Racial injustice. Here in Congress Democrats sought to turn anger and frustration and sometimes despair in ourl country. Real and meaningful action. Democrats wish to seize the moment in three weeks ago democrats announced to build and finally bring strong comprehensive and lasting change to Police Department across america. Injustice and policing act led by senators booker and harris. The house of representatives, will pass that bill this week. But here in the senate, we have a much different story. Senate republicans responded to our comprehensive legislation that proposes the belt that is so much weaker innd nearly every single count. And worse still, is completely silent on so many issues that screen out for action. Should Police Officers be held to greater accounts and they violated americans constitutional rights. The republican bill is silent. He should Police Departments continue to have easy access to military equipment and the republicans had silent spring should Police Department be forced to change in behavior when it comes to racial profiling. Should the development or use of standards and should the Justice Department be empowered to investigate Police Departments. They have bad patterns and practices. Silence, silence, silence. In the place of real change and accountability for Police Departments the republican bill proposes slow studies and commissions and wait dont need to study the problem of Police Misconduct and violence. We need to solids. But these issues are multifaceted and difficult and complex. But the republican legislation pretenses of info of Police Brutality is intact the reality of little more than a runny nose for the republican legislation pretends that as if the cancer Police Brutality is in the alley a little more than a runny nose. The National Conversation about policing reform which is been ongoing for several years on terrible killing of george floyd. B his windpipe crushed by an officer a capstan floyds neck. For nine minutes. Nearly nine minutes. Bill might rip something offensive drafted without any complainant dan type of brutal tactics that led to George Floyds death. It does not initially prevent the kind of tactics that sparked this whole debate in the first place. And Breonna Taylor was asleep in her bedroom in louisville, kentucky, when they were executing a no knock warrant by the police. The republican bill does not ban the no knock warrants and is a limited or require Police Department to provide more information before obtaining them from the force. It calls for more data. More data. On the use of no knock. On the tragic loss of Breonna Taylor, how can it not even attempt to prevent the kind of events that led to her death. Mention of president johnson in the march and the Righteous Movement for civil rights in america, had proposed a bill called for more data on the effectiveness of taxes and other butchering intimidation techniques. Imagine the present johnson instead the Voting Rights act, the commission has studied the issue a little bit more. There is no t escaping the fact that Senate Republicans have drafted a policing bill that is deeply fundamentally and irrevocably flawed. In the democrats normally the ones to say so. This mornings washington post, the floyd family lawyer, reverend sharpton, the Legal Defense fund, they urged senators to oppose the gop reform bill. They call it a non starter and that is what we believe as well. Last night the Legal Defense fund said that it cannot support legislation that is not in body the strong accountability framework for Police Officers and other Law Enforcement officers who engage in misconduct. The lawyers for the families, of george floyd and Breonna Taylor paid one of the nations most renowned civil rights attorneys, Benjamin Crump wrote, the republican legislation is in contrast to the demands of the people who have been protesters. And the black community is tired of lip service instructed the republicans proposal to be thought of as legislation. That is lawyer. The families of george floyd and Breonna Taylor. Maybe repeat the attorney representing the families seeking justice believe the republican bill is completely inaccurate to it and can be part of hardly be thought of as legislation. How does legal mcconnell respond to that charge friedman and family lawyer said is bill is a nonstarter. Civil Rights Groups. Who have been the noble guardians of these issues for generations, and want nothing more than to see meaningful legislation, are urging the senate to reject the republicans proposal. They see this bill for the field and cynical ploy that it is. Their opposition the speak louder than almost any other. How does america believe when it comes to dealing with these issues. Leader mcconnell this seems to be new tohe these issues for the civil Rights Groups who have been fighting for change for decades. Who does america believe. Wera democrats are certain that the plan cannot result in any legislation passing. It is clear the republican bill as as will not get 60 votes. There is overwhelming opposition the vilna carcass. And because the bill being such largescale fundamental change, there is no t conceivable way te series of memos Strong Enough to kill the bill, could garnish those moses well either