OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER ROBERT C. WHITE, JR

CHAIR, COMMITTEE ON HOUSING

THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING

1350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW, SUITE 107

WASHINGTON, DC 20004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                    MEDIA CONTACT

     March 31, 2026                                                                                       Whitney Sweetwine, 202-600-1866

COUNCILMEMBER ROBERT C. WHITE, JR. STATEMENT ON COUNCIL OVERRIDE OF MAYOR’S VETO OF THE FAAR ACT

WASHINGTON, DC — Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. Released the Following Statement After the Council Voted to Override the Mayor’s Veto of the FAAR Act:

 “At a time when some leaders choose to be divisive, the Council stood together and decided not to play politics with people’s lives.

 We made clear that accountability and transparency is not optional. 

Today, I am proud to stand with my colleagues who voted to override the Mayor’s veto and move the FAAR Act forward. This legislation passed unanimously once before, and I am grateful that the Council again came together to uphold transparency and accountability for District residents.

Let me be clear: this bill is not about a theoretical concern. Three Black men Philip Brown, Julian Bailey, and Justin Nelson have been shot at by federal officers in Washington, DC.

In one case, federal officers fired multiple shots into a vehicle. When that case reached court, there was no body-worn camera footage available, and the police report made no mention of federal officers being present or discharging their weapons. That cannot be acceptable in any system that values accountability. When federal officers use force in the District, victims and families should not have to guess who was there, who used force, or what happened.

This bill ensures that there is, at minimum, a clear record of the facts to the extent MPD is able to collect them. From the beginning, we approached this legislation collaboratively. We worked with agencies, incorporated recommendations from the Office of the Attorney General, and engaged our colleagues to move forward together. Nine Councilmembers introduced this bill jointly. In the spirit of unity, I also made a collegial compromise to ensure that related legislation could move forward alongside this effort.

We passed these bills as a package because they come from the same place: a shared responsibility to ensure transparency, accountability, and trust in moments where lives are on the line. Nothing about this bill has changed since it passed unanimously. It does not create new burdens for MPD.

The department already collects incident reports and body-worn camera footage. This legislation simply clarifies that, when federal officers are involved, information should be documented to the extent possible. One tool alone is not enough. Body-worn camera footage only captures what is in front of an officer. Without documentation of who was present and what occurred, critical gaps remain and those gaps leave families without answers.

 I believe strongly that collegiality should not become a political opportunity. At a time when our city faces complex challenges, we must remain focused on leading together and delivering for residents. This was about doing what is right and today, the Council made that choice.”

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