For all the latest developments in Congress, follow WTOP Capitol Hill correspondent Mitchell Miller at Today on the Hill.
President Donald Trump wants Republican congressional leaders to develop a comprehensive crime bill to tackle public safety issues in D.C. and other cities, once they return next week from their summer break.
The president said this week that he had discussed anti-crime measures with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
Johnson said Friday that crime legislation taking shape will focus on D.C., where close to 2,000 National Guard troops remain posted throughout the city, as part of the federal law enforcement surge.
“We’ve got to end the crime wave, we’ve got to clean up the city and we’ve got to make sure that it shines as it should,” Johnson said in an interview on CNN.
While the president has suggested a major crime bill, it appears GOP lawmakers will begin by taking up various bills covering issues in D.C.
Johnson and Republicans have indicated they will take up reforms to address juvenile crime in the District, as well as getting rid of cashless bail.
Cashless bail allows those accused of crimes to remain free pending their trial, without posting bond.
Bowser to testify before House panel
The House Oversight Committee has set a Sept. 18 hearing during which D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Council Chair Phil Mendelson and Attorney General Brian Schwalb are scheduled to testify.
They are expected to be grilled about the District’s efforts to bring down crime and how they have worked with federal law enforcement.
The hearing will take place after a 30-day deadline expires for extending the federal surge. Congress needs to vote on approving extension of the deadline by Sept. 10.
The president has indicated he wants his declared crime emergency to continue. The White House has pointed to a major drop in crime since the surge began, including a 30% drop in violent crime.
Bowser has said she appreciates the federal support and credits it for helping to continue falling crime rates. But she has questioned the need for the National Guard presence and masked agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement making arrests.
Speaker Johnson questioned about crime in his state
During his appearance on CNN, Johnson was asked about crime in his Louisiana congressional district. Figures indicated that violent crime per capita in Shreveport was higher last year than in D.C.
Part of Shreveport is in Johnson’s 4th District and he was asked whether the president should send the National Guard there.
Johnson acknowledged crime has been a problem in the city but declined to say whether he thought the president should send federal troops there.
“That’s not my call,” he said.
Pressed further, he added, “I don’t know, let’s take one city at a time and see.”
The administration has indicated that if federal troops are activated and sent to another city, it would likely be Chicago. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has said there is no need to send in the National Guard, which he could activate himself.
In D.C., the president has the power to activate the National Guard. The mayor does not have that power.
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