Capitol Clash Over Speed Cameras Has Bowser Fuming at Congress

On March 17, Mayor Muriel Bowser warned that Congress is gearing up for a vote on legislation that she says would shut down Washington's automated traffic enforcement network and leave city streets less safe. She argues the move would unravel years of Vision Zero work and recent declines in roadway deaths, turning what has been a long-running policy debate into a public safety and budget showdown for the District.

In a statement on her official Facebook page on March 17, Bowser urged members of Congress to reject what she called a proposal to “eliminate automated traffic enforcement in the District,” writing that “removing automated traffic enforcement will put residents and visitors at risk.” Facebook also notes that, in Bowser's view, the District's safety strategy relies on a mix of strengthened accountability, targeted law enforcement efforts and infrastructure upgrades, not flipping off the cameras entirely.

What the bill would do

The measure Bowser is zeroing in on is H.R. 5525, the Stop DC CAMERA Act, which would repeal the District’s authority to operate automated traffic enforcement systems and block certain right-on-red signage, according to the bill text. Congress.gov shows the bill was introduced in September 2025 by Rep. Scott Perry and would formally remove section 9e of the District of Columbia Traffic Act, 1925.

The bill’s short title is the “Stop DC CAMERA Act,” and its text states that it seeks "to repeal the authority of the District of Columbia to use automated traffic enforcement systems," language taken directly from the measure on Congress.gov. Congress.gov indicates that, if enacted, the measure would take authority over speed, red light and stop sign cameras out of local hands and place it with Congress.

Why D.C. officials say cameras matter

District officials point to recent numbers showing that traffic fatalities fell by more than half last year, with 25 deaths in 2025 compared with 52 in 2024, and they credit part of that drop to expanded automated enforcement. The city now operates roughly 546 cameras and reported about $267.3 million in camera revenue in 2025, figures officials say flow into safety projects and would leave a major hole in the budget if the cameras are shut off. WTOP

National safety groups weigh in

Traffic safety organizations have urged lawmakers not to strip automated enforcement from the toolkit used to crack down on speeding and red light running. The National Safety Council has publicly called on appropriators to remove language from spending bills that would bar federal dollars from being used for automated enforcement, arguing that such provisions would sideline a proven countermeasure against deadly speeding. National Safety Council

Budget and legal fallout

Beyond safety concerns, D.C. leaders and budget officials warn that a federal ban would punch a sizable hole in city finances and could force cuts to programs or require new revenue options. Reporting by The Washington Post highlighted earlier city estimates that camera revenue has become a key piece of recent budgets and that removing it would ripple through services for years.

How this could get to a final vote

Policy experts say H.R. 5525 and similar proposals could move in several ways: as a standalone bill, tucked into appropriations riders, or folded into a surface transportation reauthorization package. Outlets that reviewed a DOT draft and related reporting say the administration even weighed language that would prohibit automated enforcement in D.C. as part of the surface transportation process, which is one route for the issue to hitch a ride on a must-pass vehicle. Streetsblog

For now, Bowser and other D.C. leaders are mounting a public push to keep control of street safety tools in local hands. What happens next will depend on whether House leaders bring a camera ban to the floor, whether senators are willing to go along if it reaches the upper chamber, and how the White House responds, a chain of decisions that will shape both day-to-day enforcement on city streets and the District’s budget outlook.