Senate kills Floyd police reform bill

A bipartisan effort spurred by the death of George Floyd to pass a police reform bill in the US congress has collapsed, in yet another setback for Joe Biden.

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act was approved by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives in March but has been stalled in the Senate.

Democratic and Republican senators had been seeking to hammer out a compromise and bring the bill to the floor for a vote but they said on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) they have given up.

The failure of the negotiations is a blow to the US President, who was elected last year with strong African-American support and has pledged to make police reform a priority of his administration.

Mr Biden accused Republicans of rejecting even “modest reforms” while “refusing to take action on key issues many in law enforcement were willing to address”.

“I still hope to sign into law a comprehensive and meaningful police reform bill that honours the name and memory of George Floyd, because we need legislation to ensure lasting and meaningful change,” he said in a statement.”

He said the White House would consult with congress, police, rights groups and victims’ families to “define a path forward”.

Floyd, an African-American, was murdered by a white Minneapolis police officer in May 2020, sparking worldwide protests.