District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025

H.R. 5143 · 119th Congress (2025-2026)

100%

3 members · Left 0 · Center 0 · Right 3 (Bill Ranking)

Sponsor	Rep. Higgins, Clay (R-LA) (Introduced 09/04/2025)
Sponsor Voting Record	Right · DW-NOMINATE +0.63 · measured from every roll-call vote this member has cast (voteview.com) (Sponsor Ranking)
Support	LLLCLRR support across the spectrum: 3 members signed on (Bill Ranking) this bill: sponsor + current cosponsors, each once
Committees	House - Oversight and Government Reform Committee; House - Oversight and Government Reform Committee
Latest Action	09/18/2025 Received in the Senate.
Roll Call Votes	1
Source	view on congress.gov →

IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateResolving DifferencesTo PresidentBecame Law

Summary (1)

Introduced in House (09/04/2025)

District of Columbia Policing Protection Act

This bill repeals restrictions on the circumstances under which law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia (DC) may engage in vehicular pursuits (i.e., police chases) of suspects fleeing in motor vehicles, and instead generally requires such pursuits in the absence of other means of apprehension.

Currently, pursuant to DC's Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022, law enforcement officers generally may not engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects fleeing in motor vehicles unless the officer reasonably believes (1) the suspect was involved in a crime of violence or poses an immediate and serious threat to another person, (2) the pursuit is necessary to prevent that threat and is not likely to result in death or serious injury to any person, and (3) all other options have been exhausted or are unreasonable given the circumstances.

The bill repeals these restrictions and instead requires law enforcement officers to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects fleeing in motor vehicles unless the officer or a higher-ranking officer reasonably believes that (1) such pursuit would be futile, (2) the pursuit would entail an unacceptable risk of harm to a person other than the suspect, or (3) the suspect can be apprehended more effectively or expeditiously by other means.

The bill also requires the Department of Justice to report to Congress on the costs and benefits of DC’s Metropolitan Police Department adopting technology that alerts the public of an active police pursuit in their immediate vicinity.

Text (2)

Engrossed in House (EH)

119 HR 5143 EH: District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025 U.S. House of Representatives text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5143

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To establish standards for law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects, and for other purposes.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025.

2.Vehicular pursuits by law enforcement officers in District of Columbia (a)AmendmentThe Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24–345) is amended— (1)in subtitle S of title I— (A)in the heading, by striking LIMITATIONS ON THE; (B)in section 127(a) (sec. 5–365.01(a), D.C. Official Code)— (i)by striking paragraphs (1) through (5); (ii)in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting the following: , except that such term does not include a sworn federal law enforcement officer of a covered federal law enforcement agency as defined in section 11712(d) of the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 (sec. 5–133.17(d), D.C. Official Code).; (iii)by redesignating paragraphs (6) and (7) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively; (iv)by striking paragraphs (8) through (11); and (v)by redesignating paragraph (12) as paragraph (3); and (C)in section 128 (sec. 5–365.02, D.C. Official Code), by striking subsections (a), (b), and (c) and inserting the following: If a law enforcement officer encounters a suspect fleeing in a motor vehicle, the officer may engage in a vehicular pursuit of the suspect unless the officer, or a higher-ranking official with supervisory authority over the officer, reasonably believes that— (1)vehicular pursuit would— (A)entail an unacceptable risk of harm to a person other than the suspect; or (B)be futile; or (2)the suspect can be apprehended more effectively or expeditiously by a means other than vehicular pursuit.; and (2)in the table of contents, by striking the item relating to subtitle S of title I and inserting the following: SUBTITLE S.USE OF VEHICULAR PURSUITS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS33. (b)Department of Justice report on PursuitAlertNot later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall— (1)evaluate the costs and benefits of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia adopting PursuitAlert or another similar technology capable of alerting members of the public to the presence of a police pursuit in their immediate vicinity; and (2)publish a report on the evaluation conducted under paragraph (1) and submit the report to— (A)the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; (B)the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; (C)the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives; and (D)the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives. Passed the House of Representatives September 17, 2025.Kevin F. McCumber,Clerk.

Introduced in House (IH)

119 HR 5143 IH: District of Columbia Policing Protection Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-09-04 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I119th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 5143IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSeptember 4, 2025Mr. Higgins of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. Donalds) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government ReformA BILLTo establish standards for law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects, and for other purposes.

1.Short title This Act may be cited as the District of Columbia Policing Protection Act.

