EXCLUSIVE: White House Presses Congress To Bring Law And Order To D.C.

The Trump administration is backing four Republican proposals that would bring law and order to Washington, D.C., according to an official White House document obtained by The Daily Wire. 

The proposals for law enforcement in the nation’s capital range from tightening up sentencing guidelines for youth offenders to freeing up police from bureaucratic restrictions, according to an official statement of policy released Tuesday by the Office of Management and Budget. In recent weeks, crime has dropped in D.C. after President Donald Trump surged federal law enforcement to the district to crack down on the rampant crime that has long plagued the Democrat-controlled city. 

The statement from the Office of Management and Budget says that the bills would “advance the President’s law and order agenda in Washington, D.C. Citizens, tourists, and visitors are no longer afraid to dine and enjoy the scenery of America’s Federal city. By enacting these bills, criminals will be held accountable and police officers will be empowered with the resources necessary to ensure safety.”

The first bill referenced in the document is the DC CRIMES Act. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), would decrease the maximum age that a criminal could be sentenced as a youth offender from 24 to 18. It would also mandate that the attorney general of D.C. establish a publicly accessible portal tracking juvenile crime, and it would block the D.C. council from enacting changes to criminal liability sentencing guidelines. 

The second bill, the District of Columbia Juvenile Sentencing Reform Act, was introduced by Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) and would allow those 14 and older to be charged as adults for violent crimes like armed robbery and murder. 

“This bill would be a critical step to bring more accountability in a city where more than fifty percent of carjackings are committed by minors,” the Office of Management and Budget said. 

The third bill, introduced by Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), called the District of Columbia Policing Protection Act, would allow police officers in the district to chase after criminals who flee by car. Current policies in D.C. ban police from chasing after most criminals suspected of non-violent offenses. 

“These unnecessary restrictions ensure that many criminals get away without punishment and police officers are unable to perform their duties to protect the public. This bill would change that policy and allow officers to pursue any suspect by motor vehicle if they deem it necessary and the most effective means to capture the suspect,” the Trump administration wrote. 

The fourth bill would give Trump the ability to nominate judges for the district at his own discretion rather than from a list provided by “radical left-wing commissioners.” Named the District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act, the bill was introduced by Reps. Higgins and Pete Sessions (R-TX). 

“After the President’s successful efforts to quell crime and enforce law and order in the Federal capital, it is time to enhance these efforts by enacting these bills into law,” the Trump administration said.