Horsford also said the CBC will be reaching out to Republican Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., to initiate negotiations. Scott was the lead negotiator for Senate Republicans last Congress in a search for possible pathway to a bipartisan bill on the issue, in the wake of nationwide protests in 2020 after a series of high-profile deadly encounters between officers and the public.
The Democrat-led House last Congress had passed a policing overhaul bill, with Republicans overwhelmingly voting against it. That bill stalled in the Senate after months of negotiations did not result in a version that could overcome Republican opposition.
Scott, in a statement on Friday, said the pain of the Nichols family cannot be in vain, but did not detail what actions he thought Congress could take.
“Let us listen to their plea to make our voices heard peacefully and in a productive way that forwards the cause of justice and a more just America,” Scott said. “Let it serve as a call to action for every lawmaker in our nation at every level. The only way to bring light from darkness is to be united.”
And on the Senate floor Monday, Scott said that Republicans and Democrats could build a coalition around common ground. That includes more police grants, more training on police de-escalation of dangerous situations, and more resources and training on a duty to intervene to stop another officer from using unlawful force.
