Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act

Bill Number

S. 2748

Origin Chamber

Senate

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-09-10: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 155.

Last Updated

2025-09-23T15:17:03Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The "Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act" (S. 2748) aims to improve the appearance and safety of Washington, D.C., by creating a federal program focused on beautification and establishing a commission to enhance public safety measures, including law enforcement coordination and crime reduction efforts. Both initiatives are temporary, ending on January 2, 2029.

Key Provisions

• Beautification Program (Section 3):
• The Secretary of the Interior must develop a program within 30 days of enactment to coordinate cleaning and maintenance of federal and D.C. properties, such as monuments, parks, sidewalks, roads, and transit areas, including graffiti removal.
• Restoration of damaged or defaced federal monuments, memorials, statues, and similar sites.
• Encouragement of private sector involvement.
• Requires consultation with federal officials (e.g., Attorney General, Secretary of Transportation) and D.C. leaders (e.g., Mayor, U.S. Attorney for D.C.).
• Annual progress reports to specified congressional committees.

• District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission (Section 4):
• Establishes a commission in the executive branch, chaired by a senior official from the Executive Office of the President (designated within 45 days).
• Membership includes representatives from federal agencies like the Departments of Interior, Transportation, and Homeland Security; FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; ATF; and U.S. Attorneys' Offices for D.C., Maryland, and Eastern Virginia, plus others as designated.
• Commission functions include recommending policies for:
• Stronger enforcement of federal immigration laws in D.C., including redirecting resources to apprehend and deport undocumented immigrants (referred to as "illegal aliens" in the bill).
• Monitoring D.C.'s "sanctuary city" policies (local rules limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement) and ensuring compliance with federal law.
• Accrediting D.C.'s forensic crime lab.
• Supporting recruitment, retention, and training for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) with federal resources.
• Speeding up and reducing costs for concealed carry license applications in D.C. (permits to carry hidden firearms).
• Reviewing federal pretrial detention policies (holding suspects before trial) to detain those posing public safety risks.
• Reducing fare evasion (not paying transit fares) and other crimes in the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) system.
• Increasing federal and local law enforcement presence in key D.C. areas like the National Mall, parks, museums, and transit hubs.
• Allows coordination with local entities like MPD, WMATA, U.S. Park Police, and Amtrak Police.
• Requires a report to Congress on activities and legislative recommendations.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces new federal oversight and coordination mechanisms for D.C.'s maintenance and safety, without directly amending prior laws.
• Mandates monitoring and policy recommendations on D.C.'s sanctuary status and immigration enforcement, potentially pressuring local compliance with federal priorities.
• Promotes faster processing of concealed carry permits, which could alter D.C.'s stricter local gun regulations under federal influence.
• No explicit repeals, but the commission's recommendations could lead to future changes in prosecutorial guidelines, police resourcing, and transit security.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: Increases coordination and resource-sharing among federal departments (e.g., Interior, Justice, Homeland Security) and D.C. entities, potentially straining budgets for short-term initiatives like cleaning and law enforcement deployments. Could enhance federal presence in D.C. policing.
• Citizens: Aims to create a cleaner, safer environment through better-maintained public spaces and reduced crime, benefiting residents and visitors. However, intensified immigration enforcement and pretrial detention may affect undocumented immigrants and criminal defendants, while faster concealed carry processing could impact gun ownership rights and public safety perceptions.
• International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though stronger immigration enforcement in the U.S. capital could signal domestic priorities to foreign governments and affect diplomatic activities in D.C.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal Government: Departments of Interior, Transportation, Homeland Security; FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals; U.S. Attorneys' Offices; Executive Office of the President (via chair).
• D.C. Local Government: Mayor's office, Metropolitan Police Department, forensic crime lab, concealed carry licensing authorities, WMATA.
• Law Enforcement and Security: Local and federal police, transit authorities, potentially private security firms.
• Private Sector: Businesses and organizations encouraged to participate in beautification efforts.
• Residents and Visitors: D.C. citizens, tourists, immigrants (documented and undocumented), and gun permit applicants.
• Congressional Committees: Oversight and Government Reform (House), Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Senate), plus Energy and Natural Resources (Senate) and Natural Resources (House) for reporting.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: The bill leverages federal authority over D.C. (as a federal district without full statehood) to influence local policies on immigration, guns, and policing, potentially leading to conflicts with D.C.'s home rule charter (limited self-governance granted by Congress). Recommendations on sanctuary policies could challenge local ordinances under federal supremacy (the principle that federal law overrides conflicting state or local laws).
• Constitutional: Raises questions about federal intervention in local law enforcement and due process (e.g., pretrial detention under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments). Enhanced immigration enforcement in a sanctuary jurisdiction might test limits on executive power over immigration.
• Political: Highlights partisan divides on immigration, gun rights, and urban safety; could empower federal conservatives to curb D.C.'s progressive policies (e.g., sanctuary status, strict gun laws). The temporary sunset provision allows for evaluation without long-term commitment, but reports may fuel future legislation.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. Schmitt, Eric [R-MO]

Recent Actions

• 2025-09-10: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 155.
• 2025-09-09: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
• 2025-09-09: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

• Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act — issued 2025-09-10 — PDF (10 pages)