(Washington, DC) On behalf of the 500 African American mayors across the country, Toni Harp, Mayor of New Haven, CT and President of the African American Mayors Association (AAMA), released the following statement in response to Senator Kamala Harris and Senator Rand Paul’s introduction of a bill to reform money bail practices:

“The African American Mayors Association applauds Senator Harris and Senator Paul for their leadership in introducing the Pretrial Integrity and Safety Act. Money bail systems across the country violate the spirit of due process, cruelly and disproportionately punishing poor people and people of color. As Senator Harris cited upon the bill’s introduction, more than 450,000 Americans are currently held in jail before a trial. A criminal justice system that imprisons people who cannot afford an exorbitant and arbitrary sum of money is no justice system at all. Bail reform must be included in larger criminal justice reform, and we call on the Senate to pass today’s bill as part of that effort.”
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The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) is the only organization exclusively representing over 500 African-American mayors across the United States. AAMA seeks to empower local leaders for the benefit of their citizens. The role of the AAMA includes taking positions on public policies that impact the vitality and sustainability of cities; providing mayors with leadership and management tools; and creating a forum for member mayors to share best practices related to municipal management.