Republicans move to create mandatory sentences and cash bail in DC

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00:00The Trump administration's takeover of the D.C. Police Department expires Wednesday,

00:04but Republicans in Congress are taking steps to continue their push to cut crime in the

00:09federal district. The House Oversight Committee is working to finalize 14 bills related to crime,

00:14safety, and governing in Washington, D.C., which Republicans say will give

00:18district law enforcement more power to prosecute offenders.

00:24Here are some of the main changes Republicans are trying to make.

00:27They want to lower the age at which a minor can be tried as an adult to 14.

00:32Currently, it's either 15 or 16, depending on the crime in the suspect's criminal history.

00:37They want to require pre-trial and post-conviction detention for violent and dangerous crimes,

00:43including carjackings, kidnapping, assault, and other offenses. They also hope to require

00:48mandatory cash bail for certain crimes, including rioting, burglary, stalking, obstruction of justice,

00:53destruction of property, and certain repeat offenses.

00:56Finally, they want to raise the mandatory minimums for certain heinous acts.

01:01For instance, first-degree murder would move from a minimum 30 years to a mandatory life without

01:06parole. Sexual abuse convictions would move from no mandatory minimum to 25 years.

01:12Even though the Home Rule Act allows the mayor and city council to pass some of their own laws,

01:17Congress still has the final say. The district also relies on a presidentially appointed U.S.

01:23attorney to prosecute crimes, not a local district attorney. The House Oversight Committee will hold

01:28a markup for these bills on Wednesday. That's when the final changes are made before they move to the

01:33House floor for a vote. They will likely be approved on a party-line basis in the chamber,

01:38but will most likely stall in the Senate, where Democrats would have to support them

01:42to reach the necessary 60 votes. I'm Ray Bogan for Straight Arrow News. For more

01:47unbiased reporting straight from our nation's capital, download the SAN app.