House Seeks Racial Breakdown on Police Traffic Stops

Responding to complaints that police target black people in car searches, the House passed a bill Tuesday requiring the Justice Department to determine the racial breakdown for routine traffic stops made by state and local police.

“There are very few of us in this country who have not been stopped at one time for an alleged traffic violation that we thought constituted really simple racial harassment,” said Rep. John Conyers Jr. of Michigan, who is black.

Conyers, ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee and chief author of the bill, cited figures showing that blacks, who make up about 14% of the population, account for 72% of drivers pulled over for routine traffic stops.

“This is an issue that has long confronted us and one that we have in some instances accepted and suffered in silence,” said Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas), who is also black.

The bill, which passed by voice vote, would require the attorney general to conduct a study on traffic stops and include the age and race or ethnic background of the person stopped, the alleged violation and whether car searches were conducted and contraband discovered.

The Senate has not acted.

In other action Tuesday, the House approved legislation defining who is eligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery and ending waivers for those who are not.

Under the bill, burial at Arlington would be limited to members of the Armed Forces who die on active duty, military retirees, recipients of the Medal of Honor and other top awards, former prisoners of war and the president and former presidents.