Members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who have condemned the justice system's response to the killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner at the hands of white police officers, say the presence of the victims' relatives at the president's State of the Union address would send a message to policymakers about criminal justice reform.
Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) endorsed the idea Thursday, saying that the presence of the Garner and Brown families at the address would "help educate and sensitize other members and humanize some of the issues that we're going to confront."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
While the lawmakers emphasized that no such invitations have been extended, President Obama is expected to address the issues surrounding law enforcement tactics in his annual address in January.
-
'Voters will have to sort this mess out'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Why Gen Z in Nepal is dying over a state social media banIN THE SPOTLIGHT A crackdown on digital platforms has pushed younger Nepalis into increasingly violent clashes with government forces
-
Fly like you know what you're doing with these 5 tips for healthy air travelThe Week Recommends Yes to stretching. Even more yesses to hydration.
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to TrumpSpeed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raidsSpeed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raidSpeed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearingSpeed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mountSpeed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own listspeed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battleSpeed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants
