Police-Overhaul Efforts Draws Bipartisan Agreement on Key Issues

Democratic and Republican staff in Congress are drafting language for possible police-overhaul legislation that would limit the transfer of some military equipment to local departments, ban police use of chokeholds except in life-threatening situations and set federal standards for so-called no-knock warrants, according to people familiar with the talks.

Final language on those measures that would be incorporated in a compromise bill between lawmakers from both sides hasn’t yet been set. And central issues concerning the prosecution and liability of individual police officers remain to be resolved, the people said.

But they pointed to the new areas of agreement as a sign of momentum on an issue that both parties have expressed interest in addressing in the wake of George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis police custody and other incidents that sparked nationwide protests and bipartisan calls for federal changes to police practices. President Biden has called on Congress to pass legislation in the coming weeks, ahead of the one-year anniversary of Mr. Floyd’s death on May 25.