Washington, DC - Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, applauded news that the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2096, the “Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act” today on a 235 - 178 vote. The measure will now be transmitted to the Senate for further action.

“This legislation is a great win for the law enforcement officers who serve and protect Washington, D.C. We are grateful for the leadership of Representatives Garbarino and Stauber in spearheading this critical piece of legislation,” Yoes said.

When the Washington, D.C. City Council passed the “Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act (CPJRAA) in 2022,” they stripped away the right of officers serving the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to bargain collectively with the city over disciplinary procedures—a right that every other city employee has. The law also repealed the requirement that the MPD must commence discipline against their officers within 90 business days.

The bill would restore the collective bargaining rights, non-disclosure protections, and disciplinary protocols of MPD officers that were lost in the implementation of the CPJRAA. This legislation is of great importance to the men and women of the MPD and the safety of the residents, visitors, and workers in our nation’s capital.

Yoes continued, “The FOP is grateful for the momentum this bill has garnered, and we look forward to working with our Senate allies to get this bill to President Trump's desk."