WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) released the following statement after voting to repeal the dangerous new crime bill passed by the Washington D.C. City Council. The bill would have eliminated mandatory minimums and reduced maximum sentences for violent crimes like robbery, carjacking, home invasion, and burglary. The Senate voted overwhelmingly to repeal the law by a vote of 81 – 14.
“Americans do not want to see their capital city in decline,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Despite crime being at a 25-year high across the nation, the D.C. Council’s bill would have encouraged and empowered criminals, which is why we voted to stop it.”
Background
The D.C. City Council announced Monday their attempt to withdraw the bill. The Senate moved forward with a vote to override it to hold the council accountable for the soft-on-crime bill.
Cassidy is currently working on a new bill to give law enforcement the tools and resources they need to prevent crime and catch criminals. The bill will aim to increase funding to state crime labs, increase resources to high-crime areas, improve coordination between local and federal law enforcement, and improve resources to prevent opioid addiction relapse. Cassidy plans to introduce the bill this spring.
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