Congress passes bill to fund police de-escalation training

By FARNOUSH AMIRI
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has passed bipartisan legislation that would empower law enforcement agencies to adopt de-escalation training when encountering individuals with mental health issues. It is part of an effort to reduce the number of officer-involved fatalities. The bill passed 264-162 with Republican support. It capped off a modest two-year effort by Congress to pass police reform legislation after the killing of George Floyd sparked global protests against police brutality. The proposal — first introduced by Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island — will now go to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.