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House Democrats were forced Wednesday to delay legislation that would increase funding for state and local police departments amid pushback from progressives who are pushing for more accountability measures for law enforcement.
The House was expected to vote on a series of bills creating new federal grants for communities to hire more police officers, implement violence intervention programs and invest in mental health resources.
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Although seemingly uncontroversial, the law divided House Democrats.
Moderates wanted it to pass quickly to stop GOP attacks that Democrats are the party defunding the police. Meanwhile, progressives and members of the Congressional Black Caucus expressed reservations about giving more money without accountability measures to prevent police brutality.
“We need to make sure that there are strong accountability provisions and that we actually ensure public safety for everyone,” said Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., speaks during the House Judiciary Committee on the Ending Compulsory Arbitration of Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 and other legislation in the Rayburn Building on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2021. (Tom Williams/CQ -Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
With Democrats holding only narrow control of the chamber, the opposition was enough to prevent the package from moving forward. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told lawmakers in a letter that the police funding bills will be revisited when lawmakers return in August to vote on a party spending bill.
“We are grateful to all of our members for promoting our shared values in concrete legislation that we can all support,” Pelosi wrote.
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Lawmakers involved in the talks say the extra time will allow for a deal acceptable to both progressives and moderate Democrats. However, not everyone believes it can be achieved.
“They don’t want to do anything about the police,” said Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., when asked if he thought progressives could be coaxed into supporting more police funding.
The delay comes a day after former President Trump made remarks in Washington, D.C., blasting Democrats as the party of crime and disorder.
Former President Trump, second from right, marked the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks by visiting the NYPD’s 17th Precinct in New York on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Jill Colvin) (AP)
“Many of our once great cities, from New York to Chicago to LA, where the middle class flocked to live the American dream, are now war zones — literally war zones,” Trump told the America First Policy Institute. “We live in such a different country for one main reason: there is no longer respect for law and order.”
“Our country is now a cesspool of crime,” Trump added.
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Crime is increasingly an issue that Republicans use to contrast with Democrats. While few members of the latter party have taken up calls to “defund the police,” the issue is still one that Democrats have to contend with, much to their chagrin.
Demonstrators hold a sign reading ‘Free the police’ during a protest against the death of a black man, Daniel Prude, after police placed a hood over his head during an arrest on March 23 in Rochester, New York, the United States, September 6, 2020. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)
“The idea that any of our front-line members or members of the House Democratic caucus support defunding the police is just part of the big lie that the extreme MAGA Republicans keep telling about everything,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries , DN.Y.
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