no bill will pass as a result of this ploy by senator mcconnell. The republican majority has given this inventive bill and proposed no credible way to sufficiently improve its. Simply put, leader mcconnell has created a culdesac from which no legislation can emerge. The mcconnell plan appears to be designed to get the burden of dealing with policing reform off republican shoulders by setting up a process which is guaranteed not to result in successful legislation. Again it, Leno Mcconnell is leading the senate into a full sack, a process designed to fail. But there is a way out of this way. Esac, yes there is a it is the same process that is led to success in the senate time and time again is a simple word bipartisanship. This morning, senator smoker, harris tonight, are sending a letter to leader mcconnell. Stressing the need for bipartisan talk to get a constructive starting point on policing reform. Our two parties could get together to drafted bipartisan proposal and even if we dont agree on everything, we can agree to invoke real amendment process than we might produce a bill that has reshot opposing. If the republican leader would acknowledge the obvious need for these talks, theres a real chance we could produce legislation that has a a shot at passing. So we are pleading with leader mcconnell, instead pressing forward with this partisan bill that is designed to make sure that no bill passes. Leader mcconnell will produce real meaningful policing reform. In the senate, where 60 votes are required to achieve almost anything about a bipartisan process is the only way to move forward. My friends, this could be a moment for the senate to rise to erthe occasion. Theres certainly something happening out there in america. As of thousands of protesters of every face in color and age have taken to the streets to demand change. If americans out of the country can together during an righteous course, calling for change. We the senate can at least try to come to deliberate. But its going to take more than games in the senate the leader mcconnell seems to be now playing. Were going to have toov rise above the take it or leave it legislature. And then a strapless in the status quo on so many issues. Were able to reach a three telling emergency package before bringing it to the floor senate. It went on and on budget. In criminal Justice Reform hard on the great a american act. The bipartisan put together an immigration bill that passed the senate with more than twomo this vote. But a very contentious issue because it wasco bipartisan. So on even thorny issues like police reform, we can and we must work with each other and we need to in order to achieve a bill that can actually pass the senate. So let me repeat my request. To leader mcconnell. Let us not retreat to our supporters on such a vital issue. Let us appeal to the hiring of this chamber and try to find bill together. I yield to the senator from new jersey. I think you for the recognition and the Senate Leader for his words. The democratic leader talked about what is happening in our country. Ive never seen Something Like this before films alled my years were hundreds of thousands of americans have been out in protest and not just certain sectors. All 50 states, large cities and small towns. Americans from every background. Race, religion, political party. Have joined together following the gruesome capture the torture and murder of a fellow american. Athis is a profound moment. It was the more momentum we know this is not a partisan moment because the group will. All americans is evident. From National Polling that shows that real reform is wildly supported by people both parties to just their voices, the people that are saying that we are a nation formed around the fundamental idea of life, liberty and the pursuit of happyness pretty to have it so fundamentally violated. The call is for us to act. To come together. Good men women do something to protect human lives read and we have done that before the ,federal level. In a bipartisan way. T come together to protect people against indiscriminate violence. The violence against womens act, to even the historical bipartisan work that went on to get 99 members of this body behind an anti clinching bill. I am grateful for that aspect of our history that this is a body that is acted upon times to try and to protect human life will no one paid much of video abatements and 46 seconds again. Andbo this body now old and true moral choice of how we act but will be doing this moment in our country will become together and protect life and liberty will we do nothing and allow the violence to have fun, cycles in our nation name after name after Name Company Name that we know in the thousands of other names that we do not know. Black lives being abused, civil rights being violated. Lives being lost because we have failed the moment in our nation. A little over two weeks ago, leader schumer, senator harris tonight with colleagues in the house introduced an act that was narrowly o focused on accountability. The zero in on what we can do to create an accountability to ensure oversight to implement transparency in a man action the people in this country in both parties widely believe should must be banned. The bill that is being