Chairman Comer Supports the District of Columbia Juvenile Sentencing Reform Act to Hold Violent Juvenile Perpetrators Accountable

WASHINGTON-House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) today spoke in support of H.R. 5140, the District of Columbia Juvenile Sentencing Reform Act, a bill introduced by Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) to address the juvenile crime crisis in our nation's capital.

Below are Chairman Comer's prepared remarks.

I support H.R. 5140, the District of Columbia Juvenile Sentencing Reform Act. The District of Columbia has seen a staggering increase in juvenile crime since the pandemic. According to MPD, 51.8% of all robbery arrests in 2024 were juveniles and 53% of all carjacking arrests in 2025, as of August, were juveniles. Congress must respond to these violent crimes being committed by juvenile perpetrators. Currently, minors 16 years old and older are eligible to have their case moved up to criminal court and to be tried as an adult in D.C. This bill lowers that age to 14 years old, making 14 and 15-year-olds who commit violent crimes eligible to be charged as adults. Violent crime refers to murder, first degree sexual abuse, burglary in the first-degree, and robbery while armed, for example. When juveniles commit crimes of this magnitude, they deserve sentencing that reflects the seriousness of the crimes committed. I thank Representative Gill for leading this legislation and urge my colleagues to support this bill.