The Hill: Biden faces pressure to take action on racial justice issues
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Outside of the Justice Department, Biden could accomplish some of his agenda items through executive action — an option that has increasingly been used by presidents to carry out their agenda amid Washington gridlock — but the former vice president has appeared apprehensive to the idea of implementing policies that have been marked as legislative priorities.
If Democrats don’t win both Senate seats in Georgia’s runoff elections, however, Republicans will retain a slim majority in the upper chamber, lowering the chances any of Biden’s proposed reforms will pass. Efforts in Congress to pass a police reform measure after Floyd’s death quickly fizzled over the summer.
Carrie Glenn, communications director for the Justice Action Network, predicted that bipartisan momentum could build behind a police reform measure that enables police departments to invest in training and lays down best practices after Biden takes office, given that there was overlap in past competing legislation.
“This actually is something that has the potential to get done,” Glenn said.