Politics
Democrats propose sweeping police overhaul; Trump criticizes
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats in Congress proposed a far-reaching overhaul of police procedures and accountability Monday, a sweeping legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans in the hands of law enforcement.
The political outlook is deeply uncertain for the legislation in a polarized election year. President Donald Trump is staking out a tough “law and order” approach in the face of the outpouring of demonstrations and demands to re-imagine policing in America.
“We cannot settle for anything less than transformative structural change,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, drawing on the nation’s history of slavery.
Before unveiling the package, House and Senate Democrats held a moment of silence at the Capitol’s Emancipation Hall, reading the names of George Floyd and many others killed during police interactions. They knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds — now a symbol of police brutality and violence — the length of time prosecutors say Floyd was pinned under a white police officer’s knee before he died.
Trump, who met with law enforcement officials at the White House, characterized Democrats as having “gone CRAZY!”
As activists call for restructuring police departments and even to “ defund the police,” the president tweeted, “LAW & ORDER, NOT DEFUND AND ABOLISH THE POLICE.” He declared later, “We won’t be dismantling our police.”
Democratic leaders pushed back, saying their proposal would not eliminate police departments — a decision for cities and states — but establish new standards and oversight.
Joe Biden, the presumed Democratic presidential nominee, “does not believe that police should be defunded,” said spokesman Andrew Bates.
The Justice in Policing Act, the most ambitious law enforcement reforms from Congress in years, confronts several aspects of policing that have come under strong criticism, especially as more and more police violence is captured on cellphone video and shared widely across the nation and the world.
The package would limit legal protections for police, create a national database of excessive-force incidents and ban police choke holds, among other changes.
It would revise the federal criminal police misconduct statute to make it easier to prosecute officers who are involved in “reckless” misconduct and it would change “qualified immunity” protections to more broadly enable damage claims against police in lawsuits.
The legislation would ban racial profiling, boost requirements for police body cameras and limit the transfer of military equipment to local jurisdictions.
Overall, the bill seeks to provide greater transparency of police behavior in several ways. For one, it would grant subpoena power to the Justice Department to conduct “pattern and practice” investigations of potential misconduct and help states conduct independent investigations.
And it would create a “National Police Misconduct Registry,” a database to try to prevent officers from transferring from one department to another with past misconduct undetected, the draft says.
A long-sought federal anti-lynching bill that has stalled in Congress is included in the package.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., a co-author with Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., and Democratic senators, will convene a hearing on the legislation Wednesday.
“The world is witnessing the birth of a new movement in this country,” said Bass, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, which is leading the House effort.
While Democrats are expected to swiftly approve the legislation this month, it does not go as far as some activists want. The outlook for passage in the Republican-held Senate is slim.
Republican campaign officials followed Trump’s lead in bashing the effort as extreme.
“No industry is safe from the Democrats’ abolish culture,” said Michael McAdams, a spokesman for the House Republican campaign committee, in an email blast. “First they wanted to abolish private health insurance, then it was capitalism and now it’s the police.”
Democrats fought back.
“This isn’t about that,” Pelosi said. Congress is not calling for any wholesale defunding of law enforcement, leaving decisions to local cities and states, Democrats noted. Some cities are shifting police resources to other community services in response to the protests.
It is unclear if law enforcement and the powerful police unions will back any of the proposed changes or if congressional Republicans will join the effort.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whose Louisville hometown faces unrest after the police shooting of Breonna Taylor in her home, said he would take a look at potential Senate legislation.
Republicans are likely to stick with Trump, although McConnell was central to passage of a 2018 criminal justice sentencing overhaul the president signed into law, and some key GOP senators have similarly expressed interest in changes to policing practices and accountability.
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who marched with protesters Sunday, told reporters late Monday at the Capitol that he is working with other Republican senators “to see if we can’t fashion a piece of legislation which could receive bipartisan support to make some changes to the way we do our policing.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has said his panel intends to hold a hearing to review use of force and other issues. And Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has said he’d like to review the package coming from Democrats.
Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, who marched in support of Floyd in Houston, penned an op-ed Monday about how his own black father instructed him to respond if he was pulled over by the police, and suggested proposals for changes in police practices.
What started with the Black Lives Matter movement after the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., has transformed with the killings of other black Americans into a diverse and mainstream effort calling for changing the way America polices its population, advocates say.
“I can’t breathe” has become a rallying cry for protesters. Floyd pleaded with police that he couldn’t breathe, echoing the phrase Eric Garner said while in police custody in 2014 before his death in New York.
“All we’ve ever wanted is to be treated equally — not better, not worse,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
Biden’s own platform reflects much of the approach from congressional Democrats, and his former presidential primary rivals, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.Y., and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., are co-authors of the package in the Senate.
Florida
U.S. Embassy Reopens in Caracas, Offering New Opportunities for Venezuelans in Central Florida
WASHINGTON (FNN NEWS) — The United States has formally resumed operations at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, marking the first permanent diplomatic presence in the country since 2019 and signaling a new phase in U.S.-Venezuela relations.
The reopening could have significant implications for Florida’s growing Venezuelan community, particularly in Central Florida, where thousands of Venezuelan families now call the Orlando region home.
The U.S. Department of State announced that diplomatic operations officially resumed March 30, following years in which U.S. engagement with Venezuela was conducted through the Venezuela Affairs Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia.
In January, Ambassador Laura F. Dogu arrived in Caracas as Chargé d’Affaires to lead U.S. government operations on the ground and oversee preparations for the eventual return of full embassy personnel and consular services.
Potential Impact on Venezuelan Families
For years, many Venezuelans seeking U.S. visa interviews or consular assistance were required to travel to Bogotá, often incurring significant travel expenses and logistical challenges.
While routine visa and passport services have not yet resumed in Caracas, U.S. officials said embassy personnel are working toward restoring full consular operations.
Once fully operational, the embassy could provide Venezuelan families with easier access to visa processing, family reunification services, emergency assistance and other consular support.
Economic and Business Opportunities
The reopening could also strengthen economic and commercial ties between Venezuela and Central Florida.
Florida has become a major destination for Venezuelan entrepreneurs, investors and professionals. Business leaders say a restored diplomatic presence may encourage additional trade, investment and business expansion opportunities between the two regions.
Industries including real estate, healthcare, construction, logistics and professional services could benefit from increased cross-border activity.
Strengthening Community Ties
Community leaders believe renewed diplomatic relations could further strengthen cultural, educational and civic connections between Venezuela and Central Florida.
Orlando-area organizations, universities and business groups may find new opportunities for collaboration, exchanges and partnerships as relations continue to normalize.
Former Florida Lawmaker Welcomes Diplomatic Reengagement
Former Florida State Representative Daisy Morales, who is also a candidate for Florida House District 43, applauded the reopening of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas and highlighted its potential impact on Central Florida’s large Venezuelan and Hispanic communities.
Morales, a retired federal official who served with both the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State, said the reopening represents an important first step toward strengthening diplomatic and economic ties between the United States and Venezuela.
“I applaud the United States for taking this important first step in reopening the U.S. Embassy in Caracas and strengthening diplomatic relations with Venezuela,” Morales said. “This decision could have a positive impact on Central Florida, particularly for Venezuelan families, businesses and community organizations. As diplomatic relations continue to improve, it could also create opportunities to establish a Venezuelan consulate or honorary consulate in Orlando to better serve the growing Venezuelan population in our region.”
Morales noted that during her tenure in the Florida House, the district she represented was approximately 70 percent Hispanic, providing her with extensive experience working with diverse immigrant communities, foreign nationals and diplomatic representatives of Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Haiti, Grenada and France.
“Throughout my public service, I have worked closely with foreign nationals and diplomats on issues affecting our communities,” Morales said. “As conditions continue to improve and return to normalcy, I would not rule out visiting Venezuela in the future to strengthen relationships and explore opportunities that benefit both our communities and Central Florida.”
Morales also said that while renewed diplomatic engagement presents opportunities, policymakers should remain mindful of past experiences involving U.S. diplomatic relations with other nations.
“When President Barack Obama announced the reopening of the U.S. Embassy in Cuba in 2015, many viewed it as the beginning of a new chapter in U.S.-Cuba relations,” Morales said. “However, diplomatic relationships can evolve over time and are often affected by changing political and security conditions. As the United States begins this new chapter with Venezuela, policymakers should proceed carefully and remain focused on protecting U.S. interests, promoting democratic values and ensuring the safety and well-being of Americans.”
Challenges Remain
Despite the reopening, challenges remain.
The U.S. Embassy in Caracas has not yet resumed routine consular services, and the State Department continues to maintain travel advisories for Venezuela because of ongoing security concerns.
In addition, immigration programs affecting Venezuelans residing in the United States, including asylum and Temporary Protected Status policies, remain separate from the embassy reopening and continue to be governed by federal immigration policy.
For many Venezuelans in Central Florida, however, the return of a U.S. diplomatic presence in Caracas represents an important milestone and a step toward reconnecting families, expanding economic opportunities and strengthening ties between both regions.
Politics
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