Markup Wrap Up: Oversight Committee Advances Legislation to Codify President Trump’s Efforts to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful

WASHINGTON-The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a markup and passed fourteen bills to combat crime in Washington, D.C., bolster President Donald Trump's efforts to restore law and order, codify key elements of President Trump's March 27, 2025, Executive Order on Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful, address chronic juvenile crime and truancy, and expand Congress's Constitutional oversight role over the District.

"For too long, left-wing, soft-on-crime policies in D.C. have allowed juvenile and violent crime to thrive in our nation's capital. Despite opposition from Democrats, the House Oversight Committee has now reinforced President Trump's fight against lawlessness in D.C. by advancing comprehensive legislation that empowers D.C. law enforcement, tackles the surging juvenile crime crisis, and codifies the President's Executive Order to restore safety and beauty to our nation's capital city. Every resident and visitor deserves to feel safe in our capital, and together with President Trump, the Oversight Committee is fulfilling its constitutional duty to oversee District affairs and make D.C. safe again," said Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.).The following bills were reported favorably by the House Oversight Committee:

H.R. 5183, The District of Columbia Home Rule Improvement Act: Introduced by Representative Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), this bill establishes a uniform 60-day congressional review period for all D.C. Council legislation, eliminates the ability of the D.C. Council to extend emergency laws in perpetuity, provides for a line item veto of D.C. Acts in Congressional resolutions of disapproval, prohibits the D.C. Council from withdrawing legislation from the congressional review process, prohibits the D.C. Council from passing substantially similar laws to legislation that was successfully disapproved by Congress, and provides for a similar Congressional review process of D.C. regulations and Mayoral executive actions.

"When Congress passed D.C. Home Rule in 1973 it retained certain powers for itself to ensure accountability and oversight of D.C. However, the D.C. Council has attempted to bypass Congressional oversight by abusing loopholes and bundling ultra-progressive policies in too-big-to-fail legislative packages in order to pass irresponsible legislation. As a result, D.C. has become less safe for its residents and visitors. This legislation will ensure Congress has the procedural tools to exercise its Constitutional oversight role over the District and ensure responsible local governance of the Nation's capital. I thank Representative Gosar for championing this important reform legislation," said Chairman Comer.

"Today we are taking steps to end the lawlessness in our nation's capital. Congress retains ultimate responsibility for the government of the District of Columbia yet in recent years the D.C. Council has advanced a series of dangerous soft-on-crime measures to weaken law enforcement and ignore public safety. The D.C. Council has shown time and time again that they can't be trusted to put public safety first. My bill reflects longstanding conservative principles: upholding the constitution, defending law and order, and ensuring that federal government fulfills its duty to safeguard the nation's capital," said Rep. Gosar.

H.R. 2693, District of Columbia Electronic Transmittal of Legislation Act: Introduced by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), this bill amends the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to permit the Chairman of the D.C. Council to electronically transmit to Congress any act passed by the D.C. Council.

"I am pleased to support H.R. 2693, which authorizes the electronic transfer of D.C. Council legislative actions to Congress for review. This legislation will save taxpayer dollars and free up staff time in both the District and Congress," said Chairman Comer.

H.R. 5103, Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act: Introduced by Representative John McGuire (R-Va.), this bill codifies core components of President Donald Trump's March 27th, 2025, Executive Order on Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful (EO 14252).

"I support this legislation which codifies core components of President Trump's Executive Order 14252 to require the formation of a D.C. Safe and Beautiful Commission. The Commission will develop recommendations on how to prioritize the safety of the District's residents and visitors.

This bill also requires the development and implementation of a D.C. beautification plan," said Chairman Comer.

"My number one priority in Congress is to keep the American people safe at home and abroad. Democrats say that this has extreme measures, but I think people are dying and people were dying way too much in the District of Columbia. The American dream is to live work and raise your family in peace regardless of race, party, religion, or creed. This bill is not partisan, it is common sense. We must take a stand to make D.C. safe and beautiful," said Rep. McGuire.

H.R. 5214, District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act: Introduced by Representative Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), this bill amends D.C.'s pre-trial release and detention processes in D.C. Code to require mandatory pre-trial detention for defendants charged with crimes of violence and for cash bail or bail bonds for all defendants charged with public safety and order crimes. Specific application to certain aggravated offenses includes obstruction of justice, fleeing law enforcement, rioting, destruction of property, stalking, and aggravated assault.

