JUSTICE ACTION NETWORK STATEMENT ON BIDEN ADDRESS TO CONGRESS AND REPUBLICAN RESPONSE

Washington, D.C.—In their addresses to Americans tonight, both President Biden and Senator Scott emphasized the need for both parties to come together, find consensus, and pass meaningful criminal justice reform. In response, Holly Harris, President and Executive Director of the Justice Action Network, the country’s largest bipartisan organization dedicated to criminal justice reform at the federal and state level, released the following statement: 

“The President’s address to Congress, and the opposing party’s rebuttal, are inherently partisan events. But one area of bipartisan consensus broke through … on the need to rebuild trust between law enforcement and communities they serve. President Biden wisely urged bipartisan cooperation on policing reform, extending a hand to Sen. Scott, the Republican leader delivering the GOP rebuttal, and the man who will determine whether a deal gets done. 

“And in an historic moment, Sen. Scott moved his party forward by committing to policing reform legislation, extending an ‘olive branch’ to Democrats, and laying down a marker for the American people that policing reform is not an exclusively Democratic or Republican issue, it is an American issue. We urge both sides to build on the points of unity in tonight’s speeches, put partisanship aside, and act in the best interests of the American people.”