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D.C. Lawmakers Reintroduce Bills to Grant Control Over National Guard and Police Department Amid Trump Administration's Expansion of Federal Authority

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

D.C. lawmakers, led by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), have reintroduced legislation to grant the District of Columbia full control over the D.C. National Guard and the Metropolitan Police Department. This move comes after the Trump Administration's assertion of federal control over the D.C. police department and the deployment of the National Guard in city streets for weeks. The bills, reintroduced this week, were first announced in August in response to President Trump's federalization of the Metropolitan Police Department and deployment of the National Guard. The lawmakers aim to ensure the District's leaders have the same authority over its National Guard and police force as other states and territories while continuing to fight for D.C. statehood.

Key Takeaways:

  • The legislation introduced by Senator Van Hollen and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton seeks to repeal a provision in the Home Rule Act that gives the President the authority to federalize the Metropolitan Police Department.
  • The District of Columbia Police Home Rule Act would grant the Mayor of Washington, D.C. control over the police department, similar to the control governors of states have over their police forces.
  • The District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act would name the Mayor of Washington, D.C. as Commander-in-Chief of the D.C. National Guard, mirroring the authority governors of states and territories have over their National Guards.
  • The bills are cosponsored by several Democratic senators, including Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
  • The Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill introduced by Senator Van Hollen andSenator Susan Collins (R-Maine) to unlock the over $1 billion of D.C.'s own funds that Republicans unnecessarily froze through their funding bill in March.
  • The bill aims to prevent D.C. from investing further in strengthening policing and other vital public services due to House Republicans' failure to bring it up for a vote.

Statistics:

  • The Trump Administration has asserted federal control over the D.C. police department and deployed the National Guard in city streets for weeks.
  • The D.C. National Guard has been deployed until November 30, while the Administration reportedly extended its deployment.
  • House Republicans have prevented D.C. from investing in strengthening policing and other vital public services by failing to bring the bipartisan bill to a vote.
  • The bill aims to unlock over $1 billion of D.C.'s own funds that Republicans unnecessarily froze through their funding bill in March.
  • The Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan bill to unlock the funds.

Sources:

  • [Senator Chris Van Hollen's press release](https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/news/press-releases/van-hollen-and-congresswoman-norton-reintroduce-legislation-to-grant-dc-full-control-over-national-guard-and-police-department)
  • [Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's press release](https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-van-hollen-introduce-legislation-repeal-trumps-authority-federalize-dc-police)
  • [The Hill](https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/414489-van-hollen-norton-reintroduce-legislation-to-grant-dc-full-control)
  • [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/amid-trumps-authoritarian-control-congress-reintroduces-bills-granting-dc-federal-control/2020/11/23/4e5acbd4-2b55-11eb-9a8a-7ff/3b4e0d3c/amp)

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