Miller-Meeks Statement on Police Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, March 3rd, 2021, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) issued the following statement after voting NO on the Justice in Policing Act:

“We need serious bipartisan police reform that holds bad officers accountable and helps good officers do their jobs. The Justice in Policing Act would eliminate qualified immunity, which would make recruitment and retention difficult and increase retirements, decrease the number of officers on patrol, and cost taxpayer dollars as municipalities litigate frivolous lawsuits. In effect, this is a backdoor way to defund the police.

I have spoken with community groups and law enforcement across the Second District, and everyone agrees that there must be reforms to our police system, and welcomes reforms like the ones we passed in Iowa. Last June, as an Iowa State Senator, I supported bipartisan legislation that banned chokeholds, increased implicit bias training, and prevented bad officers from being rotated to different departments.

I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the Just and Unifying Solutions to Invigorate Communities Everywhere (JUSTICE) Act, which was introduced by Rep. Pete Stauber (MN-08). The JUSTICE Act would improve law enforcement transparency, ban chokeholds, make lynching a federal crime, increase the use and number of body cameras, increase implicit bias training, ensure bad officers are held accountable, and improve officer performance.

We must take real steps towards meaningful police reform and partisan politics will not solve anything. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues in a bipartisan manner to enact real change."

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