House reaches deal on policing legislation with a vote scheduled for Thursday
By Melanie Zanona and Annie Grayer, CNN
House Democrats have struck a deal on a long-stalled package of public safety and policing bills, lawmakers and aides told CNN, paving the way for a Thursday vote.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer affirmed to reporters the vote will be scheduled for Thursday, and Rep. Joyce Beatty, the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said the move comes after reaching a compromise on language ensuring accountability for police officers and dropping another more contentious bill from the discussions.
The agreement comes after months of negotiations between centrists, progressives and the Congressional Black Caucus.
Beatty said House Democratic leaders were also intimately involved in ensuring this package gets across the finish line. The measures are a huge priority for the party’s most vulnerable members who are getting hammered with GOP attack ads over crime and policing.
Beatty told CNN: “I am not saying that we have a perfect bill. I am not saying that everybody likes it. And we’ve come to the table with it.”
She attributed the movement that led to a deal to a variety of factors.
“It’s been the months of leadership. It’s been the months of the authors of the bill, meeting, going back to their supporters working with as many diverse groups as we could. Working with all our members here. We have a big tent and that’s the good thing about being a Democrat,” she said.
Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada, the sponsor of one of the bills included in the package, told CNN the deal was able to be reached because of “persistence and staying at the table.”
Horsford’s bill will provide funds specifically to address community violence interventions.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal of Washington state and Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who serves as whip of the caucus, released a statement applauding the deal.
“After significant, deliberate negotiations, we are pleased to share that when the House of Representatives votes on the Invest to Protect Act, the bill will include a number of reforms to ensure funds are used to support smaller police departments, to invest in de-escalation and other important training, and for data collection and mental health. In addition, the bill will be part of a package with other evidence-based, holistic legislation that addresses public safety and unifies the Democratic Caucus.”
Moderate Democrat Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, who was also crucial to negotiations, said in a statement, “The bipartisan Invest to Protect Act is about investing in good policing, and protecting our families and our officers. It will ensure that local departments, in New Jersey and communities across our country, have what they need to recruit and retain the finest officers, to provide training, and invest in providing mental health resources.”
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