Opposition Letter Led By the DC Justice Lab on the Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in DC Act of 2025 (H.R.
Floor Speech
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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, the House of Representatives debated the Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in DC Act of 2025 (H.R. 5107). I include in the Record a letter opposing this bill led by the DC Justice Lab. Letter of opposition RE H.R. 5107 and any related attempts to repeal or weaken the District of Columbia's Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 Hon. Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader, Washington, DC.
Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries: We, the undersigned organizations and individuals committed to public safety and democratic self-governance, urge you to oppose all legislative efforts now before Congress that would repeal, defund, or weaken the District of Columbia's Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 (CPJRAA). This includes H.R. 5107/S. 2687 (the CLEAN DC Act), which is up for a vote this week, and H.R. 5166, Sec. 827 (the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act rider blocking CPJRAA implementation).
Together, these bills would dismantle one of the District's most significant public safety and accountability reforms in decades. They would reinstate dangerous practices, reopen pathways for abusive officers to remain on the force, and override a democratically enacted law grounded in research, expert input, and community consensus.
The CPJRAA responds to longstanding gaps in police oversight, transparency, and discipline.
The law strengthened the Office of Police Complaints, expanded the Police Complaints Board, required the creation of a public misconduct database, and required timely release of body-worn camera footage following deaths or serious uses of force. It closed arbitration loopholes that previously reinstated officers fired for serious misconduct. In an 18- month period, the District paid $5.6 million in back pay to just ten officers who were fired and then returned to duty through arbitration. The CPJRAA corrected this. These bills would take us backward.
The CPJRAA also protects residents from dangerous and deadly encounters.
It restricts deadly force; bans neck restraints; limits high-speed police pursuits in a dense city where bystanders are most likely to be hurt; and regulates the acquisition of military-grade weapons. These reforms were enacted because these dangerous tactics have repeatedly killed District residents, disproportionately Black residents, and endangered children, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other bystanders.
The CPJRAA reduces biased policing and strengthens evidence-based decision-making.
It improves consent search rules, mandates anti-bias and de-escalation training, requires review of an officer's poor misconduct before hiring, and directs independent assessment of possible ties between officers and hate groups. It modernizes data systems across agencies and ensures transparency around school-based arrests, less-lethal weapons, and disciplinary actions.
Repealing or defunding this law would not make the District safer. It would restore outdated and harmful practices that undermine trust, community safety, and officer morale. It would weaken oversight structures that law enforcement leaders themselves have said were necessary to keep ``very bad officers'' off the force (see page 173 of the Report by the Police Reform Commission). And it would override the decisions of local officials who are accountable to the people who live in the District.
Congress should respect the District's authority to govern itself, especially on matters of public safety. Allowing these bills to move forward would set a troubling national precedent by permitting federal intervention into local policing policy, even when the local reforms are backed by research, crafted through community input, and aligned with modern public safety standards.
For these reasons, we urge you to vote against H.R. 5107, and any related attempts to repeal or obstruct the CPJRAA. D.C. residents deserve the right to determine the policies that keep their communities safe. Sincerely, Clinique Chapman, CEO, DC Justice Lab.
Organizational signatories:
ACLU-D.C., Black Swan Academy, Community Shoulders, DC Action, DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence, DC Democratic State Committee, DC for Democracy, DC Jail & Prison Advocacy Project, Fair Budget Coalition, Free DC, Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop, Georgetown Law Center for Innovations in Community Safety, Harriet's Wildest Dreams, Interfaith Action for Human Rights.
Leadership for Justice Innovation, LLC, League of Women Voters of the District of Columbia, League of Women Voters of the United States, Legislation Clinic (University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law), Metro DC DSA, Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid, Miriam's Kitchen, More Than Our Crimes.
Movement for Freedom, Neighbors for Justice, Neighbors United for DC Statehood, Open Horizon, Pretrial Justice Institute, Raise One Teach One Dalaneo Martin Foundation, RebuildingTheCommunity, Reframe Health and Justice, School Justice Project, Scrofano Law PC.
Seeding Stories/Sembrando Historias, Tzedek DC, University of Baltimore School of Law Center for Criminal Justice Reform, Volare, Ward 3 Democratic Committee, Ward 3 Democrats Statehood Task Force, Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, Wren Action Group.
