Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) has introduced a resolution allowing President Donald Trump to retain control of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police until order is restored.
President Trump recently announced mobilizing the National Guard and federalization of the Metropolitan Police to crack down on the rampant violent crime occurring in the nation's capital, which has earned praise from Republicans and derision from Democrats.
As Rep. Luna explained, the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973 grants the area limited self-governance with Congressional oversight. The President can normally assume control of law enforcement for 30 days in emergencies.
Thus, Rep. Luna's resolution suspends the 30-day limit indefinitely until the objective is considered to have been met.
"Our resolution is straightforward: if the President determines that continued federal control is necessary to keep D.C. safe, he should have the authority to do so," the Florida Congresswoman said in her press release, adding, "This is about restoring safety, enforcing the law, and cleaning up the streets of our capital city. We should not tie the President's hands when the stakes are this high."
In a recent appearance on Fox News, Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) similarly announced that he would introduce a bill extending the National Guard's deployment to D.C. for an additional six months.
Luna's resolution comes on the heels of another piece of legislation addressing crime in the capital introduced by Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL), which lowers D.C.'s definition of a "youth" from 24 years old to under 18, resulting in individuals 18 and older properly treated and tried as adults, while also eliminating judicial discretion that lets youth offenders receive sentences below the mandatory minimum for a crime and prohibits the D.C. Council from enacting any additional changes to D.C.'s mandatory minimum sentences and sentencing guidelines.
"For far too long, our nation's capital has been plagued by an epidemic of violence due to the soft-on-crime policies of far-left, local leaders," said Rep. Donalds, adding, "Weak leadership by anti-cop radicals gives rise to chaos, and the reign of terror unleashed on innocent residents and visitors of our nation's capital must end now."