"For far too long, dangerous criminals have been allowed to roam the streets of D.C., posing a threat to the general public. Before this bill, progressive judges could release criminals to D.C.'s streets with only a promise that they will not re-offend and will return to court for their trial date. This is a smart and long overdue reform that rectifies the ill-conceived policies currently enacted in the District," said Chairman Comer.

H.R. 5172, Strong Sentences for Safer D.C. Streets Act: Introduced by Representative Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), this bill changes the mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines in D.C. Code commensurate to nationwide standards for criminal sentencing, including for first- and second-degree murder, rape, first-degree sexual abuse, kidnaping, carjacking, and first-degree burglary.

"The D.C. criminal code contains mandatory minimums that are much lower than the rest of the nation. For instance, currently second-degree murder and rape have no mandatory minimum sentence. First degree burglary has only a five-year mandatory minimum. First degree child sexual abuse has no mandatory minimum. My legislation updates mandatory minimums for a few violent crimes. This bill ensures that several offenses including first and second-degree murder, rape, first-degree sexual assault of a child, armed and unarmed carjacking, and first-degree burglary are taken seriously in D.C. courts. These reforms are necessary to address violent crime in the District," said Rep. Biggs.

"I support this needed legislation, which ensures that several offenses-including 1st and 2nd degree murder, rape, 1st degree sexual assault of a child, armed and unarmed carjacking, and 1st degree burglary-are taken seriously in D.C. courts," said Chairman Comer.

H.R. 5242, A bill to repeal D.C.'s Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act of 2016 and the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022: Introduced by Representative David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), this bill would repeal the Incarceration Reduction Act of 2016 (title III of the Comprehensive Youth Justice Amendment Act of 2016, D.C. Law 21-238), passed by the D.C. Council in 2016. The Incarceration Reduction Act allows individuals convicted of certain serious crimes committed before their 18th birthday to petition the court for a sentence reduction after serving at least 15 years. In repealing the Incarceration Reduction Act of 2016, the D.C. Code will reflect the codified language predating the passage of the Act and all subsequent amendments. This bill also repeals the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24-284) which expanded D.C.'s expungement and sealing process to allow more individuals to petition the District for expungement or sealing of prior conviction records as well as the automatic expungement or sealing for certain misdemeanors, including marijuana possession.

"The Incarceration Reduction Act allowed criminals convicted of serious crimes committed before their 18th birthday to petition the court for a sentence reduction after serving at least 15 years, regardless of mandatory minimum sentences. Furthermore, the Second Chance Amendment Act expanded expungement and records sealing for more individuals, as well as expanded automatic expungement for certain crimes. Collectively these D.C. laws have created an environment where convicted criminals in the District are not held fully accountability for their crimes. Notably United States Attorney for D.C. Pirro has expressed strong concerns about these laws," said Chairman Comer.

H.R. 5163, Clean and Managed Public Spaces Act: Introduced by Representative William Timmon (R-S.C.), this bill imposes a fine of not more than $500, or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both, as a penalty for camping outdoors on public property in the District of Columbia after the date of enactment.

"On March 28, President Trump signed an Executive Order titled "Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful", which sought to restore order to our Capital city. Under this legislation, a person shall be fined not more than $500, imprisoned for not more than 30 days, or both, for camping on public property. This is an important step to making our nation's capital safe for residents and visitors," said Chairman Comer.

"The District of Columbia is more than just a city; it's the front porch of our nation. Millions of visitors from across the country and around the world come here every year to see their government, their monuments, and their history. They expect and they deserve to see a capital city that is clean, safe, and welcoming. When our public spaces are overtaken by encampments, that sense of order and pride is lost not just for visitors, but for the residents of the district who use these streets every single day. My bill bans camping on public property in D.C., ensuring that the capital of the greatest country in the world reflects the dignity, safety, and pride of its people," said Rep. Timmons.

H.R. 4922, DC Criminal Reforms to Immediately Make Everyone Safer (DC CRIMES) Act: Introduced by Representative Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), this bill asserts Congressional control over the District by prohibiting the D.C. Council from pursuing progressive soft-on-crime sentencing policy. Specifically, the bill would (1) lower D.C.'s definition of a "youth" from under 25 years old to under 18, resulting in individuals 18 and older being properly treated and tried as adults in the criminal justice system, (2) remove the ability of judges to sentence youth offenders below the mandatory minimum, and (3) require the D.C. Attorney General to establish a public website containing statistics on juvenile crime.

