We are hurt and we are angry at the profound loss of Black lives in our country. The recent murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Tony McDade at the hands of police officers are a part of a generations-long cycle of horrific police killings of Black people.

Police violence is a systemic, rooted problem and this national crisis and magnifies the racial inequity that pervades everyday lives of Black Americans.

Thousands have taken to the streets to demand justice. Congress must listen to our elevated voices and act immediately to put an end to police violence and hold offenders accountable.

We are demanding Congress enact and ensure the following:

• A national database for decertified police officers and a national database of police shootings and use of force broken down by demographics. We cannot allow dangerous police officers to obtain another position in a police force by simply moving towns.

• Defund police, particularly the Community Oriented Police Services (COPS) program, and prioritize deep investment in community health, education, and housing. In order to help end abusive policing, Congress must cease funding to hire tens of thousands of new police officers and equip them with a range of surveillance technology and militarized equipment.

• Eliminate federal programs that allocate military equipment to law enforcement. Outfitting the police in military-style armor and weaponry changes the mentality of cops, prompting them to act more aggressively. It undermines community policing and erodes public trust in law enforcement, and it must be stopped.

• End the qualified immunity doctrine that prevents police from being held legally accountable. The adoption of the qualified immunity doctrine has largely shielded police and other government officials from having to pay financial settlements to victims or grieving families. The doctrine increasingly protects cops even when courts have determined that the officers violated a victim's civil rights.

Police brutality must end immediately and we must demand that Congress do their job to ensure the safety and freedom of every single person in this country.

Sign the petition: Demand Congress do their job and immediately address police violence.