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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and 42 Senate colleagues introduced a resolution to block the D.C. Council’s dangerous new criminal code which would relax penalties for violent crimes. “The DC City Council should not make our nation’s capital more dangerous for us all,” said Dr. Cassidy. “It’s clear Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies are failing. Congress must act to prevent DC’s crime crisis from getting worse.” “The American public has had enough of the crime wave that’s rolling across our country, including in our nation’s capital,” said Senator Hagerty. “Congress is tasked with overseeing Washington, D.C.—a federal district where people should be safe to live and work. The District should set a nationwide example by enacting legislation that makes its residents and visitors safer—not less safe. Our resolution makes clear that Congress intends to hold D.C. to this standard.” The Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022 (RCCA) would reduce maximum penalties for many violent criminal offenses, including carjackings, robberies, and even homicides amid a surge in violent crime nationwide. On January 4th, Washington’s Democrat Mayor, Muriel Bowser, vetoed the legislation, stating in a letter to Council Chairman Phil Mendelson that the bill “does not make us safer.” The D.C. Council ultimately ignored the mayor’s concerns, voting 12-1 to override her veto on January 17th and send the bill to Congress for review pursuant to the Home Rule Act. Cassidy and Hagerty were joined by U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Mike Braun (R-IN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Tim Ricketts (R-NE), James Risch (R-ID), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), John Thune (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Todd Young (R-IN). Representative Andrew Clyde (R-GA-09) introduced the companion resolution of disapproval in the U.S. House of Representatives. Background Last year, Cassidy introduced the Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act to protect police officers from attacks targeting law enforcement. Read the Daily Caller’s exclusive on the legislation here. ### |