"It is clear to Members of the Committee and the public that D.C.'s soft-on-crime policies have failed to keep D.C. residents and visitors safe. The D.C. CRIMES Act overturns targeted portions of the D.C. Council's Youth Rehabilitation Act by amending the definition of a youth offender from a person under the age of twenty-five to under the age of eighteen. This bill requires that we treat adult criminals as adults, like the rest of the country," said Chairman Comer.

"Decades of weak leadership in D.C. has allowed crime to spiral out of control. Rather than focusing on cleaning up the city and making it safe for residents and visitors, D.C. officials and the D.C. Council have refused to enforce the law. They put criminals back out on the street and have continuously pursued progressive, soft-on-crime policies. For instance, the crime data shows that juveniles make up most violent arrests in D.C. for crimes like robbery and carjackings. Instead of addressing the clear epidemic of youth crime in the city, the D.C. Council increased the age of youth offenders to individuals 24 years old and younger. That means fully grown, legal adults in the District of Columbia can receive sentences meant for children. This is insane and Americans across the board are sick of this kind of absurdity. Congress has a duty to step in and restore law and order to the capital city of our great nation. The President's actions and the immediate decline in crime in D.C. show that lawlessness is a choice. This is why I've introduced the DC CRIMES Act. My bill lowers D.C.'s definition of youth from under 25 years old to under 18 years old. It also removes the ability of judges to sentence youth offenders below the mandatory minimum," said Rep. Donalds.

H.R. 5140, District of Columbia Juvenile Sentencing Reform Act: Introduced by Representative Brandon Gill (R-Texas), this bill would lower the age of eligibility for juveniles to be tried as adults in D.C. for certain violent offenses committed after the date of enactment from 16 years to 14 years of age.

"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. 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," said Chairman Comer.

"The American people have a right to live in a country where we aren't being butchered and robbed by career criminals that Democrat jurisdictions refused to get off of our streets. We have a right to be able to take public transportation without being murdered. We have a right to be able to walk down the streets without being robbed or raped. We don't have to live under this left-wing tyranny where criminals terrorize innocent people and that includes juveniles. The number of juveniles arrested in D.C. has gone up each year since 2020. More than 2000 juveniles were arrested in 2023 and 2024. In the first six months of 2025, there have been 900 arrests of juveniles. Many of these are repeat offenders. Juveniles who commit heinous crimes should be tried as adults," said Rep. Gill.

H.R. 5181, SOAR Act Improvements Act: Introduced by Representative Virgina Foxx (R-N.C.), this bill amends the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Act and reauthorizes the District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program (DC OSP) through 2032 at $60,000,000 in annual authorized appropriations (consistent with the current authorized level in law). DC OSP provides low-income children in Washington, D.C. with scholarships so they can attend a private school in the District. Since its inception, the DC OSP has consistently been oversubscribed. This bill amends how funds are allocated: currently, one-third of the annually authorized appropriations are allocated to DC OSP, one-third is allocated to D.C. Public Schools, and one-third is allocated to D.C. charter schools. This bill changes the authorized funding allocation so that one-half of the funds would be allocated to DC OSP and one-sixth would be allocated to D.C. Public Schools going forward out of the total authorized amount. The funding to DC charter schools would remain consistent at one-third. Additionally, the bill provides additional transparency over the program by requiring the Secretary of Education, Mayor of D.C., and Institute of Education Sciences to regularly evaluate DC OSP and disseminate information on the academic progress and educational attainment of participating students and report on the safety of the private schools attended by participating students compared with DC public schools.

"My mission in Congress and before I came to Congress is to make sure that every child is afforded access to a high-quality education. The D.C. opportunity scholarship program or DC OSP is a proven bipartisan program that opens doors for many low-income students to receive a scholarship to attend a high performing private school in Washington. These students can receive a high-quality education while they may be otherwise left behind in underperforming schools. This program provides real school choices for families and has been repeatedly studied and evaluated. The results show that participants in the program thrive and see higher rates of high school graduation and the pursuit of post-secondary education. My SOAR Act Improvements Act reauthorizes the DC OSP through 2032 and authorizes $60 million per year to allow the program to continue admitting new students. We have seen a staggering increase in juvenile crime in D.C. since the pandemic, it is more important now than ever to provide pathways for school children to succeed and learn instead of staying forgotten," said Rep. Foxx.

"Unsurprisingly, when teenagers are unsupervised and not regularly attending school, they are more likely to commit crimes. To truly address juvenile crime, it is imperative that the Committee support educational opportunities wherever we can to ensure every D.C. student has access to a high-quality education. Extending the scholarship program will reward students who are serious about their education and are seeking better opportunities for themselves and their families," said Rep. Gill.

