National

President Biden on Wednesday signed a police reform executive order to create a national database of police misconduct, ban the use of chokeholds unless deadly force is authorized and require anti-bias training.

Why it matters: Wednesday marks two years since a white police officer kneeled on George Floyd's neck for nine minutes as he said "I can't breathe" over 20 times. Black civil rights advocates have decried stalled progress on police reform in Congress and slammed the continued lack of accountability for police killings that followed Floyd's death.

Floyd's family met with Biden last year on the one-year anniversary of his murder and said the president assured them he was still committed to passing a police reform bill and "doing everything to make sure [Floyd's] legacy was respected."

Biden signed the order on Wednesday with Floyd and Breonna Taylor's families present at the White House.

This "is a measure of what we can do together to address the profound fear, trauma and exhaustion that African Americans have endured for generations," Biden said in his remarks, adding that he will make sure Floyd's legacy is remembered.

Establishes a national database of police misconduct and requires all federal law enforcement agencies to participate and use the database to screen personnel.

Bans the use of chokeholds and carotid restraints "unless deadly force is authorized" and restricts the use of no-knock entries.

Takes steps to ensure "timely and thorough investigations and consistent discipline."

Mandates body-worn camera policies and the expedited public release of footage in cases of serious bodily injury or deaths in custody for all federal agencies.

Restricts the transfer or federal purchases of military equipment "that belongs on a battlefield, not on our streets."

Implements an annual anti-bias training requirement.

Directs the Health and Human Services Department to publish a nationwide review of the "the physical, mental, and public health effects of use of force incidents on communities, including any disparate impacts."

The big picture: An Axios-Ipsos poll conducted last year found that nearly seven out of 10 Black Americans say police treatment has gotten worse. 

Derrick Johnson, president of NAACP, told Axios' Hans Nichols and Alexi McCammond that "what the administration is proposing is a great thing, but it’s secondary because an executive order only pales in its effectiveness to actual legislation."

Worth noting: In her speech prior to Biden's signing, Vice President Harris called out Senate Republicans for rejecting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, saying they "walked away from their moral obligation to address what caused millions of Americans to march in the streets."

"You should never have had to mourn in order for our nation to feel your pain and to understand what is wrong," she told Floyd and Taylor's families.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with statements by President Biden and Vice President Harris.

Biden signs police reform order on anniversary of George Floyd's murder

The order bans the use of chokeholds unless deadly force is authorized in all federal agencies.

Photo of Joe Biden signing a bill at a desk while people stand around him smiling

President Biden signs an executive order on police reform in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. on May 25, 2022. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Police

Black Lives Matter movement

Joe Biden

President Biden on Wednesday signed <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a police reform executive order" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/17/bidens-police-executive-order" data-vars-content-id="02a1097d-5d13-4e0a-8e71-e30af9b2f920" data-vars-headline="Biden signs police reform order on anniversary of George Floyd&#x27;s murder" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/17/bidens-police-executive-order" target="_self">a police reform executive order</a> to create a national database of police misconduct, ban the use of chokeholds unless deadly force is authorized and require anti-bias training.Why it matters: Wednesday marks two years since a white police officer kneeled on George Floyd&#x27;s neck for nine minutes as he said <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;I can&#x27;t breathe&quot; over 20 times" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2020/07/08/george-floyd-arrest-transcript" data-vars-content-id="02a1097d-5d13-4e0a-8e71-e30af9b2f920" data-vars-headline="Biden signs police reform order on anniversary of George Floyd&#x27;s murder" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2020/07/08/george-floyd-arrest-transcript" target="_self">&quot;I can&#x27;t breathe&quot; over 20 times</a>. Black civil rights advocates have decried stalled progress on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="police reform in Congress" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2021/09/22/george-floyd-police-reform-negotiations-end" data-vars-content-id="02a1097d-5d13-4e0a-8e71-e30af9b2f920" data-vars-headline="Biden signs police reform order on anniversary of George Floyd&#x27;s murder" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2021/09/22/george-floyd-police-reform-negotiations-end" target="_self">police reform in Congress</a> and slammed the continued lack of accountability for police killings that followed Floyd&#x27;s death.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

Philadelphia

Axios Philadelphia

Pennsylvania will hold a statewide recount for its Senate Republican primary, which remains too close to call, state election officials said Wednesday. 

