District of Columbia Policing Protection Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 707, I call up the bill (H.R. 5143) to establish standards for law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 5143, the District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025. This bill repeals subtitle S of the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 and replaces it with policies empowering police to pursue a suspect fleeing in a vehicle.

The 2022 act imposes burdensome restrictions on police pursuit of criminal suspects. This has resulted in less justice for victims of crime in Washington, D.C., and more opportunities for criminals, who would otherwise be apprehended, to continue harming D.C. and surrounding communities.

This bill replaces subtitle S with policies that allow for vehicular pursuit of a suspect fleeing in a motor vehicle if the officer or supervisor deems it necessary, the most effective means of apprehension, and without unreasonable risk to bystanders.

I thank Representative Clay Higgins for his leadership on this critical local policing reform legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support his bill.

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Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from Representative Min that clarifies that he meant to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5143 in committee. Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, September 15, 2025. Chairman James Comer, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Comer: I am writing to respectfully clarify my intent regarding a vote I cast during the House Oversight and Government Reform full committee markup held on September 10, 2025. Because of miscommunication during the evening vote series, my recorded vote on H.R. 5143, the District of Columbia Policing Protection Act, does not reflect my intended position.

For the record, I meant to vote ``Aye'' on the final passage H.R. 5143, which repeals restrictions on the circumstances under which law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia may engage in vehicular pursuits. I ask that this letter be included in the committee's official record to reflect my intent.

Thank you for your understanding. Sincerely, Dave Min, Member of Congress.

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Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation to allow police officers in the District of Columbia to pursue and apprehend criminals to keep residents and visitors in the District safe. I yield back the balance of my time.

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