House Democrats agree on police spending package, to hold vote before midterms

Weeks before the midterm elections, House Democrats have agreed on a package of policing bills to fund recruitment and training for law-enforcement agencies across the country, with a vote as early as Thursday.

Negotiators  announced Wednesday that they had reached agreement on the package of public safety bills, following weeks of negotiations that included Reps. Josh Gottheimer, a centrist Democrat, and Pramila Jayapal, a leader of House progressives and their caucus’ harshest law enforcement critic.

Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Joyce Beatty, of Ohio, was also a key negotiator, according to Politico.

The package includes four bills and aims to help many of the law-enforcement agencies that have complained for years about underfunding and understaffing amid a recent rise in violent crime. 

Progressives reportedly signed on after a police-accountability component was added to the bills.

The four bills focus on grants for police training and recruitment; addressing mental health crises; preventing community violence prevention and solving gun crimes, Politico also reports.

"The bill will include a number of reforms to ensure funds are used to support smaller police departments, to invest in de-escalation and other important training, and for data collection and mental health," Jayapal and fellow progressive Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, another one of the negotiators, said in announcing the deal.