Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and several of their Senate Republican colleagues in introducing the CLEAN D.C. Act. The bill would repeal the D.C. Council’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022, which imposed sweeping restrictions on law enforcement in Washington, D.C.
“For far too long, our nation’s capital has been plagued by rampant crime and unsafe streets. Law-abiding citizens are tired of D.C. politicians hiding the reality facing families: increased gun violence, ignored calls for vehicles broken into and other petty thefts, and an inability to buy basic goods at the local shop without clerks opening locked cases.
“That is why President Trump has stepped in to restore law and order, and why the DOJ is rightfully exercising its authority to investigate the alleged manipulation of D.C.’s crime rates. I am proud to join Senator Cruz and my colleagues in reaffirming Congressional authority to implement common-sense policing measures in Washington, D.C., to support the President’s agenda—putting safety first,” said Senator Budd.
“Violent crime has become endemic in Washington, DC as a direct result of political and ideological decisions made by Democrats. Those decisions included passing and trying to lock in anti-police measures such as the Orwellian-named Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022, which undermined police morale, weakened officer retention, and contributed to a still-ongoing public safety disaster. The CLEAN D.C. Act will reverse that decision, and I call upon my colleagues in Congress to pass it,” Senator Cruz said.
This legislation was additionally cosponsored by Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Katie Britt (R-Ala.).
Read the full bill text HERE.
BACKGROUND
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.
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