Comment House Democrats have delayed consideration of a package of public safety bills that would ban assault weapons, exposing fault lines within the caucus and dampening the desire of many members to leave Washington with new legislative victories to spur voter turnout as they hit the campaign trail. Vulnerable members in swing districts, known as front-liners, who are most at risk of losing their seats in midterm elections, have spent the past few weeks pushing leaders to pass legislation that would help fund local law enforcement to deal with of GOP attacks that Democrats are soft on crime — an argument that likely cost the party seats in 2020 and created animosity among different factions of the party. But the push to increase police funding has angered liberals who prefer to see such money redirected to community policing, as well as black lawmakers and civil rights groups who want accountability and transparency measures tied to police funding. The recent spate of mass shootings across the country — particularly after the deaths of 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas — has prompted many Democrats to rekindle the push for a vote to ban assault weapons for the first time in decades. But there was uncertainty that the assault weapons ban would have the votes in a chamber where Democrats hold only a slim four-member majority. Leaders had hoped to put the ban in the installment of public safety bills, which included funding for police as well as community policing measures and mental health response teams, to ensure it could pass this month. Members now hope to review the package by mid-August, when they return from a break. The episode is just the latest headache for Democratic leaders as they try to appease different factions within their caucus that represent different constituencies. It has remained a recurring struggle that has at times defined the caucus this term as members work to overcome last-minute differences in an effort to salvage legislative priorities. “That’s the nature of the business. I mean, you know, the important thing is to get things done,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) said. “We are Democrats. We’d like to talk and, you know, go back and forth and keep talking. This is who we are”. Votes were never scheduled for this week, but friction forced the House Rules Committee, which McGovern chairs, to withdraw from consideration of the legislation — the final step before the bills can be formally scheduled for a vote. At issue is a bipartisan bill led by Reps. Tom Rice (RS.C.) and Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) that would double the existing federal grant amount to more than a billion dollars for a Justice Department office that distributes the money to local police departments so they can have the resources to adequately train officers and hire community policing professionals. During a meeting late Tuesday, the executive board of the Congressional Progressive Conference discussed widespread opposition among its members to any legislation that would send additional money to police departments. Members of the liberal wing have previously voted against bills funding law enforcement, a threat that lingered ahead of any potential votes this week. Their threat to sink the public safety package would hurt their chances of passing an assault weapons ban, which they support. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus also met Tuesday night to discuss their support, expressing to leadership that any package that includes funding for police must include legislative language holding law enforcement accountable for police brutality. There was concern that the package also skipped the committee process, giving some members the impression that it was rushed through without much thought to how it would be digested by black lawmakers. Liberals and some black lawmakers and their constituents have sharply criticized the additional funding for law enforcement without new policies governing policing practices after the killings of black Americans in recent years in high-profile cases involving allegations and convictions of excessive force. violence. A proposal to overhaul police tactics that passed the House died last year in the Senate, much to the chagrin of Democrats who wanted police reform to be a key achievement of this Congress. A person familiar with the thinking of the Congressional Black Caucus said its members are taking an active role in finding a compromise, as their caucus wants to help front-line members and liberals. “We need a little more time to sort this all out. We’re going to get there,” said Rep. Stephen Horsford (D-Nev.), who is spearheading a bill that would invest in initiatives aimed at reducing community-based violence. Members of House leadership, CBC Chairwoman Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (DN.J.) and Spanberger met Wednesday morning in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to try to find a compromise in hopes of scheduling a floor vote for this week. Instead, the meeting resulted in continuing to iron out differences over the legislative hiatus. “This conversation is about responding to the public safety concerns of the American people — and it will and must continue,” Spanberger said in a statement. “These are things that I think are very important,” Gottheimer said. “I’m really optimistic that we’re doing a good process.” But the delay has irked campaigners who had hoped to immediately begin campaigning for police department funding, even if some of the measures might not pass an evenly divided Senate. “I’m disappointed,” said Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.). “I wish they had happened.” Majority Democrats agree on several other bills that make up the legislative package, including dismantling a civil liability law that protects gun owners. But the leadership’s decision to pull public safety bills until a compromise is reached has made it difficult to vote on the assault weapons ban alone, which relies on all but four Democrats to support it. Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), who recently lost his primary nomination to a liberal Democrat, has publicly said he will vote against the ban. Other front-line members representing rural areas also expressed reluctance to support it. “I have no comment at this time until I know a little more. A lot more,” said Rep. Tom O’Halleran (Ariz.), who is considered one of the most endangered Democrats this cycle. “Some of it is pretty amazing.” Majority Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) told reporters Wednesday that the House is likely to reconvene in the second week of August to pass a climate, health and tax package passed by the Senate and that it will probably consider the public safety bills then. The Democratic margin could shrink to three votes by then if Republicans pick up a special election seat in Minnesota. “If it was complete and we thought it could pass, I would put it on the floor tomorrow or Friday,” Hoyer said. “But either way, it’s a high priority for us.” While many Democrats say it’s still possible the package will eventually pass the House, some members said the heartburn could have been avoided if they had taken a breather and not forced bills before a summer dash. “I think if we’ve done the right vetting process, which, you know, we haven’t done as well as we should, all of these things are resolved at the right time and they don’t all come to a climax. But again, nothing surprises me this week,” said Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.). Mike DeBonis contributed to this report.
