The Washington, D.C. City Council’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2022 was reportedly rejected by the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.
The D.C. crime law, which limits police authority in the face of increased crime in the district, is the subject of the legislation. Since its inception, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has struggled to fill its officer deficit.
Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, a Republican, submitted legislation on Thursday to thwart the D.C. police reform proposal.
The Senate’s vote was 56 to 43. Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Jon Tester of Montana, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Angus King of Maine, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, an independent who voted with the Democratic caucus, were among the eight Democrats who joined Republicans in voting to pass the bill.
The House approved the bill 229-189. Republicans and 14 Democrats joined together to pass the measure. Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia’s Republican party took the initiative at first.
The District Clause of the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17) grants Congress the power to intervene in municipal affairs in Washington, D.C. Congress also analyzes every D.C. legislation before it is passed into law.
The move comes as crime has become a pressing issue in the district, with certain types of crime having risen dramatically in the city since 2019.
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