Rep. Byron Donalds' crime bill earned the support of several Democrats, including Rep. Jared Moskowitz, right. (Getty Images)
Democrats who supported the bill include Reps. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.; Pat Ryan, D-N.Y.; Henry Cuellar, D-Texas; Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas; Jared Golden, D-Maine; Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio; Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.; and Angie Craig, D-Minn.; among others.
Donalds, R-Fla., said in a statement after its passage, "Our nation's capital is experiencing a historic crime wave as a result of progressive, soft-on-crime policy. This man-made public safety crisis is unacceptable. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to oversee the District of Columbia and it is imperative that we act quickly to assert our control when local government fails to do its job. The American people deserve a safe capital city and I will not stand idly-by as it descends into chaos."
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., similarly blamed Democratic policies for fueling the city's crime issues.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., is one of the 18 Democrats who voted for the bill. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
It would prevent the courts from handing down sentences under the minimum statutory requirements for youth offenders, and stop Washington, D.C.’s progressive city council from changing what those requirements are.
The bill would also require the Washington, D.C., attorney general to keep the public better informed on youth and juvenile crime rates by creating a public website where statistics are readily available.
According to a year-to-date crime comparison provided by the Metropolitan Police Department, homicides in the nation’s capital rose 35% from 2022 to 2023, with the overall rate of violent crime climbing 39%. Robberies increased by 67%, while instances of motor vehicle theft have climbed 82%.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
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