Democrats block Senate Republicans' police reform bill

Senate Democrats on Wednesday blocked a Republican-led police reform bill, failed to give the GOP enough votes to pass the 60-vote threshold for the measure to proceed. 

Before the procedural vote, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who led the GOP reform effort, called on his Democratic colleagues not to "walk away" and instead debate the bill and offer amendments.

House and Senate Democrats have already proposed their legislation to but an end to police brutality, particularly toward black Americans, and have said Senate Republicans' bill doesn't go far enough. 

"Let it be their [the public's] bill. Not Tim Scott's bill. Not the Republican bill. Not the Democrat bill but a bill that starts to address the issues that have plagued this issue for decades," Scott said on the Senate floor. "This is not my start. I started five years ago."

Scott, one of three African American senators, asked Democrats to "vote for the motion to proceed so that we have an opportunity to deal with this very real threat to the America that is civil."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell voted no so the bill could be reconsidered at a later date.

Following the vote, Sen. David Perdue blasted the Democratic senators who blocked Scott’s police reform bill from proceeding to debate.

“How many more black men and women will have to die in America before this body stops playing politics with race?” said Perdue, a Georgia Republican who voted yes to advance Scott's bill.

He named the creation of “Opportunity zones” as part of the GOP tax reform bill and increased funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities as policy achievements under President Trump.

“The time to act is now to stop playing politics; stop pandering to the Democratic base and let’s get something done,” he said, referencing police reform.

The Democratic-led House is expected to vote Thursday on the Justice in Policing Act – a proposal supported by the House Democratic leadership.