Research & Publications

Most forms of local D.C. law are transmitted to Congress for a specified review or “layover” period. The length of the layover period differs based on the type of law the District has enacted (60 days for criminal legislation and 30 days for other acts).

On Monday, August 11, 2025, President Donald J. Trump announced that he was federalizing D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and deploying the National Guard to fight crime in Washington, D.C.

Micromanaging the day-to-day affairs of D.C. is now what voters elected members of Congress to accomplish. Members of Congress should not be saddled with managing the day-to-day affairs of the District. Riders are additions to proposed legislation, which usually have little or no connection to the legislation they are attached to. For years, D.C. has been harmed by riders placed on federal budget bills by members of Congress who do not represent D.C. The FY 26 Financial Services and General Government (FSSG) Appropriations bill includes riders that micro-manage D.C. These riders must be removed from the bill.

In sum, our successes over the last two years, as detailed in this report, offer a model for continued vigorous defense of civil liberties going forward.

This newsletter includes articles on Bias at the Core?: Police Continue to Disproportionately Stop Black People in D.C., Court Issues Ruling Against Abuse of Power by Police, Lawsuit Challenges Censorship of Pro-Palestinian Student Speech, Three Ways the First Admendment Protects Your Speech

This report covers data collected between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. The data analyzed in this report indicates that the stark racial disparities present in the 2019 and 2020 stops data remain. MPD continues to disproportionately stop Black people in D.C.