WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) cosponsored the Criminal Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in D.C. (CLEAN DC) Act, which repeals the D.C. Council’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 that imposed harmful, sweeping restrictions on law enforcement in Washington, D.C.:

“For years, the radical liberals on the D.C. Council in Washington have turned their backs on the blue by ushering in new laws and regulations that handicap law enforcement’s ability to do their jobs, spurring rampant, violent crime across our nation’s capital,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would repeal one of these harmful laws that unfairly targeted police by restricting their ability to pursue a fleeing target or stop a violent protest so our brave law enforcement officers can once again feel empowered to make D.C. safe for all.”

The CLEAN DC Act, led by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), was cosponsored by Sens. Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Lee (R-UT), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Katie Britt (R-AL).

Background:

The D.C. Council’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 weakens D.C. law enforcement by:

• Banning longstanding and proven police tactics;
• Stripping legal protections and due process rights for officers;
• Threatening police officer safety by authorizing public release of records;
• And imposing restrictions on policing protests and the use of non-lethal crowd control.

Law enforcement leaders have warned that these provisions demoralize officers, worsen D.C.’s law enforcement staffing crisis, and embolden criminals.

In 2023, the House and Senate passed legislation with bipartisan support to block that measure. President Biden vetoed the resolution, and Democrats sustained his veto the same year.