GOP unveils its police reform bill, setting up showdown with Dems

tim-graham

Washington: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday promised quick action on a newly unveiled GOP police reform proposal, paving the way for a clash with Democrats who were quick to criticize the proposal and call for major changes to the measure, reported CNN.

The Senate GOP legislation is led by Sen. Tim Scott, the only black member in their caucus. He said the legislation would create greater safety for both suspects and police. “We hear you. We’re listening to your concerns,” he told reporters.

The announcement from McConnell sets up competing action in the House and Senate on different police reform proposals. House Democrats are expected to vote next week on their own sweeping policing overhaul measure, a bill that will be marked-up by the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

Several key Democratic senators signaled on Wednesday that they would agree to let the Senate GOP police bill come to the floor for debate if Republican leaders agree to allow votes on their amendments. But virtually all Democrats are critical of the bill and say major changes are needed, the signs of the uphill prospects the bill faces in the Senate.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday criticized the newly unveiled Senate GOP policing proposal, saying that it “does not rise to the moment.”

But he suggested that Democrats are willing to work with Republicans to negotiate changes.

That minds and hearts are changing in America was reflected in Sen. Lindsey Graham’s remarks on Tuesday when he contrasted his experience with police with that of Sen. Scott: “Every black man in America ‘feels threatened’ when stopped by cops”

Image courtesy of thesatimes |

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