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Washington, D.C. – Today, following his “no” vote on H.R. 7120 – the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, Alaska Congressman Don Young issued the following statement:

“Citizens in every community should feel safe and have confidence in their law enforcement officers. I have always supported our police, and the vast majority of them are good people who care deeply about the citizens they serve. However, the killing of George Floyd was a wake-up call for our nation. The relationship between police and the people they protect is significantly strained in many communities, particularly in communities of color. Republicans and Democrats agree that reforms are needed to increase accountability and transparency and to provide solutions to police misconduct in neighborhoods across our country. 

My colleague, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), is an important voice on the issue of police reform, and he has drafted legislation containing many bipartisan priorities that stand a real chance of becoming law. His bill, the JUSTICE Act, is a significant step forward, and I'm supporting it. The reforms it implements are not only long overdue, but enjoy support from advocates from both sides of the aisle. The JUSTICE Act includes important provisions, such as requiring annual reporting on the use of no-knock warrants and issuing financial penalties to police departments for failure to do so. Additionally, it bans the use of chokeholds, provides funding for body cameras and storage for footage, and expands de-escalation training for police departments. The JUSTICE Act also closes the so-called “consent loophole,” making it unlawful for an officer to engage in a sexual act with a detained suspect, something the Democrat bill surprisingly does not address. Finally, the bill makes lynching a federal crime, which I have previously supported in the House. In many cases, these high standards are already in practice by Alaska’s law enforcement agencies. 

I was hopeful that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would deliver a bill that could both offer solutions and become law, but what passed the House today was overly partisan, and will not make it to the President's desk. This should be an open and transparent process that allows for debate and input, but it should be noted that Republicans on the Judiciary Committee offered a dozen amendments to improve the bill, and all were rejected by Democrats at every turn. Frankly, today’s vote on this bill is an election year stunt, and does nothing to provide for the real reform that Americans are demanding. 

The bill drafted by House Democrats contains measures that could actually make us less safe and discourage community-minded individuals from pursuing careers in law enforcement and making a difference. The Democrat bill operates under the assumption that all members of law enforcement are bad, and I believe that is wrong. We should not be stripping the protections and safeguards of all police officers because of the actions of a handful of bad ones; this puts the safety and security of our communities at risk.  Honoring the memory of George Floyd requires us to deliver impactful, lasting change on these issues. I want us to be successful in this endeavor. All communities should be able to trust their local police forces, and our brave law enforcement officers deserve the resources necessary to uphold equal justice in our great country. The JUSTICE Act can become law, and Republicans stand ready to work with our Democrat colleagues. We can and must do better.”

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