put forth by leader mcconnell, is wholly unacceptable to bring accountability transparency, consequences, when a common values of the country are violated. This is not about partisanship prettyil republican bill in a democratic go for it is about taking meaningful action that will create change. The bill the leader mcconnell was to put. On is called the justice hatch. It does not in any way even serve as ave starting point remn a baseline for negotiation. The American People are on the streets chanting we want more data. We want more data. Immigrant people are not in the streets chanting give us a commission. Give us a commission. We know the data. We have commissions all the way to the 21st Century Task Force on policing. What we are hearing a demand for from voices all over our country including leader in the Police Department to mares, to local leaders, two activists, israel accountability that if you do something wrong in american there will be consequences. No one is above the law. That we in this country, will make sure those who represent Law Enforcement, do so in a way sthat accords with our common values and our common ideal. In fact we want to go further in this country. We have a major imagination. It is not have it track in the quicksand of the president. The call to a drive to higher ground. We can imagination that imagines ourselves having a larger definition of Law Enforcement. A larger definition of Public Safety rid we cannot lose this moment. This must be the start of coming to the higher ground. But the problem with the bill that the leader mcconnell wants to put on the floor, is not bold, it is not courageous. There is noti great imagination about what we cant be. It doesnt challenge us to come together what it does is guarantees that the cycle of violence in our country, the cycle of the abuse of civil rights, cycle of death that is moved so Many Americans will continue if we dont implement real measures of accountability, the Police Officers in this country, as a republican bill fails to do, it is not if but when we will be back here again after another Police Officer kills another unarmed black person and faces no fear of federal accountabilities in the course. If we dont establish Real Transparency measures with a National Registry of Police Misconduct, which leader mcconnell built failed to do is not bus when we will be back here again after another officer has a record of an inappropriate use of force will get fired from one town and hired in the next and end up hurting another citizen and violating their civil rights or worse, telling them. If we do not into those harmful practices, americans from all backgrounds no like racial and religious profiling. No knock warrants and replaces the use of choke holds. And it mcconnell bill fails to do, is not if, but when we will be back h here again after anotr Breonna Taylor is murdered in her own home after a no knock warrant, after another eric garner is suffocated to death on the sidewalk with an inhumane chokehold. And if we do not create a national use of force standard in america, since republican bill again fails to do, we will be back here again. Next time another officer uses deadly force when they couldve used deescalation. Because the deadly force was reasonable. Though not necessary. We all hear the voices. English, the agony, the pain, the trauma, it is triggered a nation to rise up a number as the last 50 years we are in a moment of profound possibility. But when do we face is being shut down here the senate over and infants bill fails to meet this moment. The American People are demanding accountability, not commissions. Not studies, they are demanding accountability of Data Collection. We have to ask ourselves, will weit stand for a bill with zero accountability or will we rise. I am so frustrated because i have been here now for six years and i see from inside of the spotted the members even before i came here, how the leader is done bipartisan efforts. Aside on immigration reform. Again discussions were had a leak into alo bill from the put the port and they voted for it. Ive seen it in this covid19 prices. The movement and worked on solutions. Ive seen it time and time again and when there is a sincere desire to come to a bipartisan consensus how it looks at this not how mcconnell is south now. With a good faith. Was the yearning for justice. Where is the desire to get Something Real done. There has been no hearings. Yes, found discussions pretty is called for no meaningful engagement. The way we have done the past from state holders and groups been working on this issue. He has not gone to the appropriate committee of jurisdictions. This is not what the American People want. Its not with this moments calls for. This is shameful. This is a desire to turn page and a pointer finger of blame and to leave the calls for justice in this country following up on the mute ears. The deaf ears. A body that should be hearing and listening and responding. There is no easy fix the problems we face. But they do demand work. They dont demand simple monologues. The demand real dialogue. This is not a time to retreat to our corners. Trying to engage another. I cannot in any way give any justice or sanctions on what is going on in this body