Why it matters: The race between Trump-backed celebrity TV doctor Mehmet Oz and former hedge fund CEO David McCormick is one of the most closely watched contests in the country. Many view the election as a test of former President Trump's political power.

The outcome may not be known until June 8, when counties are required to report results to the state.

State of play: Mehmet Oz led David McCormick in the primary by a mere 902 votes out of more than 1.3 million ballots cast, as of Wednesday. 

Oz’s margin of victory — .07% — falls within the state’s .5% margin that triggers a recount under state law. 

McCormick has not waived his right to a recount. 

What they're saying: Counties can begin the recount — which is anticipated to cost the state roughly $1 million — as soon as Friday, acting Secretary of State Leigh M. Chapman  said during a news conference on Wednesday. 

“This automatic recount is intended to insure the count is accurate and that there is confidence in the results and outcome,” Chapman said. 

The big picture: The contest to replace retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R) has become one of the most expensive U.S. Senate races in the nation.

Federal Election Commission filings show that Oz funneled at least $12 million of his own wealth into his campaign, while McCormick spent at least $11 million.

The winner will face off against Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in November. 

The intrigue: Chapman, Pennsylvania’s top election official, called on counties to count undated and incorrectly dated mail-in ballots but segregate them, per state guidance issued on Tuesday. 

Approximately 860 undated Republican ballots were reported from 65 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties as of Wednesday, Chapman said.

Between the lines: Thousands of ballots remain uncounted. 

Approximately 6,000 mail-in and absentee ballots and 4,000 provisional ballots remain outstanding, said Jonathan Marks, deputy secretary of election and commissions. 

Yes, but: Uncertainty remains around whether mail-in ballots with dating issues will ultimately be included in the final count. 

Zoom in: McCormick is fighting in state court for the state to follow a new federal appeals court ruling that ordered the counting of those ballots in a previous election. 

The Republican National Committee and state GOP are siding with Oz and intervening in McCormick’s lawsuit. 

What’s next: Counties must submit their recount results to the state by noon on June 8. 

Editor's note: This story has been updated with more information from state election officials. 

Philadelphia Alerts

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Philadelphia. Written by local reporters.

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Pennsylvania Senate GOP race headed for statewide recount

The race between Mehmet Oz and David McCormick is one of the most closely watched contests in the country.

Photo Mehmet Oz on the left and David McCormick on the right

Mehmet Oz (left) and David McCormick. Photos: Riccardo Savi for Concordia Summit and Nate Smallwood/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania will hold a statewide recount for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="its Senate Republican primary" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2022/05/18/pennsylvania-senate-primary-results-oz-mccormick" data-vars-content-id="073b6179-1b69-4ebf-9191-e87f4379f47d" data-vars-headline="Pennsylvania Senate GOP race headed for statewide recount" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2022/05/18/pennsylvania-senate-primary-results-oz-mccormick" target="_self">its Senate Republican primary</a>, which remains too close to call, state election officials said Wednesday. Why it matters: The race between Trump-backed celebrity TV doctor Mehmet Oz and former hedge fund CEO David McCormick is one of the most closely watched contests in the country. Many view the election as a test of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="former President Trump&#x27;s political power" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/04/10/trump-gambles-gop-kingmaker-status-with-dr-oz-endorsement" data-vars-content-id="073b6179-1b69-4ebf-9191-e87f4379f47d" data-vars-headline="Pennsylvania Senate GOP race headed for statewide recount" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/04/10/trump-gambles-gop-kingmaker-status-with-dr-oz-endorsement" target="_self">former President Trump&#x27;s political power</a>.

People across the U.S. honored George Floyd on Wednesday amid mixed progress on police reform and two years after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nine minutes as he said "I can't breathe" over 20 times.

Why it matters: Floyd's murder ignited protests against police brutality and anti-Blackness around the globe. Yet two years later, many Black Americans feel the world has moved on, even as Black communities remain vulnerable to deadly violence.

State of play: Despite nationwide attention on the issue, 2021 was a record year for police killings. Momentum dwindled after Congress failed to reach a bipartisan agreement on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Black people are 2.9 times more likely to be killed by police than white people in the U.S., according to the Mapping Police Violence tracker, a project by the police reform nonprofit Campaign Zero. 