Individual signatories:
Adam D. Harris, Ailsa Hermann-Wu, AJ Cho, Alex Tyson, Allister Layne, Aloysius Wald, Andrew Kincare, Ann Wasgatt, Anne Cauman, Aphra, April Lasiter, Ashley, District Resident, At-Large Councilmember, Robert White, B. Yohe, Barbara Kraft, Bill Scher, Blaine Stum, Breanna Gilland, Brianna Buford.
Bruce R. Ross, Carl Jakobsson, Chantel Rollins, Char Esser, Rabbi Charles Feinberg, Cheryl Dzubak, Cheryl Eames, Cheryl Marlin, Chris Hammond (Ward 7), Christine Payden-Travers, Rev. Dr. Christopher Zacharias, (Pastor, John Wesley AME Zion Church), Christopher, Connie Ridgeway, Cybele Kotonias, Cynthia Lee, Dallas Windham, Darcy Skarada, David Holmes, David Wendt, Delia T. Cooke.
Denise Lindgren, Dennis and Susan R. Kepner, Donald R. Schwartz, Donna Tate, Dorothy Marion, Dr. Elizabeth Allen, Eileene Gillson, Elaine M. Carlson, Eleanor Crowe, Elinor Hart, Elizabeth Paukstis, Emily Han, Erin Smith, F. Robert Wesley, Francis O'Malley, George Perla, Grayson Parisee, Gregory Denton, Gwen Umbach, Hannah Milem.
Harold Watson, Heather Goss, Hillary Ellen Kruh, Howard Garrett, Hugh T. Keleher, Irma Salley, Isa Mirza, Isabella LeBlanc, J. Yudell, Jackie Neece Gray, Jamelle ``Mellie'' Harris, James Flasch, James Mulcare, Jaqueline Castaneda, Jason Miller, Jason R. Crawford, Jayme Epstein, Jeanne Otersen, Jennifer McConnell, Jennifer Ubiera, Esq.
Jessica Wang, Jillian W., Jo Harvey, Joanne S. Metzler, Joe LeBlanc, Jon Drago, Joy Welan, Kahlil Goodwyn, Kameron Davis, Karen Cassell, Kathleen A. Mireault, Kathy Colton, Kenedi McCormick, Kerry Krebill, Kerry Krebill, Kevin K. Walsh, Kristopher Burrell, LaShunda Hill, Laura Esparza, Laura Mitterman.
Laurent Ross, Lawerency J.C. Boone Sr., Layne Emery, Leah Tribbett, Leonard Edwards, Leslie, Linda B., Linda D. Lee, Linda Oeth, Linda Richardson, Lisa Morenoff, Lore Wintergreen, Lori Stefano, Lorraine Brabham, Lowell Palm, Lucinda Snow, Lynette Rynders, Lynn D. Carlson, Madeleine Straubel, Madeline Hall,
Maeve Gallagher, Maggie Kelfstad, Marcia Curry, Mark Schroeder, Marsha Davison, Marta Beresin, Maureen Ellis, Maureen McCarthy, Melanie E. Bates, Michael Smith, Michael Winston Pan, Minyara Willingham, Monique Jackson,Mykel Victor Reese, Mystelle Ruble, Naike Savain (Former DC Police Reform Commissioner), Nashrah Ahmed, Nathan Brenner Sr., Nicola, Noam Stopak.
Norah Renken, Patricia Harlow, Phil Klein, Rachel Neurohr, Rafaella Zabot-Hall, Rebbie Davis, Regina Coates, Renaud De'Aundre Brown, Robert Burks, Ron Mittan, Ronald Hampton (Washington Representative, Blacks in Law Enforcement), Ryan Lynch, Sade Cole, Samantha Luisa Crisanti, Sarah Bradach, Sarah Jane Shoenfeld, Shane O'Shea, Shannon Harper, Shannon Lynch, Shay Mussulman.
Sincere Allah, Sophia, Sophia Bos-Shadi, Stephan Donovan, Stephen E. Benson, Stephen Keener, Susan & David Courrejou, Susan Castelli-Hill, Susan Courtney, Susan Halversen, Susan Sasha Beth Silverstein, Thea Cabrera Montego, Theodore Voth, Tom Kirk, Virginia Avniel Spatz, Wade Hampton, Patricia Stamper (Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, 7C06), Will Yetvin.
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