Rep. Johnson rips Congress over inaction to police shootings

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) ripped Congress for not addressing the mounting number of shooting deaths of unarmed citizens at the hands of police. Rep. Johnson has three bills dealing with criminal justice reform, including legislation dealing with the militarization of police, grand jury reform and police accountability. Mr. Johnson read aloud the names of people who have been shot and killed by police across the country since Ferguson.

To watch the floor speech, click HERE. The list of names is based on a New York Times article that ran on April 8: Fatal Police Shootings: Accounts Since Ferguson.

Mr. Speaker:

It feels like open hunting season on black men and I am outraged.

In fact, all Americans are at risk when bad actors in law enforcement use their guns instead of their heads.

Despite bipartisan, nationwide calls for action,

Despite my bills to reform the broken grand jury process, hold police accountable, and end militarization,

And despite my colleagues’ bills to encourage body cameras, this Congress does nothing,

No hearings, no blue ribbon commissions, nothing.

I would like unanimous consent to enter this list of people killed by police since Ferguson into the record, so my colleagues will no longer ignore this crisis.

Mr. Speaker, these are just some of the names of our friends and neighbors:

Walter Scott – South Carolina

Michael Brown – Missouri

Anthony Hill – Georgia

Tony Robinson – Wisconsin

Kevin Davis – Georgia

Nicholas Thomas - Georgia

Daniel Elrod – Nebraska

Antonio Zambrano-Montes – Washington

David Kassick – Pennsylvania

Jessica Hernandez – Colorado

Kevin Davis – Georgia

Dennis Grigsby – Texas

Rumain Brisbon – Phoenix

Tamir Rice – Ohio

Akai Gurley – New York

Carlos M. Perez – Nevada

Kajieme Powell – Missouri

Ezell Ford – California

Dillon Taylor – Utah

John Crawford III - Ohio

Naeschylus Vinzant – Colorado

Charly Leundeu Keunang – California

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