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A26 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 24 June 2020
Congress stalls on policing overhaul, despite public outcry

insisted Democrats would
have a chance to amend
the Senate bill if they al-
low the debate to begin.
But Democrats countered
there is no agreement their
changes would be up for
consideration.
"Now is the time for Con-
gress to pass legislation that
will bring real change," said
Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif.,
a co-author with Booker
and House leaders on the
Democratic bill.
Political risks of inaction are
high, as the public wants
to see policing changes
after nearly a month of
constant demonstrations
nationwide, in cities large
and small, forcing a world-
wide reckoning over law
enforcement and racial
injustice. The NAACP Legal
Defense and Fund is urg-
ing senators to vote against
the GOP package on
Wednesday and push for
a broader bill. "In this mo-
ment, we cannot support
In this June 17, 2020, file photo, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., accompanied by Republican senators speaks at a news conference to
announce a Republican police reform bill on Capitol Hill in Washington. legislation that does not
Associated Press embody a strong account-
ability framework for po-
By LISA MASCARO many times before when The GOP's Justice Act worldwide protests over ra- lice officers and other law
AP Congressional Corre- confronted with crisis — on would create a national cial bias in policing. enforcement who engage
spondent gun control or immigra- database of police use-of- "The Black community is in misconduct as well as
WASHINGTON (AP) — Con- tion changes supported force incidents, restrict po- tired of the lip service," needed reforms to policing
gress is hitting an impasse by broad segments of the lice chokeholds and set up Crump said in a statement. practices," the organization
on policing legislation, as population — is expected new training procedures As talks potentially con- wrote to senators, accord-
key Senate Democrats on to stall out, for now. Law- and commissions to study tinue, Democrats are try- ing to a letter obtained by
Tuesday opposed a Re- makers are hesitant to race and law enforce- ing to force Republicans AP. Crump, the attorney for
publican proposal as inad- make moves upsetting to ment. It is not as sweeping to the negotiating table the families, said the GOP
equate, leaving the parties voters as they campaign as a Democratic proposal, to strengthen Democrats' package is "in direct con-
to decide whether to take for the fall election. And which mandates many of hand. The House is set to trast to the demands of the
on the hard job of nego- President Donald Trump, the changes and would approve the Democrats people, who have taken to
tiating a compromise or facing his own reelection, hold police liable to dam- bill later this week. The two the streets."
walk away despite public is an uneven partner with ages in lawsuits. There are bills, the House and Senate The parties also face some
outcry over the killings of shifting positions on the similarities on some issues, versions, would ultimately degree of internal divisions
Black Americans. types of changes he would lawmakers say, but also need to be the same to be- within their ranks, with some
The standoff threatens to accept from Capitol Hill. vast differences. come law. Democrats likely to support
turn the nationwide pro- Ahead of a test vote Senate Democratic leader House Speaker Nancy Pe- advancing the bill Wednes-
tests over the deaths of Wednesday, Senate Major- Chuck Schumer and top losi has indicated she is day, and some Republi-
George Floyd, Breonna ity Leader Mitch McConnell Democrats signaled they eager to enter talks with cans proposing their own
Taylor and others into an- acknowledged it may fall would oppose the Repub- the Senate over the two law enforcement changes.
other moment that galva- short. If so, he vowed to try lican bill as "not salvage- approaches, which is a sig- For example, Sen. Rand
nizes the nation but leaves again, hoping to pass leg- able," as they demand ne- nal that Democrats are not Paul, R-Ky., proposes end-
lawmakers unable to act. islation before a July 4 holi- gotiations on a new, bipar- closing the door to a com- ing the practice of sending
Still, common ground is not day recess. The Republican tisan package with more promise. Neither bill goes as military equipment to local
out of reach. A new Asso- bill's author, Sen. Tim Scott extensive changes to law far as some activists want police departments, which
ciated Press-NORC Center of South Carolina, warned enforcement tactics and with calls to defund the po- is similar to a provision in-
for Public Affairs Research against a partisan, political accountability aligned with lice and shift resources to cluded in the Democrats'
poll shows almost all Ameri- debate that chisels away their own Democratic bill. other community services. bill but not in the Republi-
cans support some degree confidence in the nation's The Democrats are being "We're ready to make can package.
of criminal justice changes. institutions. "This is not about backed by the nation's a law, not just make a And Sen. Mike Braun, R-
"This is a profound moment, them or us," said Scott, leading civil rights orga- point," McConnell said as Ind., wants to limit the im-
it is a moral moment," said the only Black Republican nizations and the lawyer, he opened the Senate on munity protections for of-
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., in the Senate. It's about Benjamin Crump, repre- Tuesday. He said Ameri- ficers in lawsuits. The White
a co-author of the Demo- young people and others, senting the families of Floyd cans "deserve better than House has opposed that in
crats' proposal. "The call is he said, "who are afraid to and Taylor, two African a partisan stalemate." the Democratic bill and it's
for us to act." jog down the street or get Americans whose deaths in During Tuesday's Senate not included in the Republi-
Yet Congress, as it has so in their car and drive." police interactions sparked floor debate, Republicans can package.q