Murkowski Responds to Democrats Blocking Debate on Police Reform Bill

Statement

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement after the Senate procedural vote to take up the Just and Unifying Solutions to Invigorate Communities Everywhere (JUSTICE) Act, the only police reform bill that's recently been introduced in the Senate, failed to advance to debate by four votes:

"Right now we have a sense of urgency across the country--to address the justifiable anger, anxiety, and pleas that we have heard from Americans in calling for police reform. Today all Senators had an opportunity to consider the Justice Act, a legislative effort which was designed to address those pleas. The bill improves transparency and accountability, while increasing the use of body cameras, incentivizing jurisdictions to ban chokeholds, providing mental health support, and so much more. I had hoped all Senate colleagues would vote to move forward with the bill, so that we would have the opportunity to debate, amend, and build on the legislation. Today I witnessed my colleagues bring us to an impasse that is absolutely unacceptable--that's failing the American people. These discussions are too important and necessary for us to let political posturing get in the way of matters as serious as this."

Senator Murkowski is a cosponsor of the Justice Act.

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