H.R. 5107, Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in D.C. (CLEAN DC) Act: Introduced by Representative Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), this bill repeals provisions of the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24-345) which established restrictions and undue additional requirements on the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. These policies include prohibiting officers from viewing body-cam footage when writing initial reports of an incident, removing all officers and police union representatives from the Police Complaints Board, stripping the D.C. police union of the right to collectively bargain over disciplinary matters, requiring a jury to consider if an officer consulted with mental health, behavioral health, or social workers before the use of deadly force, and imposing approval hurdles for the use of riot gear and less-lethal projectiles.

"I support the CLEAN DC Act, which repeals the majority of D.C.'s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Act of 2022. In 2023, both the House and Senate sought to nullify D.C.'s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Act of 2022 by passing a joint resolution of disapproval. Unfortunately, this resolution was vetoed by then-President Biden. CLEAN DC Act will therefore help restore the capabilities of D.C. law enforcement officers-who put their lives on the line every day for our community-to do their jobs as they are trained to do," said Chairman Comer.

H.R. 5143, District of Columbia Policing Protection Act: Introduced by Representative Clay Higgins (R-La.), this bill would amend Subtitle S of the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24-345), to allow vehicular pursuit of a suspect fleeing in a motor vehicle, if: (1) the officer or supervisor deems it necessary, (2) the most effective means of apprehension, and (3) without unreasonable risk to innocents and bystanders. This bill would further amend the 2022 Act to develop a trial system that would alert members of the public to police pursuits in their immediate vicinity. The amendments made by this bill would also require evaluation reports of current D.C. police tactics to be submitted to the appropriate Oversight and Judiciary Committees in the House and Senate.

"The 2022 Act imposes burdensome restrictions on police pursuit of criminal suspects. This has resulted in less justice for victims of crime in Washington, D.C. and more opportunities for criminals who would otherwise be apprehended to continue harming D.C. and surrounding communities. This bill replaces Subtitle S with policies that allow for vehicular pursuit of a suspect fleeing a motor vehicle if the office or supervisor deems it necessary, the most effective means of apprehension, and without unreasonable risk to bystanders," said Chairman Comer.

"The bottom line is this bill supports our frontline officers and helps them better protect the public. Police officers should be able to pursue a dangerous vehicle if it is the right thing to do. The ability to be able to do that in D.C. should never have been taken away," said Rep. Higgins.

H.R. 5125, District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act: Introduced by Representative Pete Sessions (R-Texas), this bill repeals the D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission, making nominations for D.C. Courts after the Date of Enactment an action of the U.S. President, which is in line with the U.S. Constitution and other federal judicial nomination processes.

"This legislation aligns the appointment of D.C. judges with the Constitutional process for appointing members of the Federal judiciary. This bill preserves the President's authority to nominate, with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate, anyone deemed appropriate to sit on the D.C. Court," said Chairman Comer.

"We must change the way judges are selected. It is important we do this because I believe D.C. needs a new system. Whether it is a Republican or Democrat in the White House it is important for them to make decisions and not have to wait on a Commission. Prioritizing actions that allow the court to do its job is what this bill is all about," said Rep. Sessions.

H.R. 5179, District of Columbia Attorney General Appointment Reform Act: Introduced by Representative Pat Fallon (R-Texas), this bill would reform the District of Columbia's Attorney General's office to be appointed by the President. The current D.C. AG's appointment shall terminate on the date of enactment.

"The D.C. Attorney General is charged with prosecuting juvenile crime in the District of Columbia, which continues to rise. The D.C. Attorney General must take into account the City's unique place as our Nation's Capital and operate free from local politics. This legislation provides for the Presidential appointment of the D.C. Attorney General. A Presidentially appointed D.C. Attorney general will ensure appropriate executive accountability over crime in the District," said Chairman Comer.

"I am proud to sponsor this legislation to strengthen accountability and ensure proper oversight of our nation's capital. Nearly two thirds of arrests have gone unprosecuted in D.C. By passing this bill, we restore the proper constitutional balance and ensure the laws of our nation's capital are enforced by the Attorney General who has the best interest of the district's law-abiding citizens and visitors. This reform enhances accountability, reduces conflict, strengthens the federal government's ability to govern effectively in the District of Columbia, and above all it will improve public safety," said Rep. Fallon.

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Chairman Comer Opens Markup of Legislation to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful