WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional Democrats, powered by the Congressional Black Caucus, are preparing a sweeping package of police reforms as pressure builds on the federal government to respond to the death of George Floyd and others in law enforcement interactions.
With the urgency of mass protests outside their doors, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are working furiously to draft what could become one of the most ambitious efforts in years to oversee the way law enforcement works.
Both the Senate and House efforts are expected to include changes to police accountability laws, such as revising immunity provisions, and creating a database of police use-of-force incidents.
“This is just one thing we can do,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., who is introducing a bill in the Senate similar to one in the House that seeks to make choke-hold suffocation a federal crime.
Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., the chairwoman of the Congressional Asian Pacific Caucus, convened the call Wednesday with the leaders of the Black, Hispanic and Native American caucuses.
