“The rage, the sadness, the terror moms feel when, time after time after time, we learn about lives lost to police violence is immeasurable. It is clear that investigations, lawsuits, and charges after these avoidable tragedies, most of which harm people who are Black or Brown or living with disabilities, are not enough. We need to truly transform our approach to public safety by adopting inclusive, holistic and health-centered measures that will keep our communities safe. We need the People’s Response Act, which is being re-introduced in Congress today, to do just that.

“The People’s Response Act would create a public safety division at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support non-carceral, health-centered investments in public safety; research alternative approaches to public safety; launch a federal first responders unit to support state and local governments facing public health crises; and more. We thank Reps. Cori Bush, Pramila Jayapal, Ayanna Pressley, Jan Schakowsky, and all the other sponsors for championing this legislation. We urge every member of Congress to support it, and leaders in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate to prioritize its passage.”

-Statement of Beatriz Beckford, National Director, Youth & Family Justice, MomsRising

“The approach to public safety our country is using today is failing badly, and causing terrible harm to moms, children, and families and especially to those in Black and Brown communities that have been devastated by mental health and substance use health crises, and criminalization.

“Every community deserves to feel safe. We need responses to public safety crises that are thoughtful, strategic, and rooted in providing appropriate care and response. The People’s Response Act will create such responses. It will build systems of care that are rooted in improving the well-being of all our communities. America’s moms want Congress to pass this legislation.”

-Statement of Monifa Bandele, Chief Strategy Officer, MomsRising