Mr. Speaker, today, the House of Representatives debated the Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in DC Act of 2025 (H.R. 5107) and the District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of…
Mr. Speaker, today, the House of Representatives debated the Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in DC Act of 2025 (H.R. 5107) and the District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025 (H.R. 5214). I include in the Record a letter opposing these bills led by Free DC.
Free DC,
November 17, 2025.
Dear Representative: There are currently six bills queued
up for floor votes in the House attacking the District of
Columbia. These bills would severely erode DC's already
limited control over its criminal justice system and leave
individuals and organizations in DC at the mercy of this
administration as they continue implementing an authoritarian
agenda. These bills would roll back evidence-based criminal
justice reforms passed by the duly elected DC Council,
introduce new punitive measures that would harm DC residents,
and grant the president even more direct control over DC
government. We, the undersigned national organizations, urge
you and all House members to be strong allies to DC and
oppose all these bills.
We have seen what the Trump administration's interference
in local law enforcement has done so far. Communities have
been terrorized by federal agents' race-based targeting of
residents and National Guard soldiers carrying weapons of war
in DC streets.
Trump's appointee for U.S. Attorney for DC, Jeanine Pirro,
has repeatedly had frivolous charges rejected by grand and
petit juries. Now Trump and his allies in Congress will
attempt to remove DC's locally elected Attorney General and
appoint a lackey in his place. This would give Trump power
over not only DC's juvenile justice system, but also civil
prosecution against perceived enemies. These bills would
enable the Trump administration to attack any and all
entities in DC, from individuals to advocacy organizations to
labor unions and more. We therefore call on the House to
reject all six bills:
OPPOSE H.R. 5214, the District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform
Act, introduced by Rep. Stefanik, that would increase pre-
trial detention and require cash bail for a range of alleged
offenses. Calendar No 269.
OPPOSE H.R. 5179, the District of Columbia Attorney General
Appointment Reform Act, introduced by Rep. Fallon, that would
remove DC's elected Attorney General and grant the President
sole authority to nominate a replacement. Calendar No. 270.
OPPOSE H.R. 5107/S. 2687, the CLEAN DC Act, introduced by
Rep. Clyde and Sen. Cruz, that would repeal the Comprehensive
Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. Calendar
No. 271.
OPPOSE H.R. 5172, the Strong Sentences for Safer D.C.
Streets Act, introduced by Rep. Biggs, that would increase or
establish mandatory minimum sentences for a number of
offenses, and remove the exception for minors. Calendar No.
279.
OPPOSE H.R. 5242/S. 2815, to repeal D.C.'s Incarceration
Reduction Amendment Act of 2016 and the Second Chance
Amendment Act of 2022, introduced by Rep. Kustoff and Sen.
Cornyn. An amendment was added to this bill in committee that
would prohibit automated traffic enforcement in DC and undo
the no-right-on-red traffic safety law. Calendar No. 293.
OPPOSE H.R. 5163, the Clean and Managed Public Spaces Act,
that would prohibit camping on public property in DC and
effectively criminalize homelessness, introduced by Rep.
Timmons. Calendar No. 294.
These six bills are only the most imminent threats facing
DC in the House. Many more bills and appropriations riders
are in the pipeline. In solidarity with the people of the
District of Columbia and our national democracy, we, the
undersigned, call on you to side with DC and oppose every
bill and rider that seeks to prohibit, restrict, or undo DC's
laws, and co-sponsor and support all bills that seek to
expand DC's local power.
DC needs more local power--not more attacks. The 700,000
people who live in DC deserve the same rights and dignity as
the people in your home district. No democracy will be able
to function in the United States if the capital city is under
military control, cannot pass or enact its own basic laws,
and is subject to anti-democratic interference against the
will of the people.
Thank you for your attention and swift action on this
matter.
Sincerely,
Free DC and, American Federation of Teachers, Bend the Arc:
Jewish Action, Black Voters Matter Fund, DC Vote, Friends of
the Earth U.S., Greenpeace USA, Indivisible, Metropolitan
Washington Council, AFL-CIO, More Than Our Crimes, Movement
for Black Lives, Movement for Freedom.
National Association of Social Workers, National Education
Association, National Women's Law Center, NETWORK Lobby for
Catholic Social Justice, People For the American Way, People
Power United, Public Citizen, Seed the Vote Action, SEIU,
Stand Up America, The Workers Circle, Voices for Progress,
50501 Movement.
To learn more about Free DC, the renewed campaign for DC
autonomy, visit freedcproject.org. For follow up questions or
additional information to inform your votes, contact Free
DC's Congress Working Group Co-chairs, Michelle Chappell and
Jacqueline Johnson.
