House Passes Bill to Bar DC Authorities From Changing Criminal Sentences

The House passed on May 15 a bill that would prohibit District of Columbia authorities from making changes to penalties for criminal offenses. The D.C. Criminal Reforms to Immediately Make Everyone Safe, or D.C. CRIMES, Act of 2024 passed 225–181 All Republicans and 18 Democrats voted in favor of it. Congress has jurisdictional control over the District of Columbia, which is not a state, and therefore can block measures passed by the D.C. Council within 60 days of passage. The District of Columbia government and the White House oppose it, both saying it infringes on the district’s autonomy. The nation’s capital has Home Rule, which gives the district semi-independence....