COLUMBUS, OH – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) held a forum with African American ministers at the Columbus Urban League today. The listening session focused on community relationships with law enforcement, jobs, infant mortality, education, and other issues important to Central Ohio.

“The people of Columbus care about their neighbors,” Brown said. “And our diverse citizens have the strength, insight, and commitment to address the needs of this community. Meeting with clergy and community leaders provides valuable insight on ways we can re-establish trust and respect between law enforcement and the community while strengthening the economy, improving access to health care and education, and protecting civil rights.”

Brown has held more than 200 roundtables around the state since 2007 and meets with groups of clergy multiple times per year. Brown is working to ensure that all Ohioans – regardless of their zip code – have equal access to opportunities to live healthy, safe lives and pursue good-paying careers.

Brown is working to ensure Ohio law enforcement officials have the resources they need to keep communities safe. He has called for the full funding of the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) program, a critical grant program that has provided more than $15 million to help Ohio police departments utilize body cameras and other innovative technologies. More than 600 JAG recipients nationwide have used federal funding for police camera technology. This technology has been found to reduce the use of force by officers by as much as 60 percent, reduce citizen complaints by as much as 88 percent, assist in resolving complaints against the police, and reduce the likelihood of false complaints against the police.

Earlier this month, Brown and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) urged President Obama to expand job opportunities and reduce recidivism by taking executive action and requiring federal contractors and federal agencies to “ban the box” on job applications. Reforming hiring practices has widespread support from both public and private institutions. Seventeen states, including Ohio, and more than 100 cities and counties have already begun to implement fair chance hiring practices that prevent job applicants from being asked about prior convictions until later in the hiring process. Many of the nation’s largest employers, including Walmart; Target; Bed, Bath & Beyond; Koch Industries; and Home Depot, have also opted to “ban the box.”

With Ohio ranking worst in the nation for African American infant mortality, Brown is working to prevent these tragedies. Last December, President Obama signed Brown’s legislation to help doctors and researchers better understand the causes of stillbirths, Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUID), and Sudden Unexplained Deaths in Childhood (SUDC). The Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act will enhance the current system used to report on infant and childhood deaths so that patterns become clear and we can better prevent these deaths.

Earlier this year, Brown introduced legislation that would bridge the achievement gap and address the inequities that undermine learning. The Core Opportunity Resources for Equity and Excellence (CORE) Act aims to tackle existing disparities in public education by establishing accountability requirements that compel states and school districts to give all students equitable access to the core resources necessary to achieve college and career readiness by high school graduation.

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