Only 1% of police killings in 2021 led to charges. 

What they're saying: "2 years later & Black people still can’t breathe," civil rights lawyer Ben Crump tweeted. 

"Before his name became a hashtag, #GeorgeFloyd was a human being who mattered. A brother, a father, a friend. A person. I'm praying for his family today," said activist Bernice King, the daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr.

"This crime is part of a system that haunts Black America to this day," Symone Sanders, a former senior adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris, said on her MSNBC show this week.

"His killing stays with us all to this day, especially those who loved him," former President Barack Obama tweeted.

The "fundamental turning point" raised by his death remains unrealized, Melvin Carter, the first Black mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, told Sanders on her show.

"George Floyd’s brutal death sparked an unprecedented outpouring of outrage and pledges for change worldwide, & we CANNOT stop fighting now," Crump added on Twitter. "We must continue to make our voices heard. Our lives depend on it."

The big picture: The anniversary comes two weeks after an alleged shooter targeted a Black neighborhood and killed 10 people in Buffalo, New York.

President Biden signed an executive order Wednesday that establishes a national database of police misconduct and bans chokeholds unless "deadly force is authorized." 

The order does not address the neck-to-knee restraint that former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin used on Floyd.

Biden called it "a measure of what we can do together to address the profound fear, trauma and exhaustion that African Americans have endured for generations." He added that he will make sure Floyd's legacy lives on.

Photo of murals and flowers surrounding a square

A view of the site where George Floyd was killed at the memorial now known as George Floyd Square on May 25 in Minneapolis. Photo: Stephen Maturen via Getty Images

Photo of posters that depict George Floyd taped on a green wall

Posters of George Floyd as a young man decorate a construction wall on May 22 on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, ahead of the two-year anniversary of his death. Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images

Photo of a young Black girl looking down as people crowd behind her

President Biden holds the shoulder of Gianna Floyd, George Floyd's daughter, as she sits at the desk where Biden signed an executive order to revise use-of-force policies for federal law enforcement at the White House on May 25. Photo: Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Photo of people kneeling and raising their fists in the air as they hold Black Lives Matter signs

Stand Up To Racism organizes a vigil at the U.S. Embassy in London to mark the second anniversary of the murder of George Floyd on May 25 in London. Photo: Guy Smallman via Getty Images

"Still can't breathe": George Floyd remembered on 2-year anniversary of his murder

The U.S. has seen mixed progress on police reform in the two years since a white officer kneeled on Floyd's neck for nine minutes.

Photo of a white gravestone with George Floyd's name and the image of a fist engraved on it

A view of the George Floyd headstone at the Say Their Names cemetery at George Floyd Square on May 25 in Minneapolis. Photo: Stephen Maturen via Getty Images

George Floyd

People across the U.S. honored George Floyd on Wednesday amid mixed progress on police reform and two years after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nine minutes as he said <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;I can&#x27;t breathe&quot; over 20 times" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2020/07/08/george-floyd-arrest-transcript" data-vars-content-id="18e2c3a4-3c27-462c-9d1a-47bd61523b00" data-vars-headline="&quot;Still can&#x27;t breathe&quot;: George Floyd remembered on 2-year anniversary of his murder" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2020/07/08/george-floyd-arrest-transcript" target="_self">&quot;I can&#x27;t breathe&quot; over 20 times</a>.Why it matters: Floyd&#x27;s murder ignited <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="protests against police brutality and anti-Blackness" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/black-lives-matter-movement" data-vars-content-id="18e2c3a4-3c27-462c-9d1a-47bd61523b00" data-vars-headline="&quot;Still can&#x27;t breathe&quot;: George Floyd remembered on 2-year anniversary of his murder" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/black-lives-matter-movement" target="_self">protests against police brutality and anti-Blackness</a> around the globe. Yet two years later, many Black Americans feel the world has moved on, even as Black communities remain vulnerable to deadly violence.

A loving mother and wife, a boy who enjoyed dancing with his family and another who was learning to play football with his grandfather. 

The big picture: Nineteen children and at least two adults were killed after a gunman entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday and started shooting. It's the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. in nearly a decade.

Just days before summer vacation was set to begin, anguished families waited late into the night on Tuesday for word about their loved ones.

