Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2025

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Indiana for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Oh, my God, Mr. Speaker, it is pretty unbelievable that this is what House Republicans are spending time on right now. Wow. I mean, every time I think they can't do any worse, my Republican friends always defy expectations.

People are standing in long lines at airports. Flights are delayed. Travelers are confused, and they are frustrated. TSA officers are stretched thin, exhausted, being jerked around because Republicans cannot govern responsibly even though they control everything.

Now, let me set the record straight from the outset. Democrats are ready

to fund the people and agencies that actually protect the public: TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard. We agree they need full funding, and I think there are more than a few Republicans who would join with us in that.

Just last night in the Rules Committee, two Republican Members, including the gentlewoman from Indiana, voted with Democrats on a motion to fund the TSA. I thank her for doing that, but that vote failed because Republicans voted against making it in order. Clearly, there has to be some bipartisan appetite to try to get this thing resolved.

I mean, take for instance Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the Republican who offered a deal to fund the Department outside of ICE which, by the way, already has years of funding due to the Republicans' big, ugly bill. You know the big, ugly bill, the bill that gave millionaires and billionaires tax cuts, that cut SNAP by $200 billion, that cut Medicaid by a trillion dollars. They actually snuck in more funding for ICE and CBP in that.

The Republican-manufactured crisis could have been over, but that deal was shot down by Trump who said, in Republican Senator John Kennedy's words: ``No deals with the Democrats.'' He continued: ``It would have worked. We could have had TSA paid by the end of the week, but the President said, `no deal'.''

What is wrong with him? What is going on here? Let's be clear about what happened over the past few days. The Republican President tanked a deal offered by the Republican Senate Majority Leader to get us out of this crisis. This is the worst kind of politics, and it is why people are sick and tired of this Republican Congress.

TSA agents continue to go unpaid, and FEMA and the Coast Guard continue to go without funding, all because President Trump decided to throw another temper tantrum. But Democrats are not in charge. Republicans control the House. I wish they didn't, but they do. Republicans control the Senate. I wish they didn't, but they do. Republicans control the White House. It is a disaster for America that a Republican controls the White House, but it is the reality.

If they wanted to solve this, they could solve it.

Now Trump is causing further chaos by sending ICE into airports. ICE agents are not trained to do TSA's job. Sending immigration agents into airports does not fix a staffing crisis. It makes things more chaotic, more intimidating, more ridiculous.

Passing the same DHS bill today--for a third time--is a gigantic waste of time. Now, there is a clear solution to this crisis, but it means my Republican colleagues need to stand up to Trump for once in their lives.

In addition to failing to fund the Department of Homeland Security, this rule does a whole lot of nothing when it comes to helping regular people. It includes a nonbinding resolution to say that Congress supports DHS. Boy, that is just what TSA agents want, a nonbinding resolution to say: Hi, how you doing? I mean, that will pay the bills. Give me a break.

Also included are a bill about a single port in Mexico and another bill about graffiti in D.C. I mean, are you kidding me? Are they serious when they bring this stuff to the floor? I hate to tell you, but costs are up and anxiety is up. The country is in trouble, and the President's recklessness abroad is making an already difficult economic picture even more dangerous for working families here at home.

Donald Trump has dragged this country into another stupid, illegal war in the Middle East, and there is no doubt about it, working people are going to pay the price. Gas prices are already up $1 a gallon because of this nonsense. For what? For what?

Yesterday, Trump was bragging that we ``won.'' We won what? Reuters reported at the same time that his administration was preparing to send thousands more U.S. troops into the region. I mean, that is not a strategy. That is not strength. That is a President pretending the war is over while taking steps to drag us in deeper.

Let's not forget the dishonesty here. Last Friday, Trump acted like further bombing might be held off because substantial talks were happening. Talks with whom? Iran has denied there were direct negotiations. They say talks hadn't even begun.

Once again, this administration says whatever it thinks the markets want to hear, whatever it thinks the public wants to hear, and the truth comes later, if it comes at all.

That is what is so infuriating about all of this. These guys, they don't care that regular people are hurting. They don't care that families are barely keeping their heads above water. They don't care that parents are worried about prices or that military families are worried about where their sons and daughters are being sent and why. These guys don't care that TSA officers have been left hanging while Republicans play games with basic funding.

Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can: Republicans own this. They own this. They have the power of agenda-setting. They could fix this in a nanosecond. If they put a bill on the floor today to fund TSA or FEMA or any of the law-abiding agencies, it would pass the House and it would pass the Senate. But that is not what the House leadership is doing. It is a choice, and Republicans own it.

I do want to just say one other thing, Mr. Speaker. I mean, when the gentlewoman and other Republicans talk about how much they care about our Federal workforce, I have got to tell you, it rings hollow. Where on Earth have Republicans been for the past year and a half when Donald Trump has repeatedly gone after hardworking Federal employees? Where have they been?

Trump has said Federal workers are ``destroying this country.'' He called them ``crooked'' and ``dishonest.'' Russell Vought, Trump's own Director of Management and Budget, said he wanted Federal workers ``to be traumatically affected. When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, because they are increasingly viewed as the villains.'' That is this administration.

Where have my Republicans been defending Federal workers? These are hardworking Americans, Mr. Speaker. They help ensure that we have clean water. They help our veterans get healthcare. They help older adults access the Social Security benefits that they have earned. They help small businesses thrive. They have been treated like garbage by this administration, and nobody on the other side bothers to stand up for these Federal workers.

On day one of this administration, Trump and his DOGE goons laid out their plan to tear apart our Federal workforce. They went on a witch hunt, carrying out mass terminations across government and cruelly forcing longtime, upstanding Federal employees out of their jobs.

Republicans in this Chamber cheered that on, even though it caused harm to everyday Americans, people that they represented. Where was everybody? Where the hell were they all?

Where were my Republican colleagues--and this is rich--when Kristi Noem said she was going to get rid of FEMA, abolish FEMA? They are on the floor today saying we have got to pay our FEMA workers. Where were they when Kristi Noem was saying we should abolish the entire agency? How about when Trump abruptly fired 400 DHS employees at the beginning of 2025? Where were they all? Where have they been as Trump is tearing apart the U.S. Department of Agriculture, shuttering offices, forcing longtime staff out of their jobs to the detriment of our farmers, hungry families, and food supply?

I mean, House Republicans are supporting this nonsense, this theater that we are dealing with here today on the House floor.

Let me be clear: I want TSA workers to get their paychecks. I want FEMA fully operational. That is why I have been on record for weeks trying to reopen these agencies. That is why Democrats have continuously forced votes on reopening all of these lawful agencies and departments.

Please, don't pretend that Republicans have always been on the side of Federal workers. Trump has made their lives unbearable through the chaos he has inflicted upon them, and Republicans in this Chamber haven't done a damn thing to stop him.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I feel like my head is about to explode with all this nonsense that is being thrown out here.

Let's just state for the record that ICE has years of funding because of the big, ugly bill, tens of billions of dollars that they put in that bill, again, the bill that gave millionaires and billionaires tax cuts and that screwed over poor people by cutting SNAP by $200 billion. They cut Medicaid by a trillion dollars in that bill where they snuck in tens of billions of dollars.

The gentleman doesn't respond. He left. That is fine. I get it, but that is just the reality. I don't know what the hell he is talking about.

To the extent that maybe there was an informal agreement on how to proceed, there might have been, but that was before ICE murdered U.S. citizens, before they murdered U.S. citizens.

I am sorry that people on the other side don't think that that is outrageous or terrible or awful, but we do. We do, our constituents do, and I know your constituents do.

Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up H.R. 7481, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2026, sponsored by Ranking Member DeLauro, a bill which only funds law-abiding agencies under the Department of Homeland Security and not the unlawful actions of ICE and

Mr. Speaker, to discuss our proposal, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee and the sponsor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut.

I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, we want disaster relief more than anybody. We have been fighting for that. We have been fighting to protect FEMA.

Again, where were the Republicans when Kristi Noem and this administration were leading the effort to actually eliminate FEMA and get rid of everybody? I mean, where were you?

The gentlewoman says we need to fund unlawful agencies like ICE and CBP to protect American citizens? I mean, are you kidding me? I mean, was that real? I can't believe I heard that.

