Skip to main content
Congresswoman Betty McCollum logo

McCollum Statement on Anniversary of George Floyd’s Death

May 25, 2021

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement on the anniversary of George Floyd's murder at the hands of Minneapolis police on May 25, 2020:

"The brutality inflicted on George Floyd by Minneapolis Police officers, captured through bystander video, exposed for the world to witness the systemic racism and trauma that is imposed on Black Americans on a regular basis. Whether subtle or overt, systemic racism must be confronted in our criminal justice, education, economic, and health care systems, and in every aspect of society. The inhuman treatment of George Floyd is reshaping America, and one year following his death, we must remain committed in the quest for racial justice – in Congress, in our communities, and in how we live our lives.

"All Americans need to be part of the solution as we strive for equity and justice. As we grieve the loss of George Floyd's life a year ago, we acknowledge that this is a generational, long-term movement. The fight for justice must also extend to all communities – Native Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, Arab Americans, women, the LGTBQ+ community, people with disabilities, and all those swimming upstream against systemic forces that want to maintain the inequitable status quo. These extreme forces are working against us, as we saw on January 6, and we need to remain vigilant in fighting back. The fight for justice, just like the fight for democracy, is not done with one criminal conviction or the passage of one bill. The work is ongoing.

"As a Member of Congress and a member of my Minnesota community, I am committed to joining with you in taking action. As Chair of the Defense Appropriations Committee, I am working to root out the extremism that persists within the ranks of the U.S. military. No person of color should face racism and extremism right in their own workplace every day – and especially not while serving our nation in uniform. To create a more perfect union, a better country, and to live up to our nation's ideals, we need to elevate the rights of all people and continue striving for equality."

# # #