Thursday 23 June 2022 07:05 PM 30 House Dems push Pelosi to bring police funding legislation for a vote trends now

A group of 30 House Democrats wrote a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging her to bring forth bipartisan legislation to 'refund' the police show constituents they care about rising crime. 

'Members should have the opportunity to show our constituents that we are addressing crime in our communities,' the letter read. 'We are also asking that you please meet with us next week to discuss the need to invest in law enforcement to make our communities safer from criminals.'

The letter asked Pelosi, D-Calif., to take up a number of standalone bills and not to attach them to the fiscal year 2023 appropriations, so that members can 'publicly show their support for law enforcement.' 

The letter, obtained by Punchbowl, called out the House Judiciary Committee and said it made clear it has 'no intention' of bringing forth any law enforcement bills, so members asked Pelosi to use her powers as speaker to bring the bills forth for a direct vote to get everyone on record. 

The House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., has a number of progressives likely to be hostile to such legislation like Reps. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y., and Cori Bush, D-Mo.  

Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Katie Porter, D-Calif., Dean Phillips, D-Minn., Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and 26 others signed on to the letter. 

The letter takes a notably forceful stance after the 'defund the police' movement on the left, as Democrats grasp to hold onto their seats in upcoming midterm elections where Republicans are expected to sweep the House.