Chuck Schumer flames GOP’s police ‘reform’ bill as ‘half-hearted’ substitute for necessary reform

This Wednesday, Senate Republicans unveiled their version of a police reform bill -- a marked difference from the one Democrats are proposing.


According to reports, the Republican bill would call for police departments to ban chokeholds, increase the use of body cams, emphasize de-escalation tactics, and to scrutinize the records of problem officers before hiring them.

But according to Chuck Schumer (D-NY), what the Republicans are offering is not enough.

"Here in the Senate, our Republican colleagues have responded to our comprehensive proposal with an approach that is piecemeal and half-hearted," Schumer said while speaking on the Senate floor.

According to Schumer, the bill is wracked with "shortcomings and deficiencies."

"The Republican bill does nothing -- nothing -- to reform the legal standards that shield police from accountability for violating Americans' constitutional rights," Schumer continued.

After rattling off a list of the GOP bill's shortcomings, Schumer went on to slam Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's hard to imagine, a more haphazard, less focused, less consistent response from the administration during a national crisis," Schumer said. "Whether it's calling COVID a 'hoax,' or prescribing bleach, or his ego-driven rally over the weekend, the President keeps reminding us he doesn't take the COVID pandemic seriously enough."

Watch his full remarks below: