May 28, 2021 Honorable Nancy Pelosi Honorable Lindsey Graham

May 28, 2021

Honorable Nancy Pelosi Honorable Lindsey Graham Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Senate U.S. Capitol 290 Russell SOB Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510

Honorable Karen Bass Honorable Tim Scott U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Senate 2021 Rayburn HOB 104 Hart SOB Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20510

Honorable Cory Booker U.S. Senate 717 Hart SOB Washington, DC 20510

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Congresswoman Bass, Senator Graham, Senator Scott, and Senator Booker:

We write as Black physicians and attorneys representing the National Medical Association and the National Bar Association. Collectively, we represent over 100,000 Black doctors and lawyers, and we have over 150 affiliate chapters throughout this country. We have some of the most celebrated and talented lawyers and doctors in our ranks and have a significant imprint globally. We want to thank you for the extraordinary meetings earlier this week with George Floyd’s family and members of the National Bar Association including President CK Hoffler, Floyd family attorneys Ben Crump, Chris Stewart and Justin Miller. As you can well imagine, the medical and law practices of our members allow us to serve and provide support to the victims (or the families) of gun violence and excessive use of force by law enforcement in our communities. It is, thus, a critical mission for us to advocate for ending the systemic and horrendous police-involved violence that continues to result in the death of numerous Black, Brown, Indigenous and people of color in our communities.

We are aware of that there are stumbling blocks that still exist to the passage of The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act currently pending in the U.S. Senate. With every passing day, we are witnessing a mounting crisis in our communities surrounding police brutality and gun violence. Our children are not safe, our mothers and fathers are not safe, and our communities are demoralized by the indefensible actions of some police officers. While there will be more work to do on state and local levels, the passage of a robust version of the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act will minimize the horrific police brutality that permeates this country. We urge that you look at this problem as an American problem and not as a political issue. We are on the front lines of this problem and, as professionals of color; we stand in solidarity in this fight and implore you to reach a consensus. Earlier this week, the National Bar Association offered its support in any way needed; by this letter, the National Medical Association offers its support as well.

Please know that we stand for justice and prevention of these untimely and deplorable acts of violence that are devastating the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve. Accountability must serve as a deterrent and we fully support removal of “qualified immunity” for police officers who commit these unwarranted transgressions against humanity. When we speak the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard

Brooks, Botham Jean, Daunte Wright and so many others, we are reminded of what we know to be the case—if change doesn’t come soon, our communities will be decimated. We cannot let that happen!

On behalf of the National Medical Association and National Bar Association, we are advocating for the passage of a robust version of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. It is the right and just thing to do – not only for Black, Brown, Indigenous and people of color – but for our country.