The US House of Representatives approves police reforms
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| US House of Representatives, Source: Britannica |
The bill is named after Floyd, who died last May 25 at the age of 46 when Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee to the victim’s neck for more than eight minutes.
The shocking killing was captured on video, sparking mass protests across the nation.
The George Floyd Justice in the Police Act cleared the House last year but was blocked by the Republican-led Senate.
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| George Floyd mural created by protesters Source: Wikipedia |
With President Joe Biden in office since January and a Democrats-controlled Senate, the bill was reintroduced last week and approved on a party-line vote of 220 to 212 on Wednesday.
Before the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “Nearly a year ago, George Floyd whispered his last words, ‘I can’t breathe,’ and sparked a national reckoning on racial inequality and police violence in America.”
“The legislation will not erase centuries of systemic racism and excessive policing in America,” but it takes a tremendous step in ending violence and enhancing the relationships between law enforcement and communities, she added.