WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito says the JUSTICE Act introduced in the Senate Wednesday presents senators with a unique opportunity to address both civil rights and law enforcement issues.
Capito said both can be done.
“This is a pivotal moment in our country’s history and if we, as Congress, Republicans and Democrats joining together, fail to act, because of the crying voices we hear every day about this, then we’re going to be deemed a failure,” Capito said.
MORE read section by section analysis of legislation here
Capito is on the Republican leadership team pushing the bill that’s in response to recent police violence against African Americans which has fueled protest rallies across the country.
The package calls for law enforcement reform focusing on training methods including de-escalation of force and the duty to intervene. It also calls for changes in the hiring practices of police officers.
“The bill will reform hiring practices by providing more resources to ensure the makeup of police departments more closely matches the communities they serve,” Wednesday’s announcement said.
Capito said Congress can’t ignore the current atmosphere.
“I think this is a moment to spur us to action, so that every American citizen will know that equal protection means that and you go back to the Constitution and the rights that are provided,” she said. “It doesn’t mean defunding the police, it means improving the police.”
Democratic critics of the legislation say it doesn’t go far enough. For example, the measure puts a process into place to look at choke-holds but doesn’t eliminate them. Capito said Wednesday the tactic should be eliminated.
“We’ve got to get rid of these,” Capito said. “Many states, many communities, many law enforcement communities have already abandoned that. So I’m pleased we’ve gone in that direction and we think the result would be the elimination of the choke-hold as a strategy of restraint.”
Also the Senate bill also does not eliminate the defense of qualified immunity for police officers like a bill introduced in the U.S. House does.
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin spokesperson Sam Runyon issued a statement on the bill Wednesday evening:
“Senator Manchin is encouraged by the national debate on police reforms. He is hopeful that Senator McConnell is sincere and a genuine bipartisan process will move forward in the Senate with debate and votes on meaningful amendments. As it is currently written, the Republican proposal creates a series of commissions to study the problems but does not go far enough to address the issues raised by black Americans. He is committed to finding common ground on a pathway forward between this effort and the efforts of his democratic colleagues in the House and Senate.”
The JUSTICE Act appears on the fast track. Capito said Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, plans to have in on the floor of the Senate next Wednesday. Capito said there should be bipartisan discussion on the floor.
“Where we can debate different ideas, debate different strategies, compromise like we do when we need to and we should and not be a failure the people and the voices that are crying out daily for us to help,” Capito said.
South Carolina U.S. Senator Tim Scott is the bill’s lead sponsor.
