[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 18 (Monday, February 1, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E85]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA POLICE HOME RULE ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 1, 2021

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the District of 
Columbia Police Home Rule Act, which would repeal the President's 
authority to federalize the local District of Columbia police 
department, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). I am very pleased 
that Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Chair of the Committee on Oversight 
and Reform, which has jurisdiction over this bill, is an original 
cosponsor. The President has no authority to federalize any other local 
or state police department. Under the Home Rule Act, ``whenever the 
President . . . determines that special conditions of an emergency 
nature exist which require the use of the [MPD] for Federal purposes, 
he may direct the Mayor to provide him, and the Mayor shall provide, 
such services of the [MPD] as the President may deem necessary and 
appropriate.''
  Under the section of the Home Rule Act that would be repealed by this 
bill, the President may federalize MPD for a period of not more than 30 
days, unless a resolution passed by Congress extending such 
federalization is enacted into law. Congress may also terminate the 
federalization at any time by enacting a resolution into law. This bill 
is necessary, even with these protections, because, under the principle 
of self-government, the President should not have control over the 
District's local police department.
  While it does not appear that a President has exercised this 
authority over MPD, this latent power is totally unnecessary, should 
not exist and is an affront to MPD, which has always voluntarily 
assisted federal authorities. Given the events at Lafayette Square this 
summer, it is imperative that no President be allowed to federalize 
MPD. Although President Trump did not federalize MPD this summer, we 
understand the administration looked into the possibility. MPD's first 
responsibility is to protect District residents and visitors, and it 
must always remain under the authority of the D.C. mayor to accomplish 
its mission. Moreover, federalization is outdated in light of current 
practice. MPD regularly assists the federal government as a matter of 
comity and to protect the District, not as an aim of the federal 
government, just as I am sure other local police departments do in the 
region. There are approximately 30 federal police departments under the 
President's control in the District. In the case of a federal 
emergency, the President can unilaterally deploy these federal 
officers, as well as the D.C. National Guard, and can also request the 
support of MPD, as the President would do in any other jurisdiction, 
and as the Capitol Police did during the attack on the U.S. Capitol on 
January 6, 2021.
  This is an important step to increase home rule for the District, and 
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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