Joe Biden to host George Floyd's family at White House this week

This week marks the anniversary of the death of George Floyd that sparked a nationwide protest against police brutality and racism. US President Joe Biden will mark the anniversary by hosting Floyd’s family at the White House this week.

Biden will be hosting Floyd’s family at the White House on Tuesday to commemorate the anniversary of the killing of Floyd, a black man, at the hands of a white police officer. The White House visit may also lead to lawmakers missing the May 25 deadline Biden had set for the passage of the police reform bill. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said last week that while the White House is confident in the lawmakers making negotiations, she did not disclose a specific timeline for when Biden would want the bill on his desk for signing.

Biden first privately met with Floyd’s family in 2020 during his visit to Houston to offer his condolences during the funeral. Biden has also previously spoken with members of Floyd’s family on more than one occasion last year including Floyd’s brother Philonise Floyd, who shared his conversation with the then-Democratic candidate.

A senior White House official told CNN that Biden also spoke with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker regarding the police reform bill and the looming deadline that lawmakers have to pass the bill. Booker said that while it is likely that the deadline would be missed, there is progress in its passage. Biden previously set May 25 as the deadline for Congress to pass the police reform bill in light of the anniversary of Floyd’s death.

In other news, Biden will not be making a commencement address at Notre Dame, an event that presidents are traditionally expected to do. Biden is the first US leader since Bill Clinton to skip giving the commencement address at the Catholic university. This also follows a petition signed by 4,000 students and alumni urging the officials not to invite Biden due to his pro-abortion stance.

A White House official however, told the Catholic News Agency back on May 11 that while Biden was invited to give a speech and receive an honorary degree, Biden had to decline because of scheduling conflicts.