Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer vowed that Senate Democrats will fight like hell to pass sweeping reform to policing.
Schumer said:
As my colleagues will explain, the justice and policing act proposes crucial reforms to combat racial violence and excessive force by law enforcement through strong accountability measures, increased data and transparency, and important modifications to police training and practices. This has never been done before at the federal level.
In the Senate, Democrats are going to fight like hell to make this a reality.
Americans who took to the streets this week have demanded change. With this legislation, Democrats are heeding their calls. Now we must collectively, all Americans, raise our voices and call on Leader Mcconnell to put this reform bill on the floor of the senate, before July, to be debated and voted on. Now, some senate Republicans have acknowledged the egregious wrongs, but few have expressed the need for floor action. Too many have silent. Maybe they’re hoping the issue goes away. I promise them, it will not. Democrats will not let this go away, and we will not rest until we achieve real reforms.
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Video of Schumer:
Senate Democratic Leader, Sen. Chuck Schumer says Democrats will fight like hell to pass police reform bill. pic.twitter.com/UDr8ckN91h
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) June 8, 2020
The Justice In Policing Act would change the definition of criminal conduct for police so that they could be charged with reckless and negligent conduct that led to a violation of a person’s constitutional rights. Currently, a law enforcement officer can only be criminally charged if they willingly violate constitutional rights.
Schumer is right. The issue is not going away. If Mitch McConnell blocks this bill, it will be another milestone on the road to the end of his Senate majority.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
