WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With demonstrators in the streets and the death of George Floyd sparking outrage across the country, some North Carolina leaders on Capitol Hill are hopeful now might be an opportunity for change.

Some North Carolina lawmakers - in particular, members of the Congressional Black Caucus - are calling for policing reforms.

“These protests give the world and our nation an opportunity to at least see what’s wrong, focus on that, and ultimately right a wrong,” said Rep. Alma Adams, D-12th District.

Adams and others have argued that Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police highlights wider racial issues in American society, underscoring the need for action.

“African American males, in particular, feel apprehensive as they move about their community,” said Rep. GK Butterfield, D-1st District. “They feel like they’re being targeted by the police, and many are.”

RELATED: N.C. Congressional Lawmakers React to George Floyd and the Weekend Protests 

Lawmakers are floating a variety of police reform proposals, including creating a national database of police misconduct and banning choke holds. Some are looking to restrict the flow of military gear to law enforcement offices.

Another idea: update civil rights law so more officers could be held accountable.

“The courts are giving what we call ‘qualified immunity’ to police officers, depriving plaintiffs of the opportunity to look into the motives of police officers who are acting inappropriately,” Butterfield said. “We need to change the standards in those cases.”

Police policies, including training, are often managed at the state or local level, limiting what Congress can ultimately do.

Rep. Mark Walker, R-6th District, said local authorities need to step up, noting the officer at the center of the Floyd case had prior complaints against him.

“I don’t know what federal legislation that you would write to make sure it's not just reprimand after reprimand, but someone like him is not in a position of authority that can do harm, like what eventually played on the streets in Minnesota,” Walker said.

It is unclear what, if anything legislation-wise, could pass through both chambers of Congress and also have the backing of the president.

The U.S. House is currently out of town through the end of June. However, a top Democrat in that chamber said they could return early if a proposal comes together.

On Tuesday, Adams joined with other lawmakers in introducing a resolution condemning "all acts of police brutality, racial profiling, and the use of excessive and militarized force throughout the country."