Chairman Comer Delivers Remarks in Support of D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department Officers

WASHINGTON— House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) delivered remarks on the House floor today in support of H.R. 2096, the Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act. This bill, introduced by Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), restores due process protections for Washington, D.C. police officers and is an important step in codifying President Trump’s “Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful” executive order. 

Below are Chairman Comer’s prepared remarks.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

I rise in support of H.R. 2096— sponsored by Mr. Garbarino—the Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act. 

The men and women of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department serve their community every day to keep the District safe and secure.

On January 4, 2023, the D.C. Council passed the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. 

The Act stripped D.C. police officers of certain employee protections—making their jobs more difficult despite rising crime in the District. 

When the D.C. Council passed this law, Congress acted swiftly in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to overturn it. 

The House and Senate passed H.J.Res. 42, which would have overturned the entire D.C. law—with fourteen House Democrats and six Senate Democrats joining Republicans in support of the resolution. 

However, then-President Biden vetoed the bipartisan resolution of disapproval, allowing the harmful policies of the D.C. Council to remain in effect today. 

In another attempt to protect D.C. police, Rep. Garbarino introduced this bill to repeal certain provisions of D.C.’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act. 

That bill passed through the Oversight Committee last Congress in 2024 and was reintroduced this Congress and again favorably reported out of the Oversight Committee, but now with the full support of the White House. 

H.R. 2096 restores D.C. police officers’ right to collectively bargain over disciplinary matters and reinstates clear timelines for disciplinary investigations. 

H.R. 2096 also repeals the D.C. Council’s requirement that the time and place of some adverse action hearings be posted to a public website. 

This public posting requirement enables anti-police activists to harass officers attempting to pursue their due process in the workplace.

In summary, this legislation is necessary to support the recruitment and retention of the Metropolitan Police Department.  

D.C. cannot afford to continue to lose police officers during the ongoing crime crisis in the nation’s capital city. 

My colleagues recognize the importance of supporting the law enforcement officers who risk their lives to protect our communities. 

By restoring employee protections, this legislation gives the Metropolitan Police Department officers the due process they need to confidently do their jobs.