House Democrats delay policing bills vote after squad members revolt
by Mychael Schnell - 09/22/22 11:32 AM ETHouse Democrats were forced to delay the debate over four policing and public safety bills that were set to come to the floor on Thursday because of opposition from a coalition of progressive Democrats.
Members of the far-left “squad” voiced opposition to the lack of “accountability measures” in one of the four bills up for consideration, threatening to tank the entire package.
The House on Thursday was scheduled to consider four measures bolstering law enforcement after moderate and progressive Democrats, following months of negotiations, struck a deal the day before. Key negotiators said the House would consider all four bills under a single rule, then vote on each one separately.
But shortly before the rule vote on Thursday, a spokesperson for Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) said the congresswoman was opposed to one of the bills — sponsored by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) — and called for the other three measures to be considered separately.
The chamber must approve the rule before debating and holding final votes on each piece of legislation. Republicans traditionally vote against rules even if they support the legislation.
The Gottheimer bill would allocate federal grants to local law enforcement agencies that have fewer than 125 officers.
“Even the most barebones accountability measures like those included in the House-passed Justice in Policing Act were not incorporated into the Rep. Gottheimer bill, which would add nearly a quarter billion dollars in police funding over the next 5 years without addressing the crisis of police brutality — and this despite the strong and continued urging from civil rights and racial justice advocacy leaders to chart a more humane path,” Bush’s spokesperson wrote in a statement.
“As such, Congresswoman Bush maintains her opposition to that bill and supports decoupling its consideration from the other important public safety measures that the House should take up immediately,” the spokesperson added.
The procedural vote for the policing bills was initially scheduled to begin between 9:50 a.m. and 10 a.m., but the House went into recess at 9:55 a.m.
It is unclear which other progressive Democrats are opposed to the Gottheimer legislation and threatening to tank the slate of bills if the rule goes to the floor for a vote. Democrats currently hold a small 221-212 majority in the House, which means the caucus can only afford to lose four members.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3655978-house-democrats-delay-police-vote-after-squad-members-revolt/
