WASHINGTON—On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) joined U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and 44 of their Republican colleagues in introducing a resolution of disapproval to block the D.C. Council's dangerous and irresponsible Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022 (RCCA) from taking effect. The RCCA would reduce maximum penalties for many violent criminal offenses, including carjackings, robberies, and even homicides amid a surge in violent crime nationwide.

Background

• On January 4th, Washington’s Democrat Mayor, Muriel Bowser, vetoed the legislation, stating in a letter to Council Chairman Phil Mendelson that the bill “does not make us safer.”
• The D.C. Council ultimately ignored the Mayor’s concerns, and subsequently voted 12-1 to override her veto.
• On January 27th, the D.C. Council sent the bill to Congress for review pursuant to the D.C. Home Rule Act.
• This law passed at a time when the crime rate in Washington D.C. has skyrocketed with 203 homicides in 2022, compared to less than 100 only a decade ago.

Sens. Johnson and Hagerty were joined on the resolution by Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

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