no. We will be back here again. We will see more video capturing the dark corners of our country the must be brought into the light salt with the spirit of this nation. Lets join in working leader mcconnell to not proceed in this way. Its not progress, its an attempt to turn patient history that we will have to revisit. Every minute our day, we do not act, black lives are in danger. A fellow citizens are in danger. With the nations of our principles and ideals are in danger. It is time that we come together and provide hope from this body that serves truly serves to honor what the public is calling for which is action, not to retreat. Frustrated this body to raise together. The murders of george floyd, Breonna Taylor and others are the latest and long history of violence in in america. But thinking the advocacy, thanks to the parish of the mothers and fathers and relatives the lawyers, those marching in the street, everyone can find the bear witness to the violence that is been happening in our country the hands of our place. Lets be clear, this is not new. Mothers have been crying for generations yet no one would listen. The mother is a leader had courage, to say the world will assume that with my babys body that caskets. And yet here we are, many decades generations later, and still we have not seen meaningful change in america on this subject. Some react. Let us be clear, some of the most important work that is happened in this United States congress, has happened not because of the leadership mnemonic because people demanded it they will not relent until your government and elected leaders and representatives listened to answer the call. For a step towards what we call a more perfect union. Many a time the case, is because of the people marching in the streets that we have the Voting Rights act and Civil Rights Act in Fair Housing Act because the people would allow nothing less that we as a government, betrayal to art stated ideals. Yet over the last three and half years in our country, many of us have wondered whether the country actually pay homage to or have desire. To institute and to get folks into those ideals. This is a moment for the United States senate, to say we as a body will do that. What is clear right now, in this moment and in this movement, theres still work that can be done. Nothing should be done, but can be done. To come closer to those words as described in the United StatesSupreme Court. Equal justice under law. Its within our grasp to do this. Not just an imperative. It moves within our grasp. Home while in america today, people from every state, all 50 states, every walk of life are demanding we take the problem and the Police Brutality seriously. We have this opportunity. We should see it as such. There may have been reluctant. Guest to go against the strength of the status quo which is reluctant if not hostile to change. The people in the streets of every race, every gender, every age from every state. Not only giving us permission but demanding their leaders finally make a good on the american promise of equal justice under the law. They are demanding this change. But not at just asking for it. We cant answer the peoples demands for accountability with watered down politics. And watered down policies. In an obstructionist tactic can distract us from what we clearly know is necessary to meet the calls and cries of this moment in this movement. And so i will say, we cannot answer their demand is with this attempt to obstruct Real Progress and real justice in our country. For all of that people out there that want to entertain a conversation about whether democrats actually want police report. Are you kidding me. Are you kidding me. We are responding to the rise in the street and taking them seriously. And we have proposed that actually responding to nottage the demands but the bodies that have just most recently been married, much less the generations of the black bodies that have been buried. Because of this issue. So dont anyone dare say that we are standing in the way of progress. Let us all be clear about what is happening in the context of this moment. The republican bill has been for not to giveit lip service to mis you. With nothing substantial and it than what actually save one of saved any of those lives. So lets not be distracted from the task at hand. I intend to vote against a motion to proceed tomorrow. I often intend to vote for motion to proceed for bill reform. Im against emotions to proceed. We should proceed. Lets proceed with action. Hud justice. With action. Lets talk about the republican bill. , former prosecutor. Ive prosecuted from everything from lowlevel offenses to higher crimes. But i can tell you with working with the Police Officers not certain of its. Police officers will tell you how difficult their job becomes when there colleagues break the rules and laws. They will tell you that. Theyll tell you that the effects and effects culture of the working environment. Next when they work everyday. And affects the integrity of their work. What they know is bad cops abandon good cop bad cops. We all know is that its in the best interest of Community Safety and harmony that the people trust their government. In a reciprocal relationship. So in addition to what our built hostesses, justice and policing, about accountability and consequence. It is also brought forward the spirit of what we know is in the best interest of pouring trust for the American People trust in their government. As a former prosecutor i will also say, we should talk about this news this accountability and compromise. We do it all of the time. There must be accountability and consequences. In almost every time the phrases is revoked, and is directed at the person who was arrested. Hardly ever as that phrase directed at very system itself. In the actors in the system. Where is the accountability and consequencem when a system fails the people it is designed to protect. Where is the accountability and consequence with people who have been vested fight these people with a gun in the ranks. It is the power we give them. The accountability andue consequence of the abuse that power. One must ask. In our bill is designed to address just that and i would say theres not one component in the republican bill that does the same. Saws talk about the history of what we are today. On monday june 9th, in responseth to protest and all 50 states of these United States senator volker and i i along wih her tdc and house judiciary colleagues, and a majority were senate caucus, announced the justice and policing act. Over one weekee later, and peope are marching in the streets. Remember this. Not every day. One week later, somebody got the memo and what they do. They came up with what they called the justice act as a way to essentially show they got something but to basically obstruct what had already been put in place. They did because i know the people were demanding something. I want to but up and study, a meeting those demands was in a tactic, to obstruct the progress of the justice of the policing act. And then plan a political game around here. Sale of the democrats wont vote. For policing reform. We are actually fully prepared which is why we can layer and you figured out we did was put on paper. And presented it to the nation. So lets not play political games today and tomorrow. Let us understand senator mike connells majority leader made it clear. Senator volker, i wasnt here for those days when he saw a lot of the bipartisan work britta did see it with a covid19 bill and thankful that that didnt happen. Senator mcconnell may declare the has no intention of passing bipartisan is that policing reform. Instead what we testing instead of nobility of all of us in this chamber have to pass the justice and policing act. Somebody gained 227 cosponsors, enough to pass the house. And sent the Senate Leader has it scheduled tomorrow. Cannot solvef the Police Problem in america. But to solve the political problem. Which is taking a stand and has taken no meaningful stand on an issue on the street marching for the last three weeks. The proposal was carefully crafted is being offered tomorrow revoked. It was carefully crafted to deflect real change by mail is my colleagues, and the sensor outlined, by offering to study the problem. Without doing anything to solve it. Listened as yield for a question. Republican bill does not even provide baseline. For the discussion on amendment on Police Reforms and in that, there are no mechanisms to hold officers accountable of course of misconduct. There is no transparency into Police Misconduct which is necessary for us to enable communities to hold officers accountable. Theres no requirement of Data Collection and all use of force incidents. Foreign racial or religious profiling. Theres no man on harmful policing policies. In practices such as racial and religious profiling. No knock warrants and drug cases, or not banning them, because Breonna Taylor would be alive today and them in the case. Charcoal, carotid old, no reform of those issues in the republican bill that is being offered. There is no standard for the use of force. Im happy to entertain questions from the senators from texas and then i will conclude my comment. Wonder if the senator would tell me the bill that the police act sounds like a democratic conference intends to block tomorrow includes eight antilynching legislation the human senator volker champion are you aware that pretty. The one that was obstructed a couple of weeks ago. I am aware that. They can block their own antilynching bill by the boat tomorrow. I think its important that we not distract the American People we can upload a specific component and leave Everything Else in the garbage bin. That is the logical and actual practical conclusion of where you going for the suggestion that we would sacrifice issues like no knock warrants and National Standard fees. Any for independent investigations of Police Misconduct, like pattern and practices investigations. With subpoena power for the United States department. Like asking a mother, safe one of the children and leave the others prett. Is a center for certainly familiar with the rules of the senate which allows senators to offer amendments to approve legislation as we get on it. But if thece democratic conferee is going to prevent that senate actually getting on the bill, theres an opportunity for any senator you or anyone of us to offer amendments to improve it. I would further ask the senator, are