Categories
Uncategorized

Senate votes to allow police to buy surplus military equipment with minor restrictions

The Senate Tuesday voted to allow federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement departments to continue to be allowed to purchase surplus military equipment and weapons, putting few regulations in place restricting such transactions, Roll Call reports.

Two competing amendments made it to the floor for votes, with the Senate choosing to pass the one that only required training and education programs in place, without restricting the types of materiel available to police departments.

The issue of the militarization of the police has been in the public eye recently as police–wearing paramilitary garb and in some cities, using military-style vehicles–used force to break up demonstrations about police violence and its excess use of force.

The approved amendment, passed with a 90-10 vote, requires departments and agencies receiving the excess military gear to train their officers to “respect for the rights of citizens under the Constitution of the United States and de-escalation of force.”

Sponsored by Oklahoma republican James Inhofe, the bill also bans the sale of bayonets, grenades other than stun and flash-bang grenades, weaponized tracked combat vehicles and weaponized drones to outside groups.

The other bill, sponsored by Hawaii Democrat Brian Schatz, won a majority of Senate votes in a 51-49, but did not hit the minimum 60 votes needed for passage.

Schatz’s bill incorporated all the facets of Inhofe’s bill, but also banned the sale of tear gas, grenade launchers, firearms of .50 caliber or higher and ammunition of .50 caliber or higher.

Schatz’s bill also would have barred a department which was found to have violated civilians’ First Amendment rights from buying surplus equipment for five years.

The Inhofe amendment will become part of the defense authorization bill once reconciled with the House version in conference committee.  The bill, vital to the ongoing operation of the US military, faces a potential veto from President Trump if it contains a provision to rename military assets, like bases, that bear the names of Confederate leaders.

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Fat stupid idiot unfucks Dem side of California gov primary field

55 minutes ago

Republicans hope “fraud” the new “affordability” with healthcare

16 hours ago

Fox News edits out the “Praise be to Allah” part

22 hours ago

“Open the Fuckin Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell”: Increasingly insane autocrat’s Easter message of non-peace

24 hours ago

Second missing US F-15 crew member rescued

1 day ago

Amazon hits marketplace sellers with 3.5 percent fuel surcharge

2 days ago

Orange Ayatollah now almost literally saying “Allahu akbar” online

2 days ago

Maduro autographs Tekashi 6ix9ine’s toy SpongeBob

2 days ago

Fox News locked in on desperate race to find missing pilot

2 days ago

President displays his concern for still-missing downed F-15 pilot

3 days ago

Villager opposed to other Villager’s Trump restroom naming plan

3 days ago

Pentagon chapel kind of officially exiles Catholics on Good Friday

3 days ago

Justice Department lawyer wastes perfectly good picture frame

3 days ago

Rescuers bring back one of two F-15 crew members

3 days ago

WINNING: Multinational company hiring 60,000 in Trump economy

3 days ago

Everything is awesome

3 days ago

ICE arrests Palestine-born leader of Milwaukee Islamic community

3 days ago

Iranians shoot down USAF F-15

3 days ago

Slobbery tryst gets awkward when other man’s name comes up

3 days ago

Man who knows he’s a fraud charged with recognizing it in others

3 days ago

Regime budget increases both death abroad and suffering at home

3 days ago

Fox News reports Trump hasn’t actually ended DEI

3 days ago

Chinese drug trafficking suspect extradited from US back home

3 days ago

Myanmar transitions from military dictatorship to uncivic autocracy

3 days ago

Swalwell says Bondi never tipped him off, Trump an idiot

3 days ago

Petey Pee Pants fires Army chief of staff in middle of war

4 days ago

WATCH LIVE: Tornado streamer apparently closing in on tornado

4 days ago

Delaware cops find “possible human skull” along creek in woods

4 days ago

“For the record, the DOW was under 50,000”

4 days ago

Pam Bondi officially fired, Trump confirms

4 days ago

RonAnon warns Supreme Court will “create millions” of bad voters

4 days ago

President celebrates his supplicants doing the “leading” for him, expresses hope opposing ICE murders will cost Dems in midterms

4 days ago

Byron Noem’s fake boobs were an “open secret” in White House

4 days ago

Fox Couchman incensed TV libs won’t give Trump “any credibility”

4 days ago

West Texas crude almost at $110 a barrel

4 days ago

Tulsi may be the next one headed to unemployment line: report

4 days ago

Markwayne pauses warehouse acquisitions for ICE gulags

4 days ago

Pete was able to close one eye long enough to type this

4 days ago

Trump grabs Kuntz for Southern Florida district court nomination

4 days ago

Pam Bondi may be flushed down the golden toilet soon: CNN

4 days ago

Mental train wreck declares victory over Iran or some shit: Live

4 days ago

Indiana Bud Light truck joyrider was also over the legal limit

4 days ago

WATCH LIVE: Artemis II launches translunar orbit mission

5 days ago

Border Patrol chief accused of preferring Asian, Latina prostitutes

5 days ago

Lawyer says quadruple amputee killed friend in self-defense

5 days ago

Former Real Housewives star spills on doing time with Ghislaine

5 days ago

DC mayor announces new rodent control initiative, and no…

5 days ago

Frau Ingraham’s message just slightly more subtle than her chyron

5 days ago

Save the Krill activists plow ship into trawler off Antarctica

5 days ago

Egyptians used slave toil efficiently to build pyramids: study

5 days ago

x
x
x
x
x
x