NEGATIVE Justice & Civil Liberties 119th Congress

H.R.5214 DC Cash Bail Reform Act

Imposes mandatory pretrial detention and cash bail requirements in Washington, D.C. — overriding local criminal justice reforms (119th Congress)

View on Congress.gov

Legal & Constitutional Grounding

D.C. cashless bail achieves 88% court appearance rate; cash bail has documented discriminatory effects on low-income defendants.

D.C. Pretrial Services Agency Annual Report (2023): D.C.’s cashless bail system achieves 88% court appearance rate

U.S. Const. amend. VIII — prohibition on excessive bail
D.C. Home Rule Act, Pub. L. 93-198 (1973) — local legislative autonomy

Bill activity

Introduced Sep 8, 2025 by Elise M. Stefanik (R-NY) with 2 original cosponsors. 3 cosponsors as of Sep 9, 2025. Passed the House Nov 19, 2025, 237-179.

Reached the House floor after the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform reported it (H. Rept. 119-315), under a special rule from the Rules Committee (H.Res.879).

Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY-18) is not listed among the cosponsors of this bill. Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY-18) voted yea on the House roll call counted in grades (roll no. 298, Nov 19, 2025).

IntroducedSep 8, 2025
Passed HouseNov 19, 2025
Passed Senate
To President
Became Law

Latest action Nov 20, 2025: Received in the Senate.

3 cosponsors (2 original):

John James (R-MI) original
Tim Moore (R-NC) original
Troy E. Nehls (R-TX) Sep 9, 2025

Cosponsorship closed Sep 30, 2025 (119th Congress): the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee reported the bill.

Activity log

Source: Congress.gov actions

September 2025
Sep 8
Introduced in House
Sep 8
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Sep 8
2 original cosponsors on the day of introduction
- John James R-MI, original
- Tim Moore R-NC, original
Sep 9
Troy E. Nehls cosponsored (R-TX)
Sep 10
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session HeldHouse
Sep 10
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 26 - 19.House
Sep 30
Reported (Amended) by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 119-315.
Sep 30
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 269.House
November 2025
Nov 17
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 879 Reported to House.
Nov 18
House floor day: vote on the rule (H.Res.879) (3 steps)
1. 2:52 pmOn ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 217 - 211 (Roll no. 290).
2. 3:05 pmPassed/agreed to in House: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 217 - 210 (Roll no. 291).
3. 3:05 pmRule H. Res. 879 passed House.
Nov 19
House floor day: passage (7 steps)
1. 1:53 pmConsidered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 879.
2. 1:53 pmRule provides for consideration of S.J. Res. 80, H.J. Res. 130, H.J. Res. 131, H. Con. Res. 58, H.R. 1949, H.R. 3109, H.R. 5107 and H.R. 5214. The resolution provides for consideration of S.J. Res. 80, H.J. Res. 130, H.J. Res....
3. 1:55 pmDEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 5214.
4. 2:21 pmThe previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
5. 2:22 pmPOSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 5214, the Chair put the question on passage of the bill and by voice vote announced the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Garcia (CA) demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair...
6. 8:16 pmConsidered as unfinished business.
7. 8:39 pmOn passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 237 - 179 (Roll no. 298). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4796)
Nov 19
House vote: Passage of the billCounted in grades
Passed, 237-179
Of 3 cosponsors: 3 voted yea, 0 voted nay.
Member breakdown · Official House roll call 298
Nov 19
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.House
Nov 20
Received in the Senate.

Votes on this bill

3 votes: 3 recorded roll calls and 0 decided without a recorded vote, 0 of them on amendments. Votes counted in grades are marked.

Nov 18, 20252:52 pmHouseVote to end debate on the rule (ordering the previous question)
H.Res.879On ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 217 - 211 (Roll no. 290).Agreed to217-211Nay

Party	Yea	Nay	Not voting
Democratic	0	211	3
Republican	217	0	2
Independent	0	0	0
Total	217	211	5

Official House roll call

Nov 18, 20253:05 pmHouseVote on the rule (H.Res.879)On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 217 - 210 (Roll no. 291).Agreed to217-210Nay

Party	Yea	Nay	Not voting
Democratic	1	210	3
Republican	216	0	3
Independent	0	0	0
Total	217	210	6

Official House roll call

Nov 19, 20258:39 pmHousePassage of the billCounted in gradesOn passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 237 - 179 (Roll no. 298). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4796)Passed237-179Yea

Counted in grades

Of 3 cosponsors: 3 voted yea, 0 voted nay. Question voted on: Passage of the bill

Party	Yea	Nay	Not voting
Democratic	28	179	7
Republican	209	0	10
Independent	0	0	0
Total	237	179	17

Official House roll call

Amendments

1 amendment: 1 agreed to.

Agreed to (1)

H.Amdt.109Nov 19
Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 879, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform printed in the bill is considered adopted.Without a recorded vote

D.C. Cash Bail restoration. Cash bail has documented discriminatory effects on low-income defendants, and D.C.'s reforms reduced pretrial detention without increasing crime (D.C. Pretrial Services).