Commonsense resolution now heads to President’s desk
WASHINGTON—After a months-long effort by United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), his resolution of disapproval to block the D.C. Council’s dangerous and irresponsible Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022 (RCCA) from taking effect passed the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support. The vote was 81-14-1.
“I am pleased that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle joined me in fulfilling our obligation—constitutionally and morally—to ensure that the D.C. Council’s self-destructive, soft-on-crime measure does not become law,” said Senator Hagerty. “Reducing penalties and implementing policies that lead to the catch-and-release of criminals is wholly inappropriate in the face of the crime wave underway in Washington, D.C. Today, Congress sent a resounding message that we will not simply stand by while our nation’s capital becomes a safe haven for violent criminals and a national embarrassment for American citizens.”
Background:
The D.C. Council’s RCCA would reduce penalties for many violent criminal offenses, including carjackings, robberies, and even homicides, amid a surge in violent crime in Washington, D.C. and nationwide. On January 4, Washington 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 D.C. Home Rule Act.
In January 2023, Representative Andrew Clyde (R-GA-09) introduced a companion resolution of disapproval, H.J.Res.26, in the U.S. House of Representatives, which passed by a 250-173 vote on February 9, 2023.
After Hagerty held a press conference urging his colleagues and President Biden to support the commonsense resolution, the President announced he would sign it if it passed the Senate.
Having been passed by both chambers of Congress, the resolution now heads to the President’s desk.
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