WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – The House of Representatives is expected to vote Thursday evening on a police reform bill. It’s called the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020.
Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer placed his knee on Floyd’s neck while in custody back in May.
The bill prohibits racial profiling, increases accountability for police misconduct and bans choke-holds on the federal level, among other measures.
Some insiders say even if it passes in the House, it won’t get through the Senate. That is causing lawmakers on both sides to squawk about partisan politics.
Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) said, “Let’s do our job, let’s look at the legislation, let’s work together and actually figure out how to do the job of securing the blessings of liberty.”
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said, “We must act to make it clear beyond any doubt to every person in this country that Black lives matter.”
“There will be no amendments from the Republicans that substantially improve this bill,” Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) said. “There aren’t any on the Senate side either. So it is disingenuous to say the Republicans are not interested in pursuing justice through sensible law enforcement.”
Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) said, “I’m going to be frank. A bill like this should have passed years ago. We know that chokeholds are dangerous, the same with no-knock warrants in non-violent federal cases. This legislation would have prevented George Floyd’s death, and the death of so many other Black and brown people in America.”
The vote is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EST (4:00 p.m. PST).
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