
Attorney Ben Crump also thanked Ivey and his colleagues for reintroducing the bill.
“This moment marks a critical step toward confronting systemic injustice and demanding real accountability in law enforcement,” said Crump, “and I am deeply grateful for your commitment to building a safer, more just America for all.”