This resolution condemns police brutality worldwide and calls for the U.S. to end security assistance and arms sales to nations with records of abuse while addressing the issue domestically.
Ilhan Omar
Representative
MN-5
This resolution condemns police brutality globally, recognizing its disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations worldwide. It calls on the U.S. government to address domestic misconduct while immediately halting security assistance and arms sales to foreign forces with records of abuse. Furthermore, the bill urges the U.S. to use its international influence to promote accountability and shift funding toward violence prevention efforts.
U.S. House Resolution Demands End to Global Police Brutality, Calls for Ban on Selling Tear Gas to Abusive Regimes
This House resolution is essentially the U.S. Congress formally condemning police brutality wherever it happens, demanding the U.S. government clean up its act both at home and abroad. It’s a strong statement that links police violence—including excessive force and lack of accountability—to global instability and the radicalization of citizens.
The Global Impact of Domestic Violence
What’s interesting here is how the resolution frames the issue: it says that police brutality, which hits vulnerable groups like racial minorities, immigrants, and LGBTQIA individuals hardest, is a global problem that the U.S. has helped fuel. Specifically, it calls out the U.S. role as a top exporter of weapons and “less-lethal” gear, like tear gas, which is often used by foreign security forces to suppress peaceful protests. The resolution points out that when officers commit abuses without consequences—a lack of “impunity”—it damages the rule of law everywhere.
Cutting Off the Supply Chain for Repression
The core of the resolution is a set of demands aimed at cutting off U.S. support for abusive foreign police forces. It calls for the U.S. government to immediately stop selling weapons, ammunition, and crowd-control gear to any country where security forces have a clear history of violating human rights or where those violations go unpunished. This is a direct hit to U.S. defense contractors and security equipment manufacturers who specialize in this gear. It also demands an end to U.S. security assistance and police training programs for those same countries. If you’re a company that sells specialized equipment like rubber bullets or armored vehicles to foreign police departments, this resolution aims to shut down that market if those departments have a history of abuse.
Shifting Funds: From Tanks to Therapists
Perhaps the most significant call for everyday people is the demand to reallocate funds. The resolution urges the government to move money, both domestically and internationally, away from militarized policing and towards community-focused solutions. This means shifting resources toward things like peacebuilding, job training, counseling, mental health services, and violence-prevention programs. For communities struggling with violence, this could mean a significant change in how public safety dollars are spent—less on heavy gear and more on social workers and mental health support.
The Business of Human Rights
The resolution doesn't just target the government; it also puts pressure on American businesses. It calls on U.S.-based companies that sell lethal or less-lethal policing equipment to create strict rules preventing them from selling to countries known for police brutality. This is a bit vague—what exactly constitutes a “pattern of police brutality” or “unpunished” abuse is left up to interpretation, which could lead to inconsistent enforcement. However, the intent is clear: U.S. companies should not profit from human rights abuses abroad. Overall, this resolution is a strong policy statement that, if acted upon, would fundamentally change how the U.S. interacts with foreign police forces and how it funds domestic public safety.