you aware of the fact there are 60 votes thresholds on the backend so that if we get on the bill, they dont like the way turns out, you can block it on the backend. As a senator aware of those options that she has pretty. Unite both serve on the Senate Judiciary committee. The two Senate Offers of this bill, because women present together during the hearings prettyin good as there would bea meaningful discussion of the justice and policing act and the committee. None have occurred. Several going to talk about the process must look at all of the tools there are available to wellintentioned and well meaning legislators. If the goal is actually to solve and address the issue at hand. Ive seen no evidence of that sprint have seen no evidence. In fact what i have seen, read some of the newspaper summa sometimes get things wrong but if they got it right, the Senate Leader says he has no interest in engaging in that kind of discussion or debate before putting the bill the floor for a vote tomorrow. One last question place. What im trying to fathom is why the senator would rather have these negotiations are behind closed doors as opposed to here in the floor of the senate for the American People to see broadcast on television. And to think that sort of interaction and debate and negotiation out in front of all 330 million americans would be beneficial to the feeling and healing our country and coming to succumb consensus about what the appropriate reform should be. Indeed that is the beauty of the committee. Other public meetings. I will now conclude my remarks by saying that i do believe as a time for congress to pass legislation that will bring real change in real improvements. It is time that we make this moment makes the movement that we are saying outside of these doors. We are seeing people of every race gender nation religion marching together in unison as are transferred resting people bring the bodies on the line. To stand for equality about people. The bill that is being offered for vote tomorrow does not in any way meet the needs of this moment the longstanding needs of the market has far reform. I will therefore join the other senators and sending a demanding that the senate vote on the justice and policing act but i would say baffling tension vote against the motion to proceed until and unless we as a body prepared to offer meaningful reform on which we can debate. But it was a it also one of the other problems with what is being offered where calling tequesta submitting the moment in terms of the need for reform. They constructed a concessional for the india confession. Back to the facts. The no way meets the moment that are necessary. And hours of my great uncle sherman. At first iy want to thank my colleagues. Thank you for your leadership and courage. The fact you are dedicating yourself to this moment. Someone say that we are fortunate when others would say we are blessed. To mere this moment in this plae in the world that we currently have. Can you imagine across the United States le of american bd how many people would like to be sending what we are sending today despite the frustration. We do have a voice. We have an opportunity. When the United States senator and the powerful used it to do something about what threatens. America to imagine that the eight mens and 46 seconds can have such a profound impact on this nation of over 300 Million People in the world. Then to realize that that time, reminded us of all the other issues and all of the other cases in all of the other george floyd. Guest this time. Life in just stunned, mild unstated illinois. And what i have seen, and the streets towns large and small, and the city of chicago, just this last juneteenth, 2010 20. An amazing displays of the black lives matter. Then we were t happy to be partf it. His meant so much. Then to go down the state of illinois details a state capital of Springfield Giorgio of illinois, and to attend black lives matters, they are organized by two young women, africanamerican High School Juniors. They organized 1500 people in springfield on black lives matter valley. She and her twin sister, the two of them send us to come together students runs about black lives matters pretty 1500 people showed up. No windows broken, no screaming or shouting or cursing. Hotextbook display of Constitutional Authority that each of us as a citizen has. In these did so well. I salute them even to this day. Then you go down to giorgio, a small Rural Community that i have represented over the years. It may or may not have a minority population at all, and have from 20 miles away, High School Junior young africanamerican woman leilani davis. Did exactly the same thing. Call together hundreds of people some 350 courthouse lawn, celebrate black lives matter. I never seenle anything like th. Ive never seen reach this level of commitment. Trust me, these young women are doing is knowing that some of the people standing on the perimeter, are not friends. And the great to be there because they believed in what theyre doing. Now dot we have encouraged at this moment to stand up for real change. It is in within our grasp, we can make american better we can perfect in this great nation to be even better with courage. And when government colleagues and so obvious. We entered, if you been here five minutes you know. Hes the i majority leader shots. He knows what the members are coming to the floor which will be offered which wont be which bills will be stopped and which wont be. The very powerful position. Instead of saying to us start with the Senate Judiciary committee, find a bipartisan tubing to the floor lets Work Together to have meaningful admen months but the habit inactive but instead of that he said take our bill or leave it. You dont want to vote fort the republican bill on this subject go home and defend your vote. While i am prepared to and i think my colleagues are two. Listen to what the National Association for the advancement of color peoples Legal Defense fund said said about this bill today. This organization is an Incredible Organization dont know much about it, read devil in the grove in the late 1940s an early 50s risking his life defending africanamericans who were facing criminal charges across the Legal Defense fund said in this moment we cannot support does not embody a work for Police Officers and other Law Enforcement agent misconduct as well as reforms to please and practices. They we urge you to vote no on the motion to proceed with consideration of the justice which is the republic parent cm policing act of honor to coast analysis of these two bills. It is night and day of the directions they take. As fundamentalist choke americans know it probably will never forget it. We saw that name we watch the minutes pass by in his life away. Can we be anything less than resolute on the issue of chokehold . Our bid fans them. Action of blood or oxygen of the carotid artery were specific, sadly the republican bill not. We also defined deadly for what is less than lethal force and specifically define it what is the republican bill due . It calls on the attorney general of the United States to develop a to develop a policy, attorney general, will bar on neville not, thank you, senator harris that we have direct legal was the procedure followed that led to the death of Breonna Taylor and louisville, kentucky. What is the republican bill have . A reporting requirement. A reporting requirements. Cameras . We require them. His penalties in the law who use them. They often require they be on view, Law Enforcement vehicles republican bill does not require them. With established Public Access to the misconduct registry when it comes to police conduct. Through the senator of texas the compounds had issues like antilynching, thank goodness a mere century after we started debatingna it in the United States senate, we have reached that point and im glad we have. Topics there are many areas of commonality. But, there are five areas that this bill, the one we have in not included in the republican bill. Criminal liability in the Civil Rights Act. We change the standard truly an attainable standard of the democratic bill. Qualified immunity, civil rights investigations, the wpower of subpoena the department of justice the use of force investigation. Grants for independent investigation, this is a measure i worked on for a while and im left polluted, banning racial profiling. Once and for all. My former colleague fromis wisconsin he was why the earliest on this whole issue of profiling. A courageous position on his part at that moment in history. That is included in our bill it is not included in thehe republican bill. Instead what they offer our commissions, Data Collection, and a couple of other criminal offenses, each of which are consideration which should not be enough to divert us from our goal. I am going to complete by saying i feel blessed to be here in the United States senate at this moment inl history. I feel fortunate to have a chance, with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, to change the history of this country in the right direction. My goodness, it is so long overdue. After all of these 400 years of slavery when it first came to our shore and the greed and racism that fed it its an insidious original sin in our country. Now is our chance to do something in our generation to make a difference for the future generations to march in the street and look to usnt for real change. Madam president i yelled. Madam president. Senator from hawaii is recognized. Madams president i share these strong words position my wonderful colleague who spoke before me just now. Senators harris, booker and durbin calling for real policing reform, not the bill that is coming before the floor tomorrow. This morning i would like to turn to a nether issue that should concern all of us and deserves our attention. On december 17, 1990, they walked into the Hawaii Department of health in honolulu to apply for a marriage license. They had met earlier that year end a honolulu parking lot and felt an immediate connection. First date lasted for nine hours, they eventually fell in love and got engaged despite knowing the law was against their marriage. They face a choice to give up their dream of getting married or take their fight to court to demand that they be treated equally. Although up to that point, she let a private life in her family was unaware of her Sexual Orientation. But for her the choice was clear she later recalled, ive been