Senate Democrats Threaten to Block G.O.P. Police Reform Bill
Source: New York Times
WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats on Tuesday signaled that they would block Republicans’ attempts to advance a narrow bill to change policing practices, rejecting the measure as “woefully inadequate” and calling on Senator Mitch McConnell to negotiate a more expansive one that both parties could support.
Their decision, outlined in a letter to Mr. McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, the day before a planned test vote on the Republican bill, reflected deep opposition to the measure among Democrats and civil rights leaders, who have dismissed the legislation as an antiquated and inadequate response to calls to address systemic racism in policing amid a national outcry for an overhaul.
It also reflects an election-year political bet by Democrats that there is more to be gained in blocking what they consider a fundamentally flawed measure — and blaming Republicans for the demise of policing reform efforts — than there is in attempting to salvage it, which could provide cover for Republicans in the eyes of voters who increasingly regard the issue as urgent.
The Republican bill, spearheaded by Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the party’s lone African-American member in the chamber, is a vastly different proposal than the one congressional Democrats have proposed. The Democratic bill is expected to pass the House on Thursday; Mr. McConnell has said that package is “going nowhere” in his chamber.
Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/senate-democrats-threaten-to-block-gop-police-reform-bill/ar-BB15Spqh?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=DELLDHP
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