WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nexstar) — Hours after Democrats in the Senate blocked a vote to begin negotiations on the Republican’s police reform bill, House Democrats are expected to pass their own bill, the Justice in Policing Act.
But it’s not exactly going to receive a warm welcome from Republicans.
Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn says when Democrats blocked the GOP’s bill on Wednesday they made it clear they aren’t willing to negotiate.
“This is really kinda disappointing,” says Cornyn. “This is a self-inflicted wound, I think.”
The Democratic House bill would make it easier to prosecute police misconduct — banning choke holds and demilitarizing police departments across the country.
Texas Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar says he’s hopeful Senate Republicans will keep an open mind and take up the Democrats’ bill.
“We cannot leave this moment. We cannot lose this moment,” says Cuellar. “We’ve got to do some sort of police reform.”
Oklahoma Republican Senator Jim Inhofe, however, says the Democrats bill doesn’t help police officers, it restricts them.
When lawmakers return from July 4 recess, Cornyn says they have to tackle other issues like the next coronavirus relief bill — and don’t have a lot of time left to hash out their differences.
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