WASHINGTON – The U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has advanced H.R. 4922 – "The D.C. Crimes Act" out of committee and to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote of 26-19.

H.R. 4922 – "The D.C. Crimes Act" was reintroduced by Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) on August 8, 2025, and has received the support of Representatives Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Randy Fine (R-FL), Tim Burchett (R-TN), and Clay Higgins (R-LA).

The "D.C. Criminal Reform to Immediately Make Everyone Safer (D.C. CRIMES) Act" addresses juvenile crime by lowering D.C.’s definition of a “youth” from 24 years old to under 18, resulting in individuals 18 and older properly treated and sentenced as adults. The bill also removes judicial discretion that allows youth offenders to be sentenced below the mandatory minimum for a crime.

Watch the advancement of H.R. 4922 out of committee and to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives here.

Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Chairman James Comer (R-KY) gave the following remarks before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in support of H.R. 4922:

“Decades of weak leadership in D.C. has allowed crime to spiral out of control. Rather than focusing on cleaning up the city and making it safe for residents and visitors, D.C. officials and the D.C. Council have refused to enforce the law. They put criminals back out on the street and have continuously pursued progressive, soft-on-crime policies. For instance, the crime data shows that juveniles make up most violent arrests in D.C. for crimes like robbery and carjackings. Instead of addressing the clear epidemic of youth crime in the city, the D.C. Council increased the age of youth offenders to individuals 24 years old and younger. That means fully grown, legal adults in the District of Columbia can receive sentences meant for children. This is insane and Americans across the board are sick of this kind of absurdity. Congress has a duty to step in and restore law and order to the capital city of our great nation. The President’s actions and the immediate decline in crime in D.C. show that lawlessness is a choice. This is why I’ve introduced the DC CRIMES Act. My bill lowers D.C.’s definition of youth from under 25 years old to under 18 years old. It also removes the ability of judges to sentence youth offenders below the mandatory minimum,” said Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL). 

“It is clear to Members of the Committee and the public that D.C.’s soft-on-crime policies have failed to keep D.C. residents and visitors safe. The D.C. CRIMES Act overturns targeted portions of the D.C. Council’s Youth Rehabilitation Act by amending the definition of a youth offender from a person under the age of twenty-five to under the age of eighteen. This bill requires that we treat adult criminals as adults, like the rest of the country,” said House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-KY). 

Watch Congressman Donalds give remarks before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in support of H.R. 4922 here.

More:

• Read Text of H.R.4922 – "The D.C. Crimes Act" HERE.
• See Bill Profile of H.R.4922 – "The D.C. Crimes Act" HERE.
•  See Bill Introduction Social Media Summary Graphics HERE.

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