2.Vehicular pursuits by law enforcement officers in District of Columbia (a)AmendmentThe Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24–345) is amended— (1)in subtitle S of title I— (A)in the heading, by striking LIMITATIONS ON THE; (B) in section 127(a) (sec. 5–365.01(a), D.C. Official Code)— (i) by striking paragraphs (1) through (5); (ii) by redesignating paragraphs (6) and (7) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively; (iii) by striking paragraphs (8) through (11); and (iv) by redesignating paragraph (12) as paragraph (3); and (C) in section 128 (sec. 5–365.02, D.C. Official Code), by striking subsections (a), (b), and (c) and inserting the following: If a law enforcement officer encounters a suspect fleeing in a motor vehicle, the officer shall engage in a vehicular pursuit of the suspect unless the officer, or a higher-ranking official with supervisory authority over the officer, reasonably believes that— (1) vehicular pursuit would— (A) entail an unacceptable risk of harm to a person other than the suspect; or (B) be futile; or (2) the suspect can be apprehended more effectively or expeditiously by a means other than vehicular pursuit. ; and (2)in the table of contents, by striking the item relating to subtitle S of title I and inserting the following: SUBTITLE S.USE OF VEHICULAR PURSUITS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS33. (b)Department of Justice report on PursuitAlertNot later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall— (1)evaluate the costs and benefits of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia adopting PursuitAlert or another similar technology capable of alerting members of the public to the presence of a police pursuit in their immediate vicinity; and (2)publish a report on the evaluation conducted under paragraph (1) and submit the report to— (A)the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; (B)the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; (C)the Committee on Oversight of the House of Representatives; and (D)the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.

The bill's own words, from our database (synced from the GPO BILLS XML); paragraph breaks added at the bill's section boundaries, nothing else changed.

All Actions (16)

Date	Chamber	All Actions
09/04/2025	Library of Congress	Introduced in House
09/04/2025	Library of Congress	Introduced in House
09/04/2025	House floor actions	Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
09/10/2025	House committee actions	Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
09/10/2025	House committee actions	Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 20.
09/15/2025	House floor actions	Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 707 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015 and H.R. 3062. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015, and H.R. 3062 under a closed rule, and provides for a motion to recommit on each measure.
09/17/2025	House floor actions	Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 707. (consideration: CR H4379)
09/17/2025	House floor actions	Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015 and H.R. 3062. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015, and H.R. 3062 under a closed rule, and provides for a motion to recommit on each measure.
09/17/2025	House floor actions	DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 5143.
09/17/2025	House floor actions	The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
09/17/2025	House floor actions	POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 5143, the Chair put the question on passage of the bill, and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Garcia (CA) demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
09/17/2025	House floor actions	Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4395)
09/17/2025	Library of Congress	Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 245 - 182 (Roll no. 275). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4379)
09/17/2025	House floor actions	On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 245 - 182 (Roll no. 275). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4379)
09/17/2025	House floor actions	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
09/18/2025	Senate	Received in the Senate.

Titles (5)

Title Type	Title
Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text	To establish standards for law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects, and for other purposes.
Display Title	District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025
Short Title(s) as Passed House	District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025
Official Title as Introduced	To establish standards for law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects, and for other purposes.
Short Title(s) as Introduced	District of Columbia Policing Protection Act

Amendments (1)

Amendment	Sponsor	Purpose	Latest Action
HAMDT 106			09/17/2025 On agreeing to the Rules amendment (A001) Agreed to without objection.

Cosponsors (2)

Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19]* — 09/04/2025 — Right (Sponsor Ranking)
Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2] — 09/15/2025 — Right (Sponsor Ranking)

* = Original cosponsor

Committees (2)

Committee	Activity
House - Oversight and Government Reform Committee	09/10/2025 Markup By
House - Oversight and Government Reform Committee	09/04/2025 Referred To

Related Bills (1)

H.Res. 707 — Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4922) to limit youth offender status in the District of Columbia to individuals 18 years of age or younger, to direct the Attorney General of the District of Columbia to establish and operate a publicly accessible website containing updated statistics on juvenile crime in the District of Columbia, to amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to prohibit the Council of the District of Columbia from enacting changes to existing criminal liability sentences, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5143) to establish standards for law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5140) to lower the age at which a minor may be tried as an adult for certain criminal offenses in the District of Columbia to 14 years of age; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5125) to amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to terminate the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1047) to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reform the interconnection queue process for the prioritization and approval of certain projects, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3015) to reestablish the National Coal Council in the Department of Energy to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy on matters related to coal and the coal industry, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3062) to establish a more uniform, transparent, and modern process to authorize the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of international border-crossing facilities for the import and export of oil and natural gas and the transmission of electricity; and for other purposes. (Related bill; Procedurally related)

Subjects (6)

Policy Area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
District of Columbia
Law enforcement administration and funding
Law enforcement officers
Motor vehicles

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