ICE has gassed schools. It has detained off-duty police officers. It shot and murdered two American citizens. I mean, that is your idea of protecting the American people?

ICE right now has more money in their bank account than most of the world's militaries spend in a year. I will say that one more time: ICE already has more money in their bank account than most of the world's militaries spend in a year. Yet, they are asking that we give them more.

The reforms that the gentlewoman talks about, give me a break. I mean, we have raised issues about masks. We believe that you ought to have judicial warrants before you break down somebody's door. We believe that ICE agents ought to identify themselves and the agencies that they are with. We don't believe you should be able to deport U.S. citizens. We want those written into the law. I don't think any of those ideas are radical.

Yet, the gentlewoman talks about reforms? I mean, come on.

Again, we have an opportunity right now to fund all of the lawful agencies. Your beloved ICE and CBP unfortunately still have tens of billions of dollars that you guys gave them in the big, ugly bill. They still have money.

We can fund everything right now, and we can support our TSA agents and FEMA, the Coast Guard, and everybody that we believe we all say we want to help. We can do that right this second, and, yet, that is not happening.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman just admitted the sad reality that ICE and CBP have billions of dollars already. I guess it doesn't bother her that two Americans were killed and murdered or that we have seen the excesses of ICE and CBP time and time again breaking into people's homes without judicial warrants. I am sorry that the gentlewoman feels that it is somehow a radical idea to ask somebody who may detain you who they are and who they are with. I don't know why that is such a radical idea.

What we are saying is: Why do you want to give them billions of dollars more? ICE already has more money than most countries spend on their militaries in a year, and you want to give them more money?

Here is the deal. What we are doing here in the House is a joke. I mean, it is embarrassing. I am embarrassed for this House and for this institution because my friends know full well that this is not going to pass in the Senate.

They know how we get to ``yes,'' and that is to exempt ICE and CBP from this bill. Everything else gets funded. If you want Democratic votes, that is what you need to do.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans control everything. They control the House, the Senate, and the White House. I love it. They are in control of everything, and they blame everything on Democrats, on somebody else. They take no responsibility.

I am really surprised that the gentlewoman hasn't blamed Joe Biden yet in her speech, which my Republican friends always do. I think they will go back to Bill Clinton in the not-too-distant future because they always find people to blame, but they take no responsibility.

If you are in charge, you have the responsibility not only to set the agenda but also to lead. That is what the American people are asking for: some leadership, some truth, and some honesty. We are not getting any of that.

Mr. Speaker, I will talk about something different right now. I realize that I may sound like a broken record talking each week about the dysfunction of this Republican-led Congress, but, unfortunately, for you and for my colleagues across the aisle and for the American people, it just seems to be getting worse and worse as this Republican majority keeps setting one terrible precedent after another.

Mr. Speaker, this rule that we are talking about right now blocks privileged floor consideration of resolutions of inquiry for the rest of the Congress. Why? It is because they don't want Democrats to have any tools to shine the light on the corruption of this lawless administration.

I know one thing. I don't want to hear any complaining from Republicans the next time we are in charge if this privilege that they are killing today never comes back.

Last fall, Republicans gave us the longest government funding lapse in American history. This week, they have managed to give us the second longest lapse, as well. What an accomplishment.

Last year, this Republican-led Congress held the fewest votes in the first session of Congress in decades. Republicans wonder why nearly 70 percent of the American people don't trust Congress. Give me a break. This place is not working for them.

Last night, I offered a motion to add a bill, cosponsored by the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Houchin), to pay the TSA. While she supported my motion, her Republican colleagues voted that motion down. We can't even debate or vote on that on the floor today.

The gentlewoman's support of this rule, despite that embarrassment, I think, is yet another piece of evidence that rank-and-file Republicans have given up all of their power. This rule contains another four closed rules, which means no amendments can be offered, bringing their total to a new all-time record of 125 closed rules this Congress.

By the way, it is not just Democratic amendments that get rejected. It is the majority of Republican amendments that get rejected.

