A top House Republican said Tuesday that a series of criminal justice reform bills that have stalled in the House could help stem the gun violence epidemic in many U.S. communities.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte, who is co-chairing the Policing Strategies bipartisan working group, said after a roundtable discussion in Detroit with community leaders and police officials that criminal justice reform legislation would provide new strategies for police, who have been criticized for a wave of police shootings of black men.