Gottheimer Statement on House Police Reform Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) released the following statement:

“The legislation that the House voted on last night includes several important provisions that represent significant progress, including measures to ban chokeholds, changes to no-knock warrants, and requirements for body camera usage by law enforcement. 

That said, more work is needed on other areas, including the qualified immunity provisions. I urged the House to consider, for instance, a measure modeled on current Colorado state law, which would limit the financial liability on individual officers and, instead, place a greater onus on police departments. We also need far greater resources for training.

It is unlikely that this particular bill, in its current form, will garner the sixty votes necessary in the Senate to become law. I plan to work with my Democratic and Republican colleagues in the weeks ahead, in both the House and Senate, as well as leaders in law enforcement, and our local departments, to try and find a bipartisan path forward.”

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