“What happened yesterday to Jacob Blake is an all too frequent experience for Black people in America.
Jacob was shot in the back multiple times in front of his children. Trauma was inflicted on not only Jacob, but on his innocent children. My heart aches for him and his family. I am praying that he makes a full recovery from his serious injuries.
We must rid our communities and our systems of the racism that results in biased policing practices, creating devastating tragedies for Black men and women. We all must treat racism as the public health emergency that it is and take appropriate action to keep other families and communities from being traumatized by these reckless shootings.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice must conduct a thorough investigation as part of the process of ensuring that police officers are held accountable when excessive, violent force is used.
I am tired of condemning these shootings which is why I joined my colleagues in the House in passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (H.R. 7120) to begin making the steps necessary to build greater transparency, accountability and fairness in policing. I am calling for action from the Senate Majority Leader to bring this bill to the Senate floor. I am also calling on the majority in the Wisconsin State Legislature to take up the police reform measures laid out by our Governor and Lieutenant Governor earlier this year.
The longer these bills languish the longer justice is delayed and denied. Our communities are calling for change right now, and they cannot and should not wait any longer for meaningful action.’’
