H.R. 5179 · Where this bill is now
Waiting for a House vote
Approved by committee Sep 30, 2025; no House vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryPresident gains power to appoint DC attorney general
This bill changes how DC's Attorney General gets chosen. Instead of DC voters electing the Attorney General for a four-year term, the President would appoint them for a term matching the President's time in office. The appointment wouldn't need Senate approval. The current Attorney General's term would end when the bill becomes law.
How it affects you
If you live in Washington, DC, this directly affects you. You would no longer vote for your Attorney General, and that position would instead be appointed by the President. For most other Americans, this change only affects how DC's legal system is run.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Sep 8, 2025)
District of Columbia Attorney General Appointment Reform Act
This bill vests the President with the authority to appoint the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (DC) for a term that coincides with the term of office of the President. The bill provides that the appointment is not subject to confirmation in the Senate.
Under current DC law, the Attorney General is elected by DC voters for a four-year term that coincides with the term of office of the DC Mayor.
The bill additionally provides that the term of the current Attorney General ends on the date of the bill's enactment.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 5179
A BILL
District of Columbia Attorney General Appointment Reform Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX-4) · Introduced Sep 8, 2025 · Law · 2 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Sep 30, 2025: “Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 270.”