District of Columbia Attorney General Appointment Reform Act of 2025

Last action on Sep 30, 2025Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 270.

Summary

The District of Columbia Attorney General Appointment Reform Act of 2025 would fundamentally change how the DC Attorney General is selected. Currently, DC voters elect their Attorney General for a four-year term that aligns with the DC Mayor's term. If enacted, this bill would transfer that power to the President of the United States, who would appoint the Attorney General for a term matching the President's four-year term. Notably, this presidential appointment would not require Senate confirmation, unlike many other federal appointments.

The bill has passed committee review and is now eligible for a floor vote in the House. If it becomes law, the current DC Attorney General's term would end upon enactment. For DC residents, this would mean losing their direct voting power over who leads the office responsible for enforcing DC laws and representing the District in legal matters. Instead, the Attorney General would be selected by the sitting President, potentially changing with each presidential administration.

Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Sep 10, 2025

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 20.

Sep 10, 2025

HearingHouseMarkup

Sep 10, 2025 · 14:00

the Full Committee to consider the following: 1) H.R. 5183, the District of Columbia Home Rule Improvement Act; 2) H.R. 2693, the District of Columbia Electronic Transmittal of Legislation Act; 3) H.R. 5103, the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act; 4) H.R. 5214, the District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act; 5) H.R. 5172, the Strong Sentences for Safer D.C. Streets Act; 6) H.R. 5242, to repeal D.C.’s Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act of 2016 and the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022; 7) H.R. 5163, the Clean and Managed Public Spaces Act; 8) H.R. 4922, the DC Criminal Reforms to Immediately Make Everyone Safer (DC CRIMES) Act; 9) H.R. 5140, the District of Columbia Juvenile Sentencing Reform Act; 10) H.R. 5181, the SOAR Act Improvements Act; 11) H.R. 5107, Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in DC (CLEAN DC) Act; 12) H.R. 5143, the District of Columbia Policing Protection Act; 13) H.R. 5125, the District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act; 14) H.R. 5179, the District of Columbia Attorney General Appointment Reform Act.

Committee

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

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Summary

On September 10, 2025, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a markup session to consider 14 bills addressing District of Columbia policy. The bills covered criminal justice, law enforcement, and governance issues, including measures to increase mandatory minimum sentences, reform bail procedures, restrict police pursuits, repeal criminal justice reforms, and modify judicial and attorney general appointment processes. This was a markup session where the committee voted on bills rather than a hearing with witness testimony. The bills advanced through the committee with varying vote margins. Several bills passed with 26-19 votes, including the Strong Sentences for Safer D.C. Streets Act, the District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act, and the DC Criminal Reforms to Immediately Make Everyone Safer Act. The District of Columbia Electronic Transmittal of Legislation Act passed unanimously 40-0. The bills reflected Republican priorities to strengthen law enforcement and increase criminal penalties in the District. The markup did not guarantee passage of the bills; they still required floor votes and Senate consideration to become law.

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Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 119-316.

Sep 30, 2025

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 119-316.

Sep 30, 2025

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District of Columbia Attorney General Appointment Reform Act of 2025

Summary

Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee

Summary

Video

Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee

Summary

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Bill Information

Sponsors & Co-sponsors (2)

Cosponsors (1)

Policy Area

Legislative Subjects (3)

Committees (1)

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

CBO Cost Estimate

Committee

Summary

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Committee

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