Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) is confident lawmakers will pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in a âbipartisan manner.â
The House passed the bill in March and its fate remains in the hands of the Senate.
While standing with the family of Floyd on Tuesday, Bass said, âI stand here to renew the commitment that we will get this bill on President Bidenâs desk. We will get this bill on the desk and what is important is is that when it reaches President Bidenâs desk it is a substantive piece of legislation â and that is far more important than a specific date.â
She added, âWe will work until we get the job done. It will be passed in a bipartisan manner and so that is the commitment that we are making, Iâm making personally to the â
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Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of Floydâs death. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree âdepraved mindâ murder, and second-degree manslaughter charges for his role in Floydâs death, as IJR previously reported.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psakisaid on Monday Biden is âstill very hopeful that he will be able to sign the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act into law.â
She added, âWe are very closely engaged with negotiators while also leaving room to work.â
Bass also told CBS News, âWe obviously are not going to make the May 25 deadline but I donât have any reason to think itâs going to be two months later. Right now, I donât have any reason to think it wonât be more than a couple of weeks.â
According to CBS News, one issue negotiators are hung up on is whether to end qualified immunity, which protects officers from lawsuits and civil liability.
Some of the areas lawmakers agree on are limiting the use of police chokeholds, standards for no-knock warrants, and limiting the sharing of military equipment provided by the Defense Department to police departments.
