This archive report was first published on 23 June 2020.
June 23, 2020 - Senate Democrats have signaled their intention to block the Republican police reform bill, dismissing it as 'woefully inadequate' and calling for a more comprehensive measure.
The decision reflects deep opposition to the bill among Democrats and civil rights leaders, who have criticized the legislation as an insufficient response to systemic racism in policing.
Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have written a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, rejecting the Republican bill and calling for bipartisan talks to achieve a more constructive starting point.
The Republican bill, spearheaded by Senator Tim Scott, would encourage state and local police departments to make changes, including limiting the use of chokeholds and penalizing departments that do not require the use of body cameras.
However, the bill would not alter the qualified immunity doctrine that shields officers from lawsuits or place any new federal restrictions on the use of lethal force.
Senate Democrats have announced their intention to block the Republican bill, which would be a major setback in efforts to enact an overhaul this year targeting excessive use of force and racial discrimination by law enforcement.
