Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence proposing police reform with Justice in Policing Act

(FOX 2) - The death of George Floyd has sparked protests across the country and also inspired change in Washington.

Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence is among a group of lawmakers proposing major police reforms, coming just days after attending the funeral of George Floyd in Minneapolis. 

"Two things that just kind of rip my heart was when we went to the actual site where he died and we kneeled there and to just think, I watched the video where his life left his body, right at that spot," she told FOX 2. "And then to be at the funeral, the memorial service and to have everyone be silent for eight minutes and 46 seconds - that's a long time. And then someone during the silence starts saying, 'I can't breathe. I can't breathe.' And then someone said, 'Mama.' And I mean tears were everywhere. It's just such an unfortunate time but who knew that this man's life would unite and just energize the entire country."

The same energy that sparked prostests in the streets inspired Lawrence and her fellow Democrats in Congress to propose major changes in federal law.   

They introduced the Justice in Policing Act, reforms designed to punish police misconduct and ban chokeholds, like the knee used by former officer Derrick Chauvin who's now accused of 2nd-degree murder.

"To sit on the neck of a human being and take your lives, to not even care. And one of the new officers even said shouldn't we turn him up? No. That he was training because of his years of service, and how do we change this unless we get those bad actors out of the force?" 

It's a problem she knows well, having previously spent 14 years as the mayor of Southfield. 

"This whole discussion about defunding the police, I do not support defunding the police. I was a mayor. I know that in order to have a functional quality of life in any city, you need a police department.  But you need one that the people trust. You need a professionally trained police department that would never sit on someone's neck until they die," she said. "That they don't fear a Black person because they have a hoodie on."

But she also feels hopeful about the changes she's seeing across the country. 

Nascar is now banning the Confederate flag from its races. The statues of slave owners and Confederate generals are being removed. And thousands of people of all colors are marching together against racism. 

"But we have to confront it and talk about it, that's the only way we're going to move and I am encouraged by the diversity of the crowds. Who thought you'd have white people carrying signs saying Black lives matter? And they mean it, they're protesting. I'm so encouraged. Who knew that 2020 would give us this opportunity," she said.

The Republicans are working on their own version of police reform, which would also include limits on the use of chokeholds.