WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Andrew Clyde’s (GA-09) legislation, H.R. 5107, the Commonsense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now (CLEAN) in D.C. Act, passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support by a vote of 233-190. The bill repeals the D.C. City Council’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2022.

 

“For years, the D.C. City Council’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act has prevented our men and women in blue from effectively protecting Americans in our nation’s capital, hindered the MPD’s ability to recruit and retain officers, and exacerbated Washington’s crime crisis,” said Clyde. “I’m incredibly pleased that my commonsense legislation to repeal this anti-police law passed with bipartisan support, and I look forward to a similar outcome in the Senate. By eliminating the D.C. Council’s misguided law, the CLEAN D.C. Act strengthens and codifies President Trump’s successful efforts to restore law and order in Washington. While Joe Biden foolishly vetoed my legislation in 2023, I look forward to advancing the CLEAN D.C. Act to President Trump’s desk for his signature to continue delivering on our shared goal of Making D.C. Safe Again.”

 

“The D.C. Council’s ‘Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Act’ is an anti-police measure that led to more crime and violence in the District of Columbia by hindering the Metropolitan Police Department’s ability to do its job without retribution and stripping the tools officers need to keep themselves and D.C. safe. The CLEAN D.C. Act puts an end to the D.C. Council’s nonsensical bill, restores law and order to the nation’s capital, and ensures officers have the resources they need to protect Americans from harm. I applaud Rep. Clyde for leading the charge to boost the number of crime fighters in this city and keep violent criminals off the streets,” said House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer.

 

Prior to the vote, Rep. Clyde urged his colleagues to support his commonsense effort on the House floor: “Public safety should not be a partisan issue — it’s just plain common sense. I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 5107 so we can codify the progress we’ve made under the Trump Administration to transform D.C. from a crime-ridden capital into a safe, free, and thriving city.”

 

Watch his full remarks HERE.

Bill text is available HERE.

Background 

 

The D.C. Council first passed the emergency “police reform” bill in the wake of anti-police protests during the summer of 2020. In December 2022, the Council passed the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2022 to codify the emergency reforms and enact additional policing provisions. The radical bill did not receive D.C. Mayor Bowser’s signature. 

 

In 2023, Rep. Clyde introduced legislation, H.J.Res. 42, to block the D.C. Council’s so-called Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2022. Then-Senator JD Vance (R-OH) led the companion bill in the Senate. While their bill to strike down this anti-police law passed both the House and Senate with bipartisan support, President Biden ultimately vetoed the resolution.

 

The D.C. Council’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 weakens D.C. law enforcement by:

• Banning longstanding and proven police tactics.
• Stripping legal protections and due process rights for officers.
• Threatening police officer safety by authorizing public release of records.
• Imposing restrictions on policing protests and the use of non-lethal crowd control.

 

Law enforcement leaders have warned that these provisions demoralize officers, worsen D.C.’s law enforcement staffing crisis, and embolden criminals.

 

Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).