U.S. Senator, Chuck Grassley, says his Democratic colleagues have blocked consideration of the first major piece of police reform legislation in years, the JUSTICE Act. “To be clear,” Grassley says, “this vote wasn’t a vote to pass the bill in the Senate. It wasn’t even a vote to limit debate on police reform. It was a vote on whether to begin a debate on police reform. We’re standing on the floor of the world’s greatest deliberative body, yet my colleagues on the other side won’t even entertain a debate on an issue that has stirred our nation and shaken it to its core.” Grassley says the legacy of our governing bodies is grounded in their ability to debate and discuss legislation from a country that is diverse with ideas and varying opinions. Democrats have argued the act does not go far enough but Grassley says now is the time to debate the ideas to come to meaningful reforms. He also says Democrats are complaining that their views weren’t represented. He says the JUSTICE Act contains a number of proposals that have bipartisan support and that Democrats would still have the opportunity to make additional changes. Even Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, noted she welcomed the opportunity to conference the Democratic House’s police reform bill with the JUSTICE Act. Grassley says, his major question is, “What are they afraid of?” Are they afraid of losing control of the process if it goes to a vote? Are they afraid their ideas won’t be adopted? Are they afraid progress represents a win for the President and his party? “The American people expect better. I know Iowans do,” Grassley says. “Frankly, I expect better too. I hope my colleagues will reconsider their obstruction and let us get on with crafting a bipartisan police reform bill.”