Here's what we know so far about the victims:

Nevaeh Bravo was a fourth grade student who was the "little cousin" in a big family.

Her cousin Emily Grace Ayala had asked for help locating her Tuesday night.

"She is flying with the angels above," Ayala wrote on Facebook. "We love you Nevaeh very much princess!"

Jacklyn Jaylen Cazares, 10, "had the biggest heart," her father, Jacinto Cazares told ABC 7. 

"Jackie was the one that would go out of her way to help anyone," he said. "It gives me some comfort, that she would be the little cracker that would have done something to help her classmates in that very scary scenario." 

Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10, had been eagerly awaiting her last softball game of the season on Tuesday, her family told a local CBS affiliate.

"She was kind of nervous, saying that it was her last game and she didn't want softball to end," her aunt said. "She was also saying like, 'what if I make it [to all stars]? I'm gonna be so nervous.' And I was like, 'girl you got this. You're gonna be good at it. You got this.'"

Jose Flores Jr., 10, was a fourth-grader who loved baseball and video games. 

"He was always full of energy," his father, Jose Flores Sr., told CNN. "Ready to play till the night."

“He was a very happy little boy. He loved both his parents … and loved to laugh and have fun,” his uncle Christopher Salazar told the Washington Post.

Makenna Lee Elrod, 10, "was beautiful, funny, smart, and amazing," according to her aunt Allison McCollough.

"She had the biggest heart and loved her family and friends so much. Her smile would light up a room."

Eliahna Garcia, 10, was an outgoing girl who loved to sing, dance and play basketball, AP reports.

"She was big into family, enjoyed being with the family," her aunt Siria Arizmendi told the Post.

Irma Garcia, a teacher at Robb Elementary School, taught at the school for 23 years, per the school's website.

She was a co-teacher with Eva Mireles, who was also killed in the shooting.

Garcia was married to her husband, Joe Garcia, for 24 years and had four children. She loved to barbecue with her husband and listen to music, per the website. 

Uziyah Garcia, 9, was "the sweetest little boy that I’ve ever known," his grandfather, Manny Renfro, said, per AP.

"I’m not just saying that because he was my grandkid," Renfro added.

Garcia had started playing football with his grandfather and they were learning plays together.

"Such a fast little boy and he could catch a ball so good," Renfro said. "There were certain plays that I would call that he would remember and he would do it exactly like we practiced."

Amerie Jo Garza, 10, was "full of life, a jokester, always smiling," her father, Alfred Garza III,  told the New York Times.

"She was very social," he said. "She talked to everybody." Amerie turned 10 less than two weeks ago, her father told ABC News 7. 

"My little love is now flying high with the angels above. Please don’t take a second for granted. Hug your family. Tell them you love them. I love you Amerie jo. Watch over your baby brother for me," her father wrote on Facebook.

Xavier Javier Lopez, 10, was a "bubbly" boy who loved to dance with his brothers and mom and was anxiously awaiting a summer of swimming.

"He was just a loving 10-year-old little boy, just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen today," Lisa Garza said of her cousin, per AP.

Lopez's mother was at the school mere hours before the shooting for an award ceremony, ABC 7 reports.

Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10, loved to make people laugh, the Daily Beast reports.  Luevanos' cousin, Jailah Silguero, also died in the shooting.

"They’re in paradise dancing with the angels now," Silguero's uncle Zeke Luevanos wrote on Facebook.

Tess Marie Mata was a fourth-grader who had a "contagious laugh" and liked to tag team with her older sister when it came to their parents, according to sister Faith Mata.

"I just want to hold you and tell you how pretty you are, I want to take you outside and practice softball, I want to go on one last family vacation," she wrote in a Facebook tribute. 

"[M]om, dad, and I won’t be the same without you but we are comforted knowing you are waiting for us up in heaven and have a spot for us. We have one sassy guardian angel that I know is going to protect our family."

Miranda Mathis, 11, was "very loving and very talkative," Ismael Yaya Ontiveros, whose daughter Anairayah was close friends with Mathis, told the Austin Statesman.

"They were the best of friends. She would always tell me, 'Yaya, can you please do my hair like you do Anairayah?'"

