The House Passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act| Weekly Update March 1–5, 2021
Dear friends,
As the trial of Derek Chauvin begins next week, I wanted to share some of the work we are doing on the federal level to combat police brutality. From George Floyd to Jamar Clark to Philando Castile — our communities have felt the pain of injustice for far too long. It is time for us to not only provide justice to these families, but to everyone else who has experienced injustice within our criminal justice system. This week, the House took action and passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
This legislation will eliminate qualified immunity for law enforcement, ban chokeholds, and mandate data collection on police encounters. This is an important step in the right direction, but we can’t stop here. We must heed the calls from those who are impacted by police brutality daily and reimagine public safety in this country. Last month, we celebrated Black History Month and honored the contributions of countless Black Minnesotans whose triumphs made our communities better. I know this legislation will not solve all of the challenges we face, but it is a step in the right direction to actually making Black Lives Matter.
In the District
In the first couple of months of my second term, we have been focusing on our commitment to co-governance. I have met with St. Louis Park and Golden Valley City Councils as part of my visits to all city councils in the district. I have also started holding regular meetings with different constituency groups to ensure that I am representing all of the diverse voices within our district. You can read more about my meetings here.
Fighting for Survival Checks
In February, I led a letter to the Biden Administration urging for the inclusion of recurring cash payments to the American people for the duration of pandemic. The letter also calls for parity of payments for adults and dependents — and inclusion of all immigrant workers and their families. You can read more about my efforts here
Fighting for Election Reform
This week, the House passed HR 1, legislation to end the culture of corruption in Washington. The bill ends the dominance of big money in politics, protects the right to vote, and strengthens campaign finance oversight. I also introduced the PAUL Act to make sure that lobbyists representing foreign countries act in good faith and operate with full transparency. You can read more here.
Fighting for Student Debt Cancellation
Student debt is the result of a broken system that tells students to get an education and go to college in order to have a stable life — but doesn’t provide the resources to afford that education. I co-led a resolution with Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Warren urging President Bident to cancel up to $50,000 in student loan debt. I will continue to push for the full cancellation of student debt. You can watch my remarks from a press conference on this topic here.
Fighting for Human Rights Everywhere
Upholding basic human rights around the world is a core priority for me and the Fifth District of Minnesota. This week, I introduced a bill to sanction Mohammed bin Salman for his role in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and grave human rights abuses. I was also named Vice Chair of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa. This will give me the opportunity to play a leadership role in overseeing our international aid and foreign policy on the African continent. You can read my statement here.
Fighting for a Livable Planet
Last month, I visited Line 3 and met with the indigenous communities who would be directly impacted by it. This proposed tar sands pipeline project is projected to add five times as much greenhouse gas annually as Minnesota transportation produced in total in 2016. I led a letter to President Biden urging him to stop the construction of Line 3. You can watch a video from my visit here.
Fighting for Accountability
On January 6th, we all watched as gunmen stormed the Capitol in an effort to overturn the election results. I introduced articles of impeachment against Donald Trump for his incitement of violence and orchestrating an attempted coup against our country. You can read my full statement here.
Fighting for the 5th
My office is here to help if you need assistance with Medicare, Social Security, the VA, Immigration, or any other federal agency. Please contact my District Office at (612) 333–1272 whenever we can be of service. I wanted to share this story about
Vince and his experience working with my office:
“I really can’t thank you enough. I have no doubt that it was your timely attention
to my problem that moved it a few more steps closer to a positive resolution. You knew exactly who to approach and how to approach them. I’m sure the actual resolution of my fraud problem will take more time, but I don’t believe for a minute that I would be this far without your help. And done for someone you had never met. In all of this you were direct, articulate, and polite. I always felt you were on my side, and that alone gave me cause for optimism.” Vince, Minneapolis.
Join My Listening Session on Community Safety and Aerial Surveillance
My office and I have been hearing concerns regarding community safety and constant aerial noise happening in Minneapolis. I will be convening a virtual listening session to hear directly from you on Tuesday, March 9th from 4 PM to 5 PM CT. In order to attend, you will need to RSVP to MN05.info@mail.house.govby March 8th at 5 PM CT. Please contact my office with any questions or concerns.
In service,
Ilhan Omar
