The JUSTICE Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. ERNST.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. ERNST. Madam President, the murder of George Floyd captured the attention and the emotions of the entire world. In the weeks that have followed, folks around the world have been crying out for a change, an end to racial inequality and the beginning of a new era of justice, understanding, and healing. While sometimes uncomfortable, this conversation is much needed, and, in my opinion, it is long overdue. It should not have taken the loss of a life for us to begin to talk and listen and to learn.

I grew up in a predominantly White community, but as a young woman, I was truly blessed to live, learn, and work in communities that were rich in diversity. It is difficult to understand the unfairness someone faces due to their skin color, but we can make time to listen. I did this last week when I sat down with our own Senate Chaplain, Barry Black.

For those who do not know him, Chaplain Black is a remarkable and inspiring person. After serving over 27 years in the U.S. Navy, he now serves as a spiritual guide for Senators and opens our proceedings every day with a thoughtful prayer. One of my favorite things he told me was about a lesson his mother had taught him. She told him that God gave us two ears, two eyes, but only one mouth--and we should use them proportionately.

I believe the United States is, by far, the greatest country in the world, but that does not mean that we don't have past and current issues that we need to address. Let's be frank, it was not a single, isolated event--the murder of Mr. Floyd--that incited the raw emotions that are still burning weeks later.

In Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds signed a historic police reform bill, which will add additional accountability for law enforcement. This will benefit both the community and the police. Here is what is remarkable about this new law: Partisanship wasn't a factor.

Republican house majority leader Matt Windschitl and Democratic representative Ako Abdul-Samad, two of the extraordinary leaders that ushered this bill through the house and through our legislature, spoke with me this morning, and both of them said that, while they don't each view this as a perfect bill, it was more than cosmetic. It had real meaning and depth, and it was a first step.

I agreed with them because any journey starts with a single step, a meaningful step. The bill passed the Iowa House by a vote--again, with these two extraordinary leaders--by a vote of 98-0, unanimous. It then went to the Iowa Senate, and it passed in the Iowa Senate 49-0. Partisanship wasn't a factor. The only thing that mattered was doing the right thing.

Not a single dissenting vote was cast, and it even had the endorsement of the Iowa Police Officers Association. We are only going to improve as a nation if we come together and make everyone a part of the solution. We can do that. Iowa put politics aside, and they got it done. I wish we could see more of Iowa in this Chamber.

We need both sides of the aisle to unite and to pass Senator Tim Scott's JUSTICE Act. The JUSTICE Act offers real solutions to police reform by increasing oversight, strengthening incident report requirements, and ensuring the correct use of body cameras. It includes an issue that I have been working to address: sexual misconduct within our law enforcement.

The JUSTICE Act is simply a commonsense approach to effective police reform. The bill includes a number of bipartisan provisions, including the antilynching proposal put forward by Senators John Cornyn and Kamala Harris. It is heartbreaking that the bill to address these issues was blocked by Senate Democrats.

The Senate exists so we can debate these issues in a civil manner and reach a consensus so they aren't resolved in the streets. We can't do that if the other side chooses to shut down meaningful debate or give in to radical ideas like defunding the police, which won't solve the problem of inequality or end violence.

I ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: Are you willing to come to the table? Are you willing to accept that amendment process? Are you willing to take the first step in our journey? Will you put politics aside and help us enact reforms to ensure the safety of our communities?

Our Nation's journey toward becoming a more perfect union and securing the blessings of liberty for all Americans has taken a long and bumpy road, and we still have a lot farther to go. It starts with that one step. But at this moment, the country and the world are demanding we pick up the stride. Let's follow Iowa's lead. Let's come together and take meaningful action.

To be clear, the passage of a single bill is not going to suddenly reverse centuries of injustice. Passing laws are a simple part. If we really want to change behavior, we need to commit ourselves to changing our hearts. The best way that we can personally commemorate the life of George Floyd and the many others before him who lost their lives or suffered injustice is to open our own hearts.

Chaplain Black summed up the solution best when he quoted to me Mark 12:31: ``Love your neighbor as yourself.'' It is both that simple and that challenging.

So I am asking all of us in this body to be more like Iowa. Let's find a solution. Let's take that first step and begin our journey together.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source