Mr. Speaker, that is more than 85 percent of all rules brought to the House floor: no amendments, no debate, no real democracy. In fact, Rules Committee Republicans have not allowed a single amendment to be debated on the House floor in more than 2 months, but rank-and-file Republicans keep voting for the rules that block their own amendments. I don't get that, but anyway.

Republicans have not allowed a single Democratic amendment in 3\1/2\ months, and it has been more than 6 months since the last bipartisan amendment was debated on the floor.

Let's stop pretending that this is the people's House because it is certainly not functioning like the people's House. Republicans are ruining this Chamber, turning it into a rubberstamp for whatever Donald Trump wants whenever he wants it. Their vision for this body is the Russian Duma, a legislative body in name only. That is disgraceful. That is dangerous. Frankly, it is a threat to our democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record an article from MS NOW titled: ``It's already a record-setting Congress-- for all the wrong reasons.''

Mr. Speaker, the final thing I am going to say before I reserve is that the amendment that Ms. DeLauro just talked about was blocked in the Rules Committee last night, as well.

I just say to my Republican colleagues that if they don't want to support a bill that funds only the lawful agencies within DHS, that is fine. They can vote ``no'' on it, but they won't even allow it to be brought up as an amendment. They won't even allow us to have a debate and to deliberate on it. They blocked it.

If they are so right on all of this, then they shouldn't be afraid to allow other points of view to be brought to the floor. That is what this place is supposed to be about. We are supposed to be a deliberative body, and my Republican colleagues are ruining that. They are ruining that.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I know that I have a little bit of a Massachusetts accent, and so sometimes I may be hard to understand for the gentlewoman. I didn't say that ICE agents raided schools. I said that they gassed students. They gassed schools.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record a news story titled: ``Witnesses say agents arrest Minneapolis school staff, tear gas students; DHS claims no tear gas was used.''

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, this is what it comes down to: The American people need help, and this Republican majority has nothing to offer them.

People are worried about affording groceries. They are worried about gas prices. They are worried about what this war means for their family budgets, their jobs, their kids, and their future.

Military families are worried about their loved ones being sent into danger with no clear mission and no clear plan.

TSA officers have been forced to live with uncertainty while doing one of the toughest jobs in public service. Even Republican Senator John Kennedy admitted on FOX News that we could have TSA paid by the end of the week, but President Donald Trump has said no deal.

Instead of fixing problems, Republicans waste time. They recycle the same old bills. They posture. They distract. They try to change the subject, and, yes, cruelty is part of it, too. When people are hurting, and leaders see the pain and still choose chaos and still choose stunts like this, still choose political games over actually helping anybody, that is not just incompetence. It is callousness, and it is cruelty.

One day, Trump says one thing. The next day, his administration does the opposite--more troops, more escalation, more confusion--and regular people are left to absorb the consequences.

They do not care that this war could send the cost of living even higher. They don't care that supply chains are getting hit. They don't care that their farmers are getting screwed over. They do not care that working families are one more price spike away from disaster. The American people want to stop being jerked around.

The reality is that Republicans do not care. If they cared, we would be debating bills to lower costs; we would be demanding answers about this war; we would make sure that we paid people who keep this country safe; and they would be acting with urgency and seriousness.

That is not what we are getting. Instead, we are getting a Republican majority that is deeply incompetent, deeply unserious, and far too comfortable with making ordinary people pay the price for its failures.

The American people deserve better, and I think I understand why Republicans are working overtime to make it harder for people to vote before November. I understand the SAVE Act because the State legislative district that includes Mar-a-Lago flipped blue last night.

The American people are sick of this. They are not going to put up with this.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question and on this rule. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1131 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, last night, the Rules Committee met and produced a rule, House Resolution 1131, providing for the House's consideration of four pieces of legislation.

First, the rule provides for H.R. 8029, the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act, to be considered under a closed rule. It provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.

Second, the rule provides for H. Res. 1128, expressing support of the House of Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security, to be considered under a closed rule. It provides for 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Homeland Security or their respective designees.

Third, the rule provides for H.R. 7084, the Defending American Property Abroad Act to be considered under a closed rule. It also provides for 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.

Last, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5103, the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2026, under a closed rule. It provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the underlying legislation.

At a fundamental level, this rule addresses our core responsibilities: maintaining public safety at home, defending American interests abroad, and ensuring the continuity of essential national security operations.

The underlying bills represent a consistent theme: America First. This White House and Republicans in Congress have never wavered from that ideal.

Let me begin with the Department of Homeland Security funding bill. We are now more than 1 month into the Democrats' shutdown of one of the most critical Departments in the Federal Government, the second longest shutdown in history. The consequences are real, and they are growing.

During the State of the Union Address, President Trump challenged Members of Congress to stand if they support the principle that the first duty of American Government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens. The majority of Democrats remained seated.

Let's be clear about what the Democrat shutdown means for the American people. It means Democrats are putting the interests of illegal aliens over our own citizens, and they, unbelievably, do this again and again. It is clear their policies are wildly unpopular, with not even 66 percent support from Democratic voters. It is no wonder they want illegal aliens to count in the Census and vote.

House and Senate Democrats have voted seven times--seven times-- against funding DHS, and already the shutdown has resulted in $2.5 billion in economic losses.

Across the country, essential workers are continuing to report for duty without pay. These individuals are responsible for airport security, disaster response, cybersecurity, and a range of other missions that affect public safety. At the same time, other employees have been furloughed, delaying important work and placing additional strain on those who remain on the job.

In total, over 100,000 DHS employees, including TSA officers at our airports, Coast Guard personnel, and FEMA staff, have been directly impacted by the Democrats' shutdown. That is roughly $1 billion in unpaid wages every month, and thousands of DHS personnel who, thanks to the Democrats, have worked with no pay for 49 percent of this fiscal year.

The ripple effects extend far beyond the workforce itself. Travelers are encountering longer and longer wait times, with some airports reporting 4- to 6-hour lines to clear security. Staffing shortages are becoming more and more pronounced. Experienced personnel are leaving, including 450 TSA agents, and replacing them is neither quick nor easy.

Meanwhile, agencies tasked with responding to emergencies are being forced to scale back planning and recovery efforts. All of this is happening while uncertainty continues, with no clear resolution in sight.

The burden of the Democrats' stunt continues to fall on Federal employees and the American public. That is not how critical national security functions should be managed.

Regardless of political differences, there should be a shared understanding that maintaining the operations of agencies responsible for protecting this country is essential. That includes our border security and our ICE agents. Delays and disruptions of these functions carry real risks--risks to efficiency, to morale, and, most importantly, to safety.

It is irresponsible and easily reversed. Democrats should vote to fully fund DHS when they have the opportunity to do so for the eighth time this week.

This rule also provides for consideration of a resolution expressing support for the Department of Homeland Security, led by my good friend from Pennsylvania, Congressman Ryan Mackenzie.

Now more than ever, we need to stand with the men and women carrying out the mission of DHS. While our military is engaged abroad, Democrats have shut down the agency responsible for securing the homeland, and Americans are less safe because of it. Ending this shutdown and passing this resolution makes clear we stand with those who protect this country, not the politics that undermine them.

I turn now to the Defending American Property Abroad Act. For generations, the United States has stood for the principle based in liberty that individuals and businesses should be able to invest, operate, and compete under the protection of clear and predictable rules. Respect for private property is essential to that system. It is what allows markets to function, innovation to thrive, and economic relationships to grow. However, those principles are not always honored beyond our borders.

There have been repeated instances where American companies have seen their assets seized or undermined in ways that are inconsistent with international commitments. When that happens without consequence, it doesn't just harm a single business. It sends a signal that these agreements can be ignored. When there are no meaningful consequences, the problem grows.

Existing agreements establish expectations, but expectations alone are not enough. They must be backed by credible enforcement.

This legislation is designed to fill that gap, and I thank Representative Pfluger for his work on it. It creates a more structured and timely way for the United States to respond when American-owned property is treated unfairly abroad. It strengthens our ability to deter such actions before they happen and to respond more effectively when they do.

It also reinforces the basic idea that access to the benefits of economic engagement with the United States comes with responsibilities. If foreign actors expect to participate in our markets, then they must also respect the rules that govern fair treatment of American businesses.

Failing to respond when these standards are violated doesn't preserve stability. It undermines it. This bill represents a