Lowering Age At Which A Minor May Be Tried As Adult for Certain Criminal Offenses in District of Columbia

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 707, I call up the bill (H.R. 5140) to lower the age at which a minor may be tried as an adult for certain criminal offenses in the District of Columbia to 14 years of age, and ask for its immediate consideration.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 5140 to lower the age at which a minor may be tried as an adult for certain criminal offenses in the District of Columbia to 14 years of age.

The District of Columbia has seen a staggering increase in juvenile crime since the pandemic. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, 51.8 percent of all robbery arrests in 2024 were juveniles, and 53 percent of all carjacking arrests in 2025, as of August, were juveniles.

Congress must respond to these violent crimes being committed by juvenile perpetrators. Currently, minors 16 years old and older are eligible to have their case moved up to criminal court and to be tried as an adult in D.C. This bill lowers that age to 14 years old, making 14- and 15-year-olds who commit violent crimes eligible to be charged as adults.

Violent crime refers to murder, first-degree sexual abuse, burglary in the first degree, and robbery while armed, for example. When juveniles commit crimes of this magnitude, they deserve sentencing that reflects the seriousness of the crimes they committed.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Brandon Gill for leading this legislation. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, we have debated these bills in a sincere effort to work with the President of the United States to lower crime in D.C. We have heard nothing from the Democrats other than there is no crime problem in D.C., and that a solution is to make Washington, D.C., a State.

We are serious about lowering crime. We applaud the efforts of the President of the United States. We will continue to work with him to make our Capital City as safe as possible. I appreciate Brandon Gill, the sponsor of the bill, and Byron Donalds for sponsoring the last bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, that is a perfect example of the difference in the two sides on how to handle crime in D.C.

You have to hold people accountable for crimes, Mr. Speaker. If you don't, then they will continue to commit crimes. That is what we have here in Washington, D.C. That is why we are here today. That is why we are here today.

Just coddling criminals, hiring therapists, hiring more social workers, and creating more government programs have failed to work in Washington, D.C., and many of the cities around the United States.

We have a President who is going to be tough on crime and tough on criminals. That is what the theme of this legislation is, Mr. Speaker. That is our way to reduce crime in Washington, D.C.

Their way hasn't worked. We are going to do it our way if we get the support in the Chamber today.

Mr. Speaker,

Again, we are talking about violent crimes, violent crimes. What we have seen in Washington, D.C., is an outbreak of juvenile crime because the definition of juvenile in this city is 7 years higher than every other city in America.

With this legislation, we are talking about addressing issues of violent crime with juveniles. I think, Mr. Speaker, this is the path to try to get the crime under control in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to ensure that violent crime, including murder and first degree sexual abuse, are taken seriously in the District of Columbia.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source