Congress moves forward bills to crack down on DC crime

Congress set to vote on legislation dealing with bail, police reforms in DC

House Republicans are advancing two pieces of legislation aimed at local D.C. laws dealing with bail and police reforms. FOX 5’s Tom Fitzgerald is live on Capitol Hill with the latest.

WASHINGTON - Republicans in Congress are taking steps to alter how the District enforces crime and justice. One bill would end cashless bail, sparking heated debate.

After more than 50 days out of session during the government shutdown, the House Oversight Committee renewed its focus on District of Columbia affairs Tuesday with what some call the most aggressive attempt in 30 years to overturn city laws.

The committee advanced two controversial bills:

• The first ends D.C.’s no-cash bail, replacing it with cash-only bail, tying release to ability to pay. President Trump signed an executive order in August eliminating cashless bail nationwide.
• The second rolls back local police reforms, including limits on chokeholds, body-camera rules and accountability measures enacted after the Black Lives Matter protests. The D.C. police union has pushed to ease those restrictions, and House Republicans say the changes fueled a 2024 crime spike.

Congress introduces bills to crack down on DC crime

Republicans in Congress are taking steps to alter how the District enforces crime and justice. One bill would end cashless bail, sparking heated debate.

What they're saying:

"These are smart and long overdue reforms that rectify ill-conceived policies currently enacted in the District! I’m urging all of my colleagues to support this common sense public safety bill," said Rep. James Comer (R), Chairman, House Oversight Committee. 

"My colleague talked about this being ‘common sense legislation’? But D.C.’s law is patterned on the Federal Bail Reform Act, and I notice there’s no effort to amend that here or change it in the way being proposed," said Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Maryland). 

Mayor Muriel Bowser, Council Chair Phil Mendelson and Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued a joint statement calling the moves an unprecedented federal overreach and an affront to democracy.

The House is in recess Wednesday afternoon following earlier debate. They did move on a voice vote to advance the bill to a floor vote Wednesday night, which is expected to get underway in the 8 p.m. hour.