HR 5143 United States House · 119th Congress

District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025

This bill amends Washington, D.C.'s policing law to change rules for police vehicle pursuits. It removes previous restrictions on pursuits and requires officers to only pursue a suspect if they reasonably believe it won't create unacceptable risk to others or be futile, or if another method would be more effective. The bill also mandates a Department of Justice report within three years evaluating technology like PursuitAlert that alerts the public during police pursuits. These changes directly affect D.C. police officers making real-time decisions during vehicle chases. The law updates existing policy without altering other policing standards.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics: Law Enforcement Policing

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Sep 2025

Committee Review

Sep 2025

House Passage

Sep 2025

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Sep 4, 2025 Last action Sep 18, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 4 edits · Sep 17, 2025

MODERATE

The engrossed version makes two major substantive changes to D.C. vehicular pursuit rules: it changes the pursuit obligation from mandatory ('shall engage') to permissive ('may engage'), giving officers discretion rather than a duty to pursue fleeing suspects, and it carves out sworn federal law enforcement officers from covered federal agencies so they are excluded from the definition of 'law enforcement officer' for these purposes. The short title was also updated to include 'of 2025.'

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed for federal law enforcement officers (they are now excluded from the definition) while simultaneously broadening officer discretion by making pursuit permissive rather than mandatory for all covered officers.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the vehicular pursuit standard from 'shall engage in a vehicular pursuit' to 'may engage in a vehicular pursuit,' converting a mandatory duty into discretionary authority for officers deciding whether to pursue fleeing suspects.

DEFINITION

Added an exception to the definition of 'law enforcement officer' stating it 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, effectively exempting certain federal officers from D.C. pursuit rules.

TECHNICAL

Updated the short title from 'District of Columbia Policing Protection Act' to 'District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025.'

Corrected the House committee name from 'Committee on Oversight' to 'Committee on Oversight and Government Reform' in the reporting requirements.

Floor votes · House Sep 17, 2025

How they voted

245–182

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 432

Sep 17, 2025

D Democratic213

29 Yea 182 Nay 2

85% Nay

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican218

215 Yea 3

98% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Sep 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 245 - 182 (Roll no. 275). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4379)

lower

Sep 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

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)

lower

Sep 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

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.

lower

Sep 10, 2025

Introduced

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

lower

Sep 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Sep 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

lower

Sep 4, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors