House Panel advances reparations bill, VP Kamala Harris calls for accountability in Daunte Wright shooting, date set for closing arguments in George Floyd trial, and more in The Daily Rundown.
House Panel Advances Slavery Reparations Bill
Wednesday, a House panel advanced a longstanding effort to pay reparations to the descendants of slaves, CBS News reports. The bill will create a commission to study reparations and present to Congress the role that the United States government has played in the enslavement of and discrimination against African Americans. While the bill does not spell out exactly what reparations would look like, it's a step in the right direction. The sponsor of the bill, Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, is hopeful that the House could vote on the bill as early as this summer. The bill was first introduced by late Representative John Conyers, D-Mich., in 1989.
Vice President Kamala Harris Calls For Accountability In Daunte Wright Shooting
Vice President Kamala Harris called for total accountability in the shooting death of Daunte Wright Tuesday during a White House event on Black maternal mortality. “Our nation needs justice and healing and law enforcement must be held to the highest standards of accountability,” said Vice President Harris. "We know that folks will keep dying if we don’t fully address racial injustice and inequities in our country — from implicit bias to broken systems.”
CDC Reports 5,800 COVID Cases In Fully Vaccinated People
Of the millions of people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, 5,800 have contracted the virus, CNN reports. Of those 5,800, some have grown seriously ill as a result of the virus, 396 required hospitalization, and 74 people have died. "So far, about 5,800 breakthrough cases have been reported to CDC," a spokesperson with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. "To date, no unexpected patterns have been identified in case demographics or vaccine characteristics."
Closing Arguments In George Floyd Trial Slated For Monday
Derek Chauvin's defense team rested its case Thursday in the George Floyd murder trial after just two days of testimony. Chauvin invoked his Fifth Amendment right, informing the judge that he will not testify. Closing arguments are expected to begin Monday morning, according to the Associated Press.
COVID Cases Surge In Michigan
The current COVID-19 case rate in Michigan has surpassed the fall rate, ABC Detroit reports. Presently, the case rate is 574 cases per 1 million people. This is five times higher than it was in mid-February. Hospitals are reporting a capacity rate of 90% for COVID-19 patients. "Patients are lining our hallways like they were last spring. This situation is very serious," said Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun.
