Rep. Mark Harris Spearheads GOP Effort To Hold Soft-on-Crime Democrat-run Cities Accountable

WASHINGTON, DC — Representative Mark Harris (NC-08) led a group of 10 House Republicans in introducing legislation targeting crime in Democrat-run cities. 

Representative Harris said, "America is facing a crime epidemic. Too often, Democrat-run cities put criminals first and victims last — Iryna Zarutska, who was murdered just miles outside my district, is just one of the many victims that pro-crime Democrats have failed. That's why I’m fighting to ensure that federal taxpayers are not forced to bankroll dangerous, pro-crime policies in Democrat-run cities. States and local communities that refuse to invest in law enforcement or implement policies that deter crime should not expect Washington to foot the bill."

The package of crime bills comes in response to national outrage towards Iryna Zarutska’s recent murder by a repeat offender on a Charlotte light rail, only a few miles outside Representative Harris’ district. 

No Funding for Lawless Jurisdictions Act

• The No Funding for Lawless Jurisdictions Act aims to prohibit the use of federal taxpayer dollars to subsidize jurisdictions that actively compromise public safety. 
• This bill targets explicitly urban areas that have defunded their police departments, as well as jurisdictions that have implemented cashless bail policies for violent offenders or former convicts.

Cashless Bail Reporting Act

• The Cashless Bail Reporting Act codifies President Trump's Executive Order, which requires the Department of Justice to identify and report jurisdictions that adopt cashless bail policies. 
• This act aims to enhance transparency, allowing Americans to easily be informed about whether the areas they live in or visit permit the release of dangerous criminals back into the community.

Co-sponsors include: Representatives Andy Biggs (AZ), Chip Roy (TX), Dave Taylor (OH), Greg Murphy (NC), Josh Brecheen (OK), Mary Miller (IL), Ralph Norman (SC), Chuck Edwards (NC), Sheri Biggs (SC), and Keith Self (TX).

Read the full pieces of legislation for the No Funding for Lawless Jurisdictions Act and the Cashless Bail Reporting Act.

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