The George Floyd Justice In Policing Act passed the House Wednesday evening 220-212 and will now head to the Senate. While two representatives, Jared Golden of Maine and Ron Kind of Wisconsin, were the only Democrats to vote against the measure, Republican Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas pressed the wrong button and voted yes accidentally.
“I accidentally pressed the wrong voting button and realized it too late,” Gooden tweeted but deleted it soon after. “I have changed the official record to reflect my opposition to the partisan George Floyd Policing Act.”
“I have arguably the most conservative/America First voting record in Congress! Of course I wouldn’t support the radical left’s Anti-Police Act. I have changed the official record to reflect my opposition,” Gooden clarified.
I have arguably the most conservative/America First voting record in Congress!
Of course I wouldn’t support the radical left’s, Anti-Police Act.
I have changed the official record to reflect my opposition! pic.twitter.com/s7uCdlxvgO
— Lance Gooden (@Lancegooden) March 4, 2021
The House vote was previously scheduled for Thursday but was moved to Wednesday because of alleged Capitol security threats. The so-called Justice in Policing Act, introduced by Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., is being touted by the Biden administration as necessary to solve “systemic misconduct — and systemic racism — in police departments.”
“To make our communities safer, we must begin by rebuilding trust between law enforcement and the people they are entrusted to serve and protect. We cannot rebuild that trust if we do not hold police officers accountable for abuses of power and tackle systemic misconduct — and systemic racism — in police departments,” the White House said in a statement.
Section 311 of the act identifies that officers who pull over certain identity groups, such as more black men than black women, will be defined as a “prima facie evidence” violation. If men are found to speed at higher rates than women in a given region, for example, a police department would technically be in violation of the act. The Justice in Policing Act also calls for racial quotas for “traffic stops,” “pedestrian stops,” and “interviews.” In essence, departments would be forced to deal with all people equitably, which would fundamentally contradict the notion of equal justice in a free and fair society.
The Justice in Policing Act is unlikely to pass through the Senate, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi acknowledged a week ago.
“What the Senate will do is what the Senate will do, but we will send over the bill that has the balance that we have in it,” Pelosi told reporters.
