Three Republican lawmakers challenged party lines and voted in favor of the Democrats’ police reform bill on Thursday night.
The legislation aims to control the excessive use of force by law enforcement following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was killed by Minneapolis police last month.
Most Republicans in the lower house criticized Democrats for excluding them while drafting the bill, and many expressed concern about the key provisions.
However, the representatives. Brian Fitzpatrick
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William Ballard Hurd This Week: Lawmakers Seek to Advance Police Reform Bills Republican Party Struggles to Address Racial Issues Democrats See Way to Rid Capitol of Confederate Statues MORE (R-Texas) and Fred upton
Frederick (Fred) Stephen Upton NIGHT ENERGY: Internal watchdog investigating Park Police actions against Lafayette Square protesters | Democrats detail their green .5T infrastructure plan | Environmental groups challenge Trump’s water rule rollback Democrats detail their green infrastructure plan .5T Republican struggles to tackle racial issues MORE (R-Mich.) He chose to vote on the measure, which was approved in a vote of 236-181 on Thursday.
The bill is not expected to see movement in the Republican-controlled Senate, where the senator Tim Scott
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Hurd, a former CIA officer who is retiring from his seat in Congress at the end of his term, said the House missed an opportunity to pass “an overwhelmingly bipartisan bill,” but considered that it addressed the issue of eliminating bad actors in law enforcement.
“Everyone here believes that if I have black skin or a blue uniform, we should not feel attacked in this country. We have not been able to do a simple thing: train police chiefs to permanently fire bad policemen. This is one of the most important things that Congress could have addressed, ”said Hurd, the only black member of the Republican Party in the House.
Keeping bad cops out of the force could prevent another murder, like George Floyd. It would protect good police officers by ensuring that bad officers, such as George Floyd’s killer, do not tarnish the reputation of good officers, “he continued.
Fitzpatrick, a former FBI agent, said he was disappointed that the upper house was unable to move the debate forward, but hopes that the House bill will encourage conversation between the cameras and parties as they seek to pass critical reforms.
“I am extremely concerned about law enforcement and that is why I think they need to close this gap.
And he hoped that the Senate version would advance yesterday, it was not. So I think we should continue this conversation, ”he told The Hill after the vote. “This is one way to do that.”
Upton echoed Fitzpatrick’s sentiments, arguing that while the bill “is by no means perfect” and that the “process has been far from perfect”, “they cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good “
The Michigan Republican said he was concerned about his language to review qualified immunity, which would make it easier for people subjected to police brutality to seek civil damages, but said he believes the parties should come together to make “significant changes.”
“The bill that was approved today will not become law, but now we have the opportunity to seek common ground. I have spoken to several law enforcement officials in my district and share their real concerns about the provision of qualified immunity, which would really hamper their ability to train and recruit good officers. This provision, as it stands, cannot and should not become law, ”he said in a statement.
“I would also add that calls to ‘disburse the police’ are absolutely the wrong answer. They need resources for better wages, training, and equipment, like body cameras, to help them do their jobs and keep our communities safe. At the same time, we must look for ways to improve critical community services such as mental health, youth development, housing and education. “
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