This week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved four bills from the Oversight and Government Reform Committee that focus on public safety in Washington, D.C. The legislation aims to address juvenile crime, strengthen law enforcement tools, and expedite justice for offenders.
Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) expressed support for the measures. “President Trump and House Republicans are making D.C. safe again by advancing commonsense public safety bills. For too long, residents and visitors in our nation’s capital have suffered under the radical, left-wing policies of the D.C. Council that created a crime crisis. Juvenile crime has skyrocketed, and many Metropolitan Police Department officers have left the force due to anti-police measures. Now, following President Trump’s leadership to restore law and order, the House has advanced several bills to confront crime head-on and ensure criminals are swiftly apprehended and brought to justice. I thank Representatives Byron Donalds, Brandon Gill, Clay Higgins, and Pete Sessions for their leadership and urge the Senate to act without delay,” said Chairman James Comer.
The first bill passed was H.R. 4922, known as the DC CRIMES Act of 2025. Introduced by Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), this legislation restricts the D.C. Council from enacting sentencing policies viewed as lenient on crime. It also changes the legal definition of “youth” in D.C., treating individuals 18 or older as adults in criminal proceedings instead of those up to age 25. The bill removes some judicial discretion regarding minimum sentences for youth offenders and requires more transparency about juvenile crime statistics through a public website.
Rep. Byron Donalds stated: “For far too long, our nation’s capital has been plagued by an epidemic of violence due to the soft-on-crime policies of far-left, local leaders. Weak leadership by anti-cop radicals gives rise to chaos and the reign of terror unleashed on innocent residents and visitors of our nation’s capital must end now. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to oversee the District of Columbia, and it’s imperative that we act quickly to assert our control when local government fails to do its job. The American people deserve better, and I will not stand idly by while our capital city devolves into chaos. My DC CRIMES Act will restore law and order to the District. Thank you to my House colleagues for your support of this important legislation and thank you to Senator Banks for your Senate sponsorship. The time for action is now.”
The second measure was H.R. 5140—the D.C. Juvenile Sentencing Reform Act—introduced by Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas). This bill lowers from 16 years old to 14 years old the minimum age at which juveniles can be tried as adults in certain violent crimes such as murder or armed robbery.
“I am thankful to my colleagues for voting yes on my effort to ensure that thugs who break the law and commit heinous crimes are able to be prosecuted at the fullest extent of the law,” said Rep. Brandon Gill.“President Trump’s mandate and today’s vote further prove that Republicans are the party of law and order.We are saving Washington,D.C.,from the sins ofthe Democrats who have driven it tothe ground!”
Another bill approved was H.R 5143,the District of Columbia Policing Protection Actof2025,introducedbyRep.ClayHiggins(R-La.).ThislegislationallowsMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentofficerstoengageinvehicularpursuitsunderspecificconditionsandrequirespublicnotificationaboutsuchpursuits.ItalsorequiresreportsoncurrentpolicetacticsbesubmittedtotheHouseandSenatecommitteesresponsibleforoversightandjudiciarymatters.
“Anti-police legislation in blue statesandcitiesprevents law enforcementfromcarryingoutitsmissiontokeepAmericanssafe.MybillsupportsPresidentTrump’sagendaandempowersD.C.policefullypursuesuspects.Lawenforcementofficersinournation’scapitalshouldnotbeunreasonablyrestrictedfromperformingtheirjob,”saidRep.ClayHiggins.
The final bill passed was H.R 5125,theDistrictOfColumbiaJudicialNominationsReformActof2025,introducedbyRep.PeteSessions(R-Texas).ItabolishestheD.C.JudicialNominationCommission,givingthePresidentsoleresponsibilitytonominatejudgesfortheD.C.courts,directlysubjecttoSenateconfirmationundertheusualfederalprocess.
“I am proud my billtoabolishtheDCJudicialNominationCommissionhaspassedtheHouse.Asthesonofafederaljudge,IhaveagreatrespectforthejudiciaryandtheprocessConstitutionallyordainedtoensurefairnessinourcourts.Asitstands,theD.C.JudicialNominationCommissionhastoooftenprioritizedpoliticsoverjusticecreatingdelaysandheavycaseloads.ThePresidentmustbeabletoquicklynominatedjudgestofillvacanciesthatallowcriminalstoescapejustice.TheD.C.courtsmustbeequippedtodotheirjob:holdcriminalsaccountableprotectvictims,andmaintainorderinournation’scapital,”saidRep.PeteSessions.
James Comer currently serves as U.S Representative for Kentucky's 1st district after replacing Ed Whitfield in 2016; he previously served in Kentucky's state legislature from 2001-2012.He was born in Carthage,Tennessee,in1972,livesinTompkinsville,andgraduatedfromWesternKentuckyUniversitywithaBSin1993.
