The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, chaired by James Comer (R-Ky.), has scheduled a full committee markup for September 10 to review several legislative proposals aimed at addressing crime in Washington, D.C. The session will begin at 10:00 am ET and will be open to the public and press, with a livestream available at https://oversight.house.gov/.
Chairman Comer stated, “President Trump and House Republicans are committed to restoring law and order in our nation’s capital city. Under President Trump’s decisive leadership, crime in D.C. is now falling at an unprecedented rate. The House Oversight Committee stands ready to back the President’s swift action by advancing comprehensive legislative reforms that empower District law enforcement and tackle the escalating juvenile crime crisis head-on. Every resident and visitor deserve to feel safe in our capital, and together with President Trump, the Committee will fulfill its constitutional duty to oversee District affairs and make D.C. safe again.”
Among the bills set for consideration is the District of Columbia Home Rule Improvement Act, which would standardize congressional review periods for D.C. Council legislation and adjust procedures related to emergency laws, vetoes, withdrawals from review processes, and regulations.
Other measures include:
– The District of Columbia Electronic Transmittal of Legislation Act allows electronic transmission of D.C. Council acts to Congress.
– The Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act codifies elements from a recent executive order focused on graffiti removal, monument restoration, private-sector collaboration, and establishing a commission for interagency coordination.
– The District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act proposes mandatory pre-trial detention or bail requirements for certain offenses.
– The Strong Sentences for Safer D.C. Streets Act updates sentencing guidelines for serious crimes such as murder or carjacking.
– A bill seeking repeal of prior local laws allowing sentence reductions or record expungement under specific circumstances.
– The Clean and Managed Public Spaces Act introduces penalties for camping outdoors on public property.
– The DC Criminal Reforms to Immediately Make Everyone Safer (DC CRIMES) Act seeks changes in how youth offenders are treated under criminal law and restricts future sentencing policy changes by local authorities.
Additional proposals address issues such as lowering the age threshold for juveniles tried as adults in violent offenses; adjusting funding allocations within the Opportunity Scholarship Program; repealing police reform measures enacted locally; authorizing vehicular pursuits by police under certain conditions; shifting judicial nomination powers from a local commission to the U.S. President; and changing how the District’s Attorney General is selected.
James Comer has represented Kentucky’s 1st district in Congress since 2016 after succeeding Ed Whitfield (source). Before his tenure in Congress began in 2016 (source), he served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 2001 through 2012. Born in Carthage, Tennessee in 1972, Comer resides in Tompkinsville (source) and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Kentucky University earned in 1993.
The markup session will take place at HVC-210 on Capitol Hill.
