Democrats decry GOP policing bill as weak

Key senators indicate they’ll block a vote on measure, saying broad change is needed.

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats indicated Tuesday that they will block the current version of a GOP policing reform bill, calling it “woefully inadequate” to meet the broad changes needed in response to the nationwide protests over George Floyd’s death.

A Minneapolis police officer has been charged with murder for killing Floyd, an unarmed, handcuffed Black man, by kneeling on his neck for more than 8 minutes.

The Senate is to vote Wednesday on whether to bring the Justice Act, sponsored by Sen. Tim Scott (RS.C.), up for consideration.

It would require 60 votes to advance, so Republicans, who hold 53 seats, need some Democratic support.

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (DN.Y.) and Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Tuesday arguing for bipartisan negotiations on the bill before it comes to the Senate floor.

“This is a serious challenge requiring serious solutions,” the three senators wrote to McConnell in the letter, provided to The Times in advance of its release. “Bringing the Justice Act to the floor of the Senate is a woefully inadequate response, and we urge you to bring meaningful legislation to the floor for a vote.”

On the Senate f loor Tuesday, Schumer called Scott’s bill a “partisan bill that’s designed to make sure no bill passes.”

Both parties are feeling public pressure to do something. “It’s completely insane .... People’s memories are so short that they don’t remember the commitments we all made to people like George Floyd’s family,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said. “Where are the grownups?”

Democrats have complained that they weren’t consulted in the drafting of the GOP bill, which focuses on collecting data about police use of force and creates a commission to study issues facing Black men and boys. They also note it is being moved without hearings.

Republicans point to similarities between their bill and one that the House is scheduled to vote on Thursday, and say that Democrats can offer amendments during floor consideration.

“A successful vote to proceed on the Justice Act speaks volumes,” Sen.

Charles E. Grassley (RIowa) said on the Senate floor Tuesday. “A vote against shows the American people that politics are more important than the people, talking points more important than change and gridlock more important than solutions.”

If the versions passed by the House and Senate differ greatly, a conference committee of House and Senate members would negotiate a compromise bill.

“The only thing that’s blocking this right now is the Senate Democrats, and [they] aren’t just blocking Tim Scott’s bill. They are blocking an open bipartisan debate about policing reform in this country,” said Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.).

Both measures would make lynching a federal crime, but there are many key differences. For example, both would require police departments to provide data to the federal government when officers use force, but the GOP bill only requires data on deadly force or serious injuries, and “no knock” warrants; the House bill seeks data whenever force is used against civilians and for data like the races of those involved.

The Democrats’ bill would create a national registry including complaints, disciplinary records and termination records, and make some records public.

Booker called the GOP bill “wholly unacceptable to bring accountability, transparency, consequences when our common values as a nation are violated.”

“The American people are not in the streets chanting, ‘We want more data, we want more data!’ ” he said. “The American people are not in the streets chanting, ‘Give us a commission, give us a commission!’ ”