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The End Racial Profiling Act of 2004
introduced in the Senate
Senator Feingold (for himself, Senators. Corzine, Clinton, Lautenberg, Kennedy, Schumer, Durbin, Kerry, Boxer, Reid, Dodd, Cantwell, Mikulski, and Edwards) on February 26 introduced the End Racial Profiling Act of 2004 bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
The End Racial Profiling Act of 2004, among other things, says: In the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, many Arabs, Muslims, Central and South Asians, and Sikhs, as well as other immigrants and Americans of foreign descent, were treated with generalized suspicion and subjected to searches and seizures based upon religion and national origin, without trustworthy information linking specific individuals to criminal conduct. Such profiling has failed to produce tangible benefits, yet has created a fear and mistrust of law enforcement agencies in these communities.
The purposes of this Act are envisaged as: to enforce the constitutional right to equal protection of the laws, pursuant to the Fifth Amendment and section 5 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; to enforce the constitutional right to protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, pursuant to the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; and to enforce the constitutional right to interstate travel, pursuant to section 2 of article IV of the Constitution of the United States.
Feingold: statement on introduction of the Ed Racial Profiling Act of 2004
Three years ago tomorrow, in his first address to a joint session of Congress, President Bush declared that racial profiling is wrong and pledged to end it in America. He then directed his Attorney General to implement this policy.
It is now three years later, and the American people are still waiting for the President to follow through on his pledge to end racial profiling.
So, today I join with Representative John Conyers, the distinguished ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, in re-introducing the End Racial Profiling Act. We first introduced this bill in 2001, shortly after the President made his pledge and the Attorney General asserted that he would work with us on our legislation.
The End Racial Profiling Act would do exactly what the President promised to do: it would ban racial profiling once and for all and require federal, state, and local law enforcement to take steps to end and prevent racial profiling.
I am very pleased that several of my distinguished colleagues have joined me on this bill - Senators Corzine, Clinton, Lautenberg, Kennedy, Schumer, Durbin, Kerry, Boxer, Reid, Dodd, Cantwell, Mikulski, and Edwards...
I might add that the urgency for legislation banning racial profiling is compounded by concerns post-September 11th that racial profiling - not good police work and following up on legitimate leads - is being used against Arab and Muslim Americans, or Americans perceived to be Arab or Muslim...
I urge the President to make good on his pledge to end racial profiling, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the End Racial Profiling Act...
Nancy Pelosi: 'racial profiling is fundamentally un-American'
Washington, D.C. Feb. 26, 2004 - House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on the introduction of the End Racial Profiling Act of 2004:
"I am proud to join Congressman John Conyers, the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, as a cosponsor of the bipartisan End Racial Profiling Act of 2004 to end the shameful practice of racial profiling and to ensure that each of our citizens is treated with dignity and fairness.
"Numerous recent studies have demonstrated that African Americans and Hispanics are stopped in traffic and searched far in excess of their share of the population. Since September 11th, many Arabs, Muslims, and Asians have been subjected to searches and seizures at airports and other locations based upon religion and national origin, without any credible information linking specific individuals to criminal conduct.
"Such practices are ineffective, create suspicion, and erode the trust in law enforcement. Racial profiling is fundamentally un-American.
"While the Bush Administration has issued guidelines on racial profiling, these do not go far enough and are not binding on all levels of law enforcement. We must make racial profiling illegal.
"The End Racial Profiling Act of 2004 prohibits racial profiling at all levels of law enforcement -- federal, state, and local. It conditions law enforcement grants on adoption of policies that prohibit racial profiling, authorizes grants for best policing practices, and requires the Attorney General to provide periodic reports on profiling practices.
"This crucial legislation is long overdue. Congress should enact it now."
For information on the 'end racial profiling act of 2004', go to: http://thomas.loc.gov/ Enter the term "profiling" or "S2132."
To contact your elected representatives about this legislation, go to: http://capwiz.com/cair/dbq/officials/
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