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Racial Equity & Equal Justice for All

Americans were horrified in the summer of 2020 at the unjust killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black Americans during encounters with police. These tragedies highlighted the deep-seated injustices that have long affected Black Americans

Americans were horrified in the summer of 2020 at the unjust killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black Americans during encounters with police. These tragedies highlighted the deep-seated injustices that have long affected Black Americans and the denial of equal justice for all. Not only is our criminal justice system inequitable, but racial disparities continue to exist in many aspects of American life and our economy, including income, wealth distribution, housing, health care, and access to higher education. For too long this country has ignored the need to engage in real, serious policymaking focused on eliminating these disparities and ensuring that every American has an equal shot at “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Democrats are continuing to make equity and reducing disparities a focus of our legislative and economic agenda. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes equitable investments to address long-ignored disparities that prevent underserved communities from reaching their full economic potential. These include expanding access to broadband for 42 million Americans who currently lack reliable Internet access, funding upgrades to our water infrastructure to ensure Americans have clean drinking water, addressing legacy pollution, and expanding reliable public transit to underserved communities. During the 117th Congress, history was made when the Emmett Till Antilynching Act was passed and signed into law. This long-overdue law designates lynching as a hate crime under federal law, ensuring the full force of the government is brought to prosecute these monstrous crimes that have terrorized the Black community for over a century. House Democrats also passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in 2020 to root out racial biases in police departments and ban practices such as chokeholds and no-knock warrants. In the 118th Congress, Democrats will continue to we work with the Biden Administration to make equal justice, racial equity, and opportunity a reality for all Americans.


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"Thank you, Madam Leader. As disappointed as I was yesterday, I am happy today. Today the court stood up for the principles of America of equal justice under law.

“’We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) participated in the third annual NOH8 On The Hill event, joining nearly 70 Members of Congress in posing for a portrait to show his support for marriage equality.

“Today, I was proud to witness Congress install a permanent tribute to a great American and great son of Maryland, Frederick Douglass.  The statue dedicated in his honor – like Douglass, tall, poised, and carrying the moral weight of a survivor-turned-crusader for freedom and justice – will not only stand as a memorial to his courage and the unwavering strength of his character. 

“148 years ago, on June 19th, slaves in Galveston, Texas, received word from Union Soldiers that they were free - more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

“I am deeply disappointed that Republicans once again spent time debating and voting on a bill to restrict women’s access to health care when they continue to block the consideration of bills that would invest in creating jobs and replace the sequester with a balanced alternative.

“I thank the Gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his work and I thank Mr. Lucas for his work. We struggle in this Congress to try to bring bipartisan legislation to the Floor. It's a shame. I've normally voted for the farm bill, for reasons I'll express here.

“I rise to join the Leader. I rise to join Congresswoman Esty and Congressman Thompson in recognizing this sad anniversary.

“In marking the fiftieth anniversary of the horrific murder of Medgar Evers, we recall the heroism of his fight against inequality and remember his important contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. 

“Today, as we mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Equal Pay Act, let us take note of how far our nation has come in opening the doors of opportunity to women, while also recognizing the work that still lies ahead.