Statement From President Joe Biden on Four Years Since George Floyd’s Murder

The day before George Floyd’s funeral, his young daughter Gianna told me, “Daddy changed the world.” Four years after her father’s murder, there is no doubt that he has.

George Floyd should be alive today. His murder shook the conscience of our nation and reminded us that our country has never fully lived up to its highest ideal of fair and impartial justice for all under the law. What we witnessed as a result was one of the largest modern civil rights movements in our Nation’s history, with people from every background marching together against racism and systemic injustice.

Two years ago, alongside George Floyd’s family, civil rights leaders, and law enforcement officials, I signed an executive order to implement key aspects of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act with respect to federal law enforcement, including: restricting chokeholds and no-knock warrants, and establishing a database for police misconduct—all measures to advance effective, transparent and accountable policing.

My Administration has made significant progress in implementing this Executive Order, and will continue our work to build public trust and strengthen public safety. But real and lasting change at the state and local level will only come when Congress acts. That’s why I will continue to urge Congress to send the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which ensures law enforcement accountability, to my desk.

As we mark this solemn day tomorrow, we join George Floyd’s family in remembering his life and his legacy. We are vigilant of Black and brown communities who all too often have borne the brunt of injustice; and we recommit ourselves to honoring George Floyd’s legacy by ensuring our Nation lives up to its founding ideal that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives.

###