CNET: Lawmakers propose indefinite nationwide ban on police use of facial recognition

| Posted in In the News

These concerns have pushed lawmakers to consider how a facial recognition moratorium would work. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, a Democrat from California, has been looking into a bill that would impose a moratorium on facial recognition for at least two years, starting from January 2021. Merkley proposed the Ethical Use of Facial Recognition Act in February, which would put a moratorium on…

Business Insider: A Congressman misidentified by Amazon’s facial recognition software says the company’s decision to suspend police usage ‘raises more questions than answers’

| Posted in In the News

When the American Civil Liberties Union tested Amazon's controversial facial recognition technology on photos of Congress members in 2018, the software incorrectly matched 28 members with the mugshots of people who had been arrested for a crime, with the mis-identifications disproportionately affecting people of color. Rep. Jimmy Gomez of California was one of the ones affected. He…

Venture Beat: Boston bans facial recognition due to concern about racial bias

| Posted in In the News

Boston’s ban comes as lawmakers are facing increased pressure to reduce surveillance tactics and defund police agencies. Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) told VentureBeat recently that facial recognition regulation is on the way from Congress with a moratorium on use by federal law enforcement. Privacy advocates are sometimes split on whether a temporary stay or moratorium on…

Eastsider LA: More federal money requested for L.A. River restoration

| Posted in In the News

Four Los Angeles area members of Congress sent a letter Monday to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to request more federal funding for the Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Project and increase the corps' public-private partnership program funding. Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff, Grace Napolitano, Lucille Roybal-Allard and Jimmy Gomez authored the letter sent to the Army Corps of…

Gomez, Schiff, Napolitano, Roybal-Allard Seek Increased Army Corps Funding for Los Angeles River Restoration Project

| Posted in Press Releases

Los Angeles - Today, Reps. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Adam Schiff (CA-28), Grace Napolitano (CA-32), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40) sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requesting increased funding for the Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Project and the Public-Private Partnership (P3) Pilot Program in the Corps’ Fiscal Year 2021 Work Plan. “We…

Congressman Jimmy Gomez on Supreme Court DACA Ruling

| Posted in Press Releases

Los Angeles – Today, Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling to block President Donald Trump from ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California: “Today’s ruling represents a victory for our nation and the…

Herald Sun: Amazon Rekognition ban slammed for being ‘performative’

| Posted in In the News

Californian Congressman Jimmy Gomez has also claimed the company has been ignoring his questions about the software for years. While brands scramble to have their say on the Black Lives Matter movement (with many voicing support but seemingly few opening their wallets to help), Amazon made a brief announcement that it would stop letting police using its “Rekognition” software. But not…

MSNBC: Rep Gomez: DACA ruling 'keeps hope alive for another day'

| Posted in In the News

Congressman Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) joins Ayman Mohyeldin after the Supreme Court ruled that the President cannot shut down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Gomez argues that while this is a victory, real change cannot be implemented unless President Trump, who uses immigration as a "political hammer," is voted out of office. Watch

CNET: Congress, cops and facial recognition: Amazon's pause puts the pressure on

| Posted in In the News

For starters, Amazon's call to pass legislation during its one-year moratorium presents an unrealistic timeline for lawmakers, especially during an election year, members of Congress have said. Given that lawmakers have proposed several laws on facial recognition in the last year without any progress, it's unlikely any meaningful legislation will pass by June…

The Hill: Facial recognition tools under fresh scrutiny amid police protests

| Posted in In the News

While that effort was derailed in recent months — by the coronavirus and some reshuffling of committee members — negotiations have restarted in recent days, Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) told The Hill in an interview Tuesday. There is now “broad consensus” on the committee for some sort of moratorium, he said, and “now we need to find a consensus on the solution.” Full Article