IDWC Co-Sponsors NFDW Resolution in Honor of George Floyd

During the National Federation of Democratic Women’s 2020 Virtual Convention, the Idaho Democratic Women’s Caucus helped co-sponsor a resolution in honor of George Floyd. We are very saddened by his senseless death and stand proud with those who are protesting racial injustice. His death serves as a wake-up to all of us that the Justice in Policing Act is desperately needed in these difficult times. The text of the resolution is below:

National Federation of Democratic Women Resolution #8

In Support of the Justice in Policing Act

WHEREAS, the horrific murder of George Floyd on the streets of Minneapolis–with a police officer’s knee to his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds as he gasped for air, gave an anguished cry “I can’t breathe” and called to his deceased mother–galvanized hundreds of thousands of Americans to take to the streets in peaceful Black Lives Matter protests in support of transformative change that ends police brutality, ends racial profiling, gives jurisdiction the power to fire or prosecute offending officers to achieve civil rights and justice for all, and invests in communities; and

WHEREAS, this week the Congressional Black Caucus–the conscience of the Congress–led over 200 House Democrats in introducing H.R. 7120, the Justice in Policing Act.  This bold, transformative legislation will assist police departments to change the culture of policing, raise the standards of the profession and hold officers accountable by (1) creating the first-ever national accreditation standards for the operation of police departments, (2) establishing accountability and limits to the qualified immunity that keeps unfit officers on the street, (3) banning chokeholds and no-knock drug warrants, and (4) establishing a national registry of police so unfit officers can’t move from one jurisdiction to another with impunity; and

WHEREAS, had these Justice in Policing Act reforms been the law of the land several years ago, Eric Garner and George Floyd would be alive because the bill bans chokeholds; Breonna Taylor would not have been shot to death in her sleep because no-knock warrants for drug offenses would have been illegal; and this May, Tamir Rice would have graduated from high school rather than having been killed at age 12 after an encounter that lasted mere seconds with an officer who had been fired from another department; and

WHEREAS, the Justice in Policing Act reinvests in our communities and empowers them to shape the future of public safety through grants to community-based organizations to develop innovative solutions.THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Federation of Democratic Women endorses the Justice in Policing Act and urges all Members of Congress and Senators to support this lifesaving legislation and to reshape the future of public safety with justice for all.