House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer has voiced his support for H.R. 2096, the Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act. The bill, introduced by Representative Andrew Garbarino, aims to restore due process protections for Washington, D.C. police officers. It also seeks to codify President Trump's executive order titled “Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful.”
Comer addressed the House floor, stating: "The men and women of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department serve their community every day to keep the District safe and secure." He criticized the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 passed by the D.C. Council on January 4, 2023, which he claims made police work more challenging amid rising crime rates.
Congress previously attempted to overturn this act through H.J.Res. 42, a resolution that saw bipartisan support but was ultimately vetoed by then-President Biden. In response, Garbarino reintroduced a bill to repeal certain provisions of the D.C.’s policing reform act.
H.R. 2096 aims to reinstate collective bargaining rights over disciplinary matters for D.C. police officers and establish clear timelines for disciplinary investigations. It also seeks to remove a requirement for public posting of adverse action hearings' time and place—a measure Comer argues could lead to harassment from anti-police activists.
Comer emphasized the necessity of this legislation for maintaining police force levels during what he described as an ongoing crime crisis in Washington, D.C., stating: "By restoring employee protections, this legislation gives the Metropolitan Police Department officers the due process they need to confidently do their jobs."
