The casket of Tyre Nichols is loaded into a hearse after his funeral in Memphis on Wednesday. AP

"We should not delay. And we will not be denied," Harris said to applause in Memphis, Tennessee. "It is non-negotiable.”

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Back in Washington, however, progress appears difficult, if not unlikely. Bipartisan efforts to reach an agreement on policing legislation stalled more than a year ago, and President Joe Biden ended up instead signing an executive order named for George Floyd, whose murder at the hands of Minneapolis police set off nationwide protests nearly three years ago.

Now, with a new killing in the headlines, Biden and Harris will meet with members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Thursday to explore whether it's possible to get legislation back on track.

Kamala Harris (left) holds the hand of RowVaughn Wells during the funeral service for her son Tyre Nichols. AFP

"I am working to make sure that we have a clear plan,” said Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., who chairs the caucus.

The White House is facing fresh pressure to advance the issue, and even some political allies are frustrated with what they view as excess caution from Biden.

"I think the president is missing the opportunity to be a historic president when it comes to the social issues that continue to plague our country," said Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y. "That’s what we need.”

Bowman described Biden as "a champion of the status quo in many ways,” and he said Biden needs to be "a champion of a new vision for America.”

Tyre Nichols

The solution, Bowman said, is not "thoughts and prayers, come to the State of the Union after your kid gets killed," a reference to Nichols' mother and stepfather being invited to attend next week's speech.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Wednesday that "we understand there’s a lot more work to do." She blamed Republicans for blocking progress in Congress.

"The way that we’re going to deal with this issue is to have federal legislation," Jean-Pierre said. "That’s how we’re going to move forward.”

Associated Press