Congress·Reported·H.R. 5179

District of Columbia Attorney General Appointment Reform Act

House Committee Advances Bill to Give Trump Power to Appoint D.C. Attorney General

District of Columbia Attorney General Appointment Reform Act of 2025

Sep 30, 2025·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

StalledNext up: The HouseNo action in 9 months

This bill has been reported by the House committee and is now waiting for a vote on the House floor. It has been stalled since September 2025, as no action has taken place for nine months. The House leadership must decide to schedule a vote for the bill to move forward.

Legislative Progress

House

No action since September 2025

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

This bill would change how Washington, D.C.’s top local lawyer is chosen, making the Attorney General a presidential appointee.
The D.C. Attorney General would serve at the pleasure of the President and would not need Senate confirmation.
The Attorney General’s term would line up with the President’s term, meaning a new President could replace the Attorney General.
If this becomes law, the current D.C. Attorney General’s service would end on the day the law takes effect.
The bill says staff hired by the D.C. Attorney General would not automatically become federal employees just because the Attorney General is appointed by the President.

Civil RightsCriminal Justice

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Mixed Impacts(1)

Criminal Record

Neutral

State Impacts

District of ColumbiaDC

Mixed

DC’s Attorney General would be appointed by the President, serve at the President’s pleasure, and have a term that matches the President’s term. The sitting Attorney General would be removed the day the law is enacted. DC employees hired by the Attorney General are not treated as federal employees just because of this change.

Milestones

3 milestones6 actions

Sep 30, 2025House

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 270.

The bill is now on the schedule for the full chamber to consider. It's in line for debate and a vote.

Sep 30, 2025House

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 119-316.

Sep 10, 2025House

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 20.

The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.

Sep 10, 2025House

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Sep 8, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Related News

2 articles

The GW Hatchet·Nov 17, 2025

Trump’s National Guard deployment, Congressional actions undermine DC autonomy: experts

Advocates and experts warn that proposed legislation to make the elected D.C. attorney general a presidential appointee poses a threat to self-governance and exemplifies efforts by Congress to interfere in local affairs and eliminate political opposition.

Center Left

NBC4 Washington·Feb 25

Law that changes DC tax code isn't valid, attorney general says

In the context of a tax code dispute, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson criticized 'bullying' by Republicans, specifically citing legislation that would remove the elected attorney general and allow the president to appoint a replacement.

Center

No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.