U.S. Attorney’s Office Testifies Before D.C. Council in Support of the Peace DC Plan

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia testified today at a committee hearing before the Council of the District of Columbia on proposed legislation, including: Bill 26-0188 - the "Pretrial Detention Amendment Act of 2025;" Bill 26-0203 - the "Kidnapping Amendment Act of 2025;" and Bill 26-0027 - the "Case Closure and Witness Support Amendment Act of 2025."

USAO-DC strongly supports Bill 26-0188, the "Pretrial Detention Amendment Act of 2025," which will make permanent the changes to adult pretrial detention that are already in place pursuant to the "Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024" (Secure DC). USAO-DC also supports Bill 26-0203, the "Kidnapping Amendment Act of 2025," which will make crucial amendments to the District's kidnapping statute in light of recent caselaw. We appreciate the goals of Bill 26-0027, addressing the "Case Closure and Witness Support Amendment Act of 2025," however, we are concerned that certain provisions in practice may have the opposite of their intended effect. We recommend that the Council reconsider many of the provisions of the bill.

In addition to appearing before the Council's Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, Elana Suttenberg, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, provided written remarks, available HERE.