House Republicans took up a slate of bills on Wednesday aimed at overhauling Washington, D.C.’s criminal justice system and reduce the autonomy of the local government, coming as President Trump’s takeover of the local police department expires at the end of the day.
The action amounts to Republicans’ way of carrying on Trump’s crusade against crime in the nation’s capital even as Congress declines to vote on extending his emergency authority over the city’s police force, which is limited to 30 days without congressional action.
While the takeover of the police department will expire, however, the White House has given no indication that the crackdown and troops patrolling the streets of the nation’s capital will end anytime soon.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said this week that extension of the authority was “not necessary” and that Congress had not received a request to act, also noting the posture from the city’s mayor.
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser’s (D) executive order authorized coordination between local police and federal forces, and the Army extended authorization of National Guard troops in the city through Nov. 30. Bowser, who the White House has praised for her cooperation during the takeover, said her order provides a framework for how to exit Trump’s emergency, not extend it
The fourteen bills being considered by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Wednesday would give Congress greater authority over rejecting laws passed by the council; lower the age for juveniles to be tried as adults for certain violent offenses; imposes harsher penalties on camping outdoors; repeal a measure that allows sentence reduction and expungement opportunities for juvenile offenders; and codify Trump’s executive order ensuring coordination on graffiti removal and “beautification” of the capital city, among other measures.
Democrats on the committee tore into Republicans over using the city as a “political prop” in support of Trump, with ranking member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) suggesting that Trump step down as president to run for mayor.
The markup soon erupted into a shouting match that ended with Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) calling Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) a “lapdog” for Trump.
The White House, meanwhile, has been touting the successes of its campaign.
Trump on Tuesday night left the White House to go to dinner in Washington, touting that his administration had made the city safer.
“Here I am standing out in the middle of the street. I wouldn’t have done this three months ago, four months ago, I certainly wouldn’t have done it a year ago. This was one of the most unsafe cities in the country. Now it’s as safe as there is in the country,” Trump said. “Everybody should go out.”
He also said the National Guard is working with Bowser and the policy and “the outcome is really spectacular.”
On Tuesday night, 133 arrests were made in D.C., including 30 people accused of being in the United States illegally.
Since operations in Washington began, 2,310 total arrests have been made, according to the White House. Overall, 20 known gang members have been arrested, seven missing children have been rescued, 225 firearms have been seized and 50 homeless encampments have been cleared.
On a nightly basis, over 3,200 federal law enforcement from 22 agencies have been participating in the patrol.
Trump took over the D.C. police by invoking a Home Rule Act provision, which gives the president the authority to take control for up to 30 days in emergency situations.
Bowser on Wednesday, in a press conference, declared, “the emergency’s over today” and said that her “order requires the… pre emergency status quo.”
She noted that the president didn’t try to move a new emergency and the Congress is not acting to extend it, pointing to her order as a way out of the situation with federal law enforcement in D.C.
“My framework is that path,” she said.
