Biden to Sign Republican-Backed Resolution Overriding D.C.’s New Criminal Sentencing Laws

President Joe Biden has announced that he will sign Republican-backed resolution that will override the District of Columbia’s controversial new rewrite of its criminal sentencing laws. His decision marks a rare moment of Biden clashing with local leaders of the nation’s capital he backs making the 51st state.
Background of D.C. Criminal Code Fight
Late last year, D.C. City Council approved a new local criminal code that eliminates mandatory minimum sentences for many crimes and reduces maximum sentences for crimes such as robbery and burglary. The council, which leans strongly to the left, overrode a veto from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, and Biden ally, who raised concerns about lighter sentences for crimes.
The passage of the local ordinance followed two decades of efforts to redo D.C.’s crime laws. However, it faced immediate criticism from Republicans, who have hammered Democrats as soft on crime in recent years, especially since Washington had its highest number of murders in 2022 in nearly 20 years.
Legislation to overturn D.C.’s crime law passed the House last month, with 31 Democrats joining Republicans. It is expected to have bipartisan support in the Senate, and a Senate vote could happen as early as next week. The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to overturn local D.C. legislation.
Biden’s Political Dilemma
Biden faced a political dilemma of whether to let the resolution become law or veto it and opened himself up to criticism as soft on crime during the 2024 presidential election. He opted against the latter.
Biden has worked to distance himself from the “defund the police” mantra of the left. It is not hard to imagine the Republican ads next year accusing Biden of reducing sentences for criminals if he had pulled out the veto pen.
Conclusion
Although Biden’s signature would allow Congress to overturn a D.C. bill for the first time in 30 years, it won’t sit well with many in the left-leaning capital who have backed the president. Even Bowser, who opposed the council’s criminal law revisions, asked Congress to let local leaders deal with the issue. Moreover, Biden’s decision may not please many activists who have pushed him to pass policing and other criminal justice reforms.