House Republicans Advance 14 Bills to Roll Back DC Autonomy After Crime Emergency

President Trump's 30-day federal crime emergency in Washington, D.C., officially ended, but House Republicans are advancing a package of 14 bills under the 'Home Rule Improvement Act' aimed at rolling back the city’s autonomy and increasing congressional oversight. The proposed legislation includes reinstating cash bail, imposing mandatory minimum sentences, lowering the age to charge juveniles as adults to 14, repealing local policing reforms, and allowing the president to appoint the city’s attorney general rather than having an elected official. These measures reflect Republicans' intent to continue Trump’s crackdown on crime despite the expiration of his emergency order, emphasizing increased control over D.C.'s criminal justice system and governance. Democrats strongly oppose the bills, calling them an affront to home rule and warning they would undermine local governance, civil rights, and public safety efforts. The House Oversight Committee passed the bills mostly along party lines after intense debate, and if approved by the full House, they will move to the Senate, where discussions over the District’s autonomy are expected to persist. Mayor Muriel Bowser and other D.C. leaders have criticized the legislation for making the city less safe and efficient, urging respect for the rights of D.C. residents who pay taxes and serve in the military but lack full self-governance.