"This is just so hard my baby cousin all these babies it's so unbelievable I'm so hurt for everyone because we all lost babies in this," Mathis' cousin Deanna Miller wrote on Facebook. 

Eva Mireles, 44, taught fourth graders at Robb Elementary School and was an educator for 17 years, per the school's website.

She loved to run and hike. "She was adventurous. I would definitely say those wonderful things about her. She is definitely going to be very missed," her relative Amber Ybarra told AP.

Audrey Garcia, whose daughter was a former student of Mireles, remembered her as "a beautiful person & dedicated teacher" in a tweet.

Alithia Ramirez, 10, was an aspiring artist and had recently submitted a drawing in the Doodle for Google contest, her father Ryan Ramirez told a local NBC affiliate.

She would want her family "to be strong" right now, he said.

Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10, was a third grader at Robb Elementary, KHOU reports.

Rodriguez was in the same classroom as her cousin, Jacklyn Jaylen Cazares, who was also killed in the shooting, their aunt Polly Flores confirmed to ABC News.  

Maite Rodriguez, 10, was a "little girl full of life" who dreamed of attending Texas A&M University and becoming a marine biologist, according to family member Aiko Coronado.

"She had a beautiful smile and [was] so kind to others," Coronado wrote on Facebook. "She was beyond smart ... she knew what she wanted in life."

Lexi Rubio, 10, was a young softball player with bright prospects and had recently received a good citizen award at Robb Elementary School, her parents told CNN. 

"She was kind, sweet, and appreciated life. She was going to be an all-star in softball and had a bright future whether it’s sports or academic. Please let the world know we miss our baby."

Layla Salazar, 10, liked to dance along to TikTok videos and had a passion for swimming, her father Vincent Salazar told the Post. She'd won six races at the school's field day.

The pair would sing along to "Sweet Child O’ Mine" by Guns N’ Roses every morning as he drove her to school.

"She was just a whole lot of fun," he said.

Jailah Nicole Silguero, 11, enjoyed dancing and had started learning how to record Tik Tok videos, her grandmother Linda Gonzales told the Daily Beast. She hadn't wanted to go to school that day.

"They were just so sweet," Gonzales said about Silguero and Luevanos. "They were sweet kids and lovable. What can you say about little innocent kids?"

Rojelio Torres, 10, "was a very intelligent, hard-working and helpful person," his aunt Precious Perez told KSAT, according to AP.

"We are devastated and heartbroken ... He will be missed and never forgotten."

Go deeper: 19 students, at least 2 adults dead in Texas elementary school shooting

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.

Dallas

Dallas Alerts

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Dallas. Written by Michael Mooney and Tasha Tsiperas.

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Axios Dallas Thought Bubble

Remembering the victims of the Texas school shooting

It's the deadliest school shooting since the Sandy Hook Elementary School attack in 2012.

A family grieves outside of the SSGT Willie de Leon Civic Center following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas.

A family grieves outside of the SSGT Willie de Leon Civic Center on May 24 in Uvalde, Texas. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images

School shooting

"What are we doing?": Murphy slams colleagues on Senate floor after Texas shooting

A gunman shot and killed 14 kids and one teacher at a Texas elementary school on Tuesday.

Mass shootings

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) slammed his colleagues for doing &quot;nothing&quot; to address gun violence on Tuesday, hours after a gunman shot and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="killed at least 14 kids and one teacher" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/24/texas-elementary-school-shooting" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/24/texas-elementary-school-shooting" target="_self">killed at least 14 kids and one teacher</a> at a Texas elementary school.The backdrop: Murphy was the representative for the district that included Newtown, where a gunman killed 26 people, 20 of whom were children ages 6 and 7, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. Tuesday&#x27;s shooting comes on the heels of a string of recent mass shootings, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="including incidents in Buffalo and Laguna Woods" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/16/shootings-weekend-buffalo-america" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/16/shootings-weekend-buffalo-america" target="_self">including incidents in Buffalo and Laguna Woods</a>.

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Stories

Remembering the victims of the Texas school shooting

"Still can't breathe": George Floyd remembered on 2-year anniversary of his murder

Biden signs police reform order on anniversary of George Floyd's murder

Pennsylvania Senate GOP race headed for statewide recount

"What are we doing?": Murphy slams colleagues on Senate floor after Texas shooting