PRESS RELEASE: Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2021 Becomes Bi-Partisan
Washington, DC: With the addition of U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Michigan) as a formal co-sponsor of the legislation, the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2021 (HR262/SB582), sponsored by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), has become bi-partisan.
Press Release
For Immediate Release
May 7, 2021
Contact: Rev. Brandi Slaughter
380–799–4630
Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2021 Becomes Bi-Partisan
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Washington, DC: With the addition of U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Michigan) as a formal co-sponsor of the legislation, the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2021 (HR262/SB582), sponsored by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), has become bi-partisan.
“More than 20% of all members of Congress are now co-sponsors of this historic bi-partisan legislation,” said Abraham Bonowitz, executive director of Death Penalty Action, a national advocacy group mobilizing opposition to the death penalty. “Americans across the country are calling on their members of Congress to support HR 262 and SB 582, and urging that the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2021 be brought up for debate as soon as possible. 23 states have abandoned the death penalty so far, and it is time to prohibit federal and military executions as well.”
Dozens of additional organizations have added their endorsements of the bill, among them traditionally conservative groups. Recent additions include Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative, the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice, the Catholic Mobilizing Network and Witness to Innocence. Representative Ayanna Pressley’s office created the attached document on May 6, 2021, and one day later it is already out of date. The most up-to-date and complete list is here, with 282 groups as of May 7, 2021.
Businesses are also joining the growing chorus crying for abolition. Earlier today the Business Leaders Against the Death Penalty campaign announced dozens of new preeminent supporters including Sheryl Sandberg (COO, Facebook), Marc Benioff (CEO, Salesforce) and Alan Jope (CEO, Unilever). “The death penalty fails at every turn: it doesn’t deter crime, it’s racist, it’s wasteful and it kills innocent people,” writes Bayer CEO Werner Baumann, “even capital punishment’s most ardent supporters are realizing how indefensible it is.”
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