discriminated against and was living as a secondclass citizen. All of that emotionally came to mind. For me it was a nobrainer decision. This was something i had to fight for and i had to do my part. The courts in hawaii agreed with ms. Dan zell and ms. Baer appeared on may 5, 1993 the Hawaii Supreme Court issued a historic decision that changed the course of lgbtq rights movement. It ruled that denying same qucouples the right to marry violates the equal protection clause of the hawaii constitution unless the states could prove a compelling state interest. This sparked a Chain Reaction that eventually resulted in the u. S. Supreme court 2015 decisionfi which affirmed the right of same couples to marry. It was a hard one victory for the Lgbtq Community and a long fight for equality. Nebut in july of 2017 the Trump Administration sought to undermine this victory for equality. It c intervened in a court case to argue lgbtq individuals are nothe protected from employment discrimination based on their sexualti orientation. This position directly contradicted the position of the equal Employment Opportunity commission which had made clear in 2015 that discrimination based on Sexual Orientation was illegal. That is when the Supreme Court rejected the Trump Administrations effort and held the civil rights statute prohibiting employmentis discrimination, title vii, fies protect lgbtq individuals. While the decision was a nether major victory for equality, the fight is far from over. The Trump Administration has not only sought to undo protection for lgbtq individuals before the court, but ae donald trump, has been busy working to undermine lgbtq the judges who this senate confirmed, the judges they stand for themselves for the past three years donald trump and senator mcconnell have been busy having judges with thein possibility towards the rights of lgbtq individuals. In fact, so far, about 40 , 40 of trumps Circuit Court judges have anti lgbtq records. And another one, wilson is set to be confirmed this week. As a state legislator, wilson voted for a bill that allowed businesses to deny lgbtq individuals. The Human Rights Campaign called that bill the worst lgbtq state law in the u. S. Another example. Recently confirmed the ninth circuit trump judge lawrence van dyck previously claimed same such marriage will hurt families and consequently chosen in society. Actions have reflected these views as opposed to samesex marriage have supportive businesses that discriminate against samesex marriages. Thege maximally trump judge minassian the Second Circuit and Andrew Basher with the 11th circuit havehe argued for the right of businesses to discriminate against lgbtq individuals. Withua the federal courts packed with trumps judges like these it is critical that congress act now to fully enshrine equality and protection for lgbtq individuals into the law. The Supreme Court has been clear that they cannot discriminate against l lgbtq in the workplace but other Legal Protections about such as healthcare education housing consult credit are at risk of being eroded by the Trump Administration and trump judges. In fact, the Trump Administration is doing just that. Just two weeks ago they finalized a rule that eliminated nondiscrimination protections under federal law for lgbtq people receiving healthcare and obtaining health insurance. Last month the Trump Administration issued another ruling that title ix requires schools to ban transgender students from participating in School Sports based on their gender identity. In 2002 congress renamed title ix in honor of my friend congressman patsy t mink. She was a champion for gender equality andna nondiscrimination and will certainly be appalled by the Trump Administrations interpretation of title ix. The Trump Administration has already banned most transgender people from serving in the military. It has rescinded protections for transgender students not allowing them to use bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity. The trumprg administration attacks against lgbtq equality makes it all the more urgent that Congress Needs to make explicit that federal law protects against discrimination based on Sexual Orientation and genderty identity. More than a year ago, the house did that by passing the equality act with bipartisan support. Quality act would prevent the Trump Administration for mixed ambiguity to the law by having classifications of civil right laws to make explicit the Sexual Orientations and gender identity are prohibited basis forti discrimination. This includes the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Fair Housing Act, the equal credit opportunity act to the jury selection and services act and other civil rights statutes. The equality act was also with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination of Public Places and services and federally funded programs on the basis of including sexual ntorientation and gender identity. In addition, the quality act would update the types of public spaces and Services Covered under current law to expressly include stores, centers, online retailers, banks, and places that provide legal services, transportation stuff. The equality act is a critical safeguard against administration to road the rights of