House Republicans pass 2 more bills to overhaul DC crime policies

House Republicans passed two more bills on Wednesday to overhaul the criminal justice system of Washington, D.C., a day after adopting two pieces of legislation that will restructure how juvenile cases are handled in the nation’s capital. 

The House greenlighted the “District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act” in a 218-211 vote on Wednesday. The bill would allow President Trump to nominate judges for the Washington courts and strike down the D.C.’s Judicial Nomination Commission. 

“As a son of a federal judge, I have a great respect for the judiciary and the process Constitutionally ordained to ensure fairness in our courts. As it stands, the DC Judicial Nomination Commission has too often prioritized politics over justice, creating delays and heavy caseloads,” Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), who introduced the bill, said in a statement after the vote.  

Lawmakers also passed the “District of Columbia Policing Protection Act,” overruling the Metropolitan Police Department’s rule of curtailing high-speed chases and permitting law enforcement to pursue suspects without as much restraint. The bill passed in a 245-182 vote. 

“You can't make a city safe with your hands tied behind your back. WE WILL KEEP D.C. SAFE,” House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said on Wednesday after the vote. 

The passage of the two measures comes a day after the lower chamber greenlighted a pair of bills that will allow more congressional control of the District’s sentencing policies. 

The House passed the D.C. Criminal Reforms to Immediately Make Everyone Safe Act, or DC CRIMES Act, that would bar Washington’s local officials from altering sentencing laws and curtail the ability of local judges to be more lax with younger offenders. The bill passed in a 240-179 vote. 

The DC CRIMES Act removes a provision allowing youth offenders to be sentenced below mandatory minimums and it requires the attorney general to release a website with juvenile crime statistics.

The second measure the House passed on Tuesday was H.R. 5140, to lower the age at which young offenders can be tried as adults for certain criminal offenses to the age of 14. The legislation passed the lower chamber in a 225-203 vote. 

The National Guard is still deployed in the nation’s capital. Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) penned an executive order to allow coordination between federal troops and local police officers. The Army extended the authorization of the National Guard troops through the end of November.