HJRES 115119th CongressIn Committee

Terminating the emergency determined by the President on August 11, 2025, in the Executive Order titled "Declaring a crime emergency in the District of Columbia".

Introduced: Aug 15, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8] (D-Maryland)

Civil Rights & Justice

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

H.R.J.Res.115 is a joint resolution introduced in the 119th Congress that would terminate the emergency declared by the President on August 11, 2025, in the Executive Order titled “Declaring a crime emergency in the District of Columbia.” The resolution justification rests on two main points: (1) the President did not identify conditions justifying the use of federal power over the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) for federal purposes, and (2) even if an emergency were warranted, the District of Columbia Home Rule Act does not authorize federalizing MPD; it only allows the President to direct the Mayor to use MPD resources for specific federal purposes. The resolution also cites that violent crime in DC has declined to a 30-year low and asserts that the federal government has prevented DC from spending $1 billion of locally raised revenues intended for public safety and other essential services. If enacted, the joint resolution terminates the August 11, 2025 emergency and ends the federal framework invoked by the President.

Key Points

1Termination of the August 11, 2025 emergency: The bill would terminate the emergency declared in the President’s August 11, 2025 executive order concerning a DC crime emergency.
2Authority under the DC Home Rule Act: The resolution asserts that Section 740(b) does not empower federalizing the MPD; it only allows directing the Mayor to provide MPD services for specific federal purposes.
3Rationale for termination: The emergency is deemed not to meet the conditions that would justify federal intervention, crime is at a 30-year low, and there are claimed budgetary blocks on DC’s locally raised revenues.
4Legislative form and path: This is a joint resolution introduced by Rep. Raskin (with supporting lawmakers) that would have effect if enacted by both chambers of Congress and signed by the President, thereby terminating the emergency.
5Basis for termination: The termination is grounded in statutory authority (DC Home Rule Act, Section 740(b)) and the stated facts about the emergency’s lack of justification and the current crime and budgeting situation.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- District of Columbia residents and the DC local government, including the Metropolitan Police Department and public safety budgeting and operations. Terminating the emergency could reverse federal directives tied to MPD staffing or operations and restore local control over law enforcement decisions and funding.Secondary group/area affected- Federal government agencies and programs that interacted with DC law enforcement under the emergency declaration; DC businesses and institutions that rely on public safety resources and the region’s policing framework.Additional impacts- Budget and resource allocation: If the emergency ends, any federal conditions or supports tied to the emergency could be removed, potentially affecting how DC allocates its locally raised revenues for safety, schools, and emergency services.- Governance and federal-local relations: The resolution reflects an ongoing tension between federal intervention and local self-government in DC, with implications for oversight and how emergencies are declared or terminated.- Legal/constitutional considerations: The bill relies on the interpretation of the DC Home Rule Act’s 740 provisions; enactment would reaffirm the limit on federalizing MPD and emphasize local control absent a properly justified emergency.Sponsor: The measure is associated with Rep. Jamie Raskin, with support from Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton and Rep. García (CA). The status indicates it is introduced and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.This summary reflects the bill text as introduced and does not account for potential amendments or changes during committee consideration or floor debates.

Generated by gpt-5-nano on Oct 8, 2025