Higgins’ Legislation Empowering DC Law Enforcement Passes Through House of Representatives

Sep 17, 2025| Media, Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) announced today that H.R. 5143, the District of Columbia Policing Protection Act, passed through the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would expand the authority of DC law enforcement officers to engage in vehicular pursuit of a suspect.

Current DC law restricts officers from pursuing a suspect unless they have committed a crime of violence or pose an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury to another person. Congressman Higgins' bill amends the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022, to eliminate these restrictions and provide broader authority for officers to pursue suspects. The bill also directs a trial system to alert members of the public to police pursuits in their immediate vicinity.

The legislation supports President Trump's effort to improve public safety in the nation's capital, where crime rates have risen due to policies that prevent local law enforcement from effectively performing their duties. Read the full bill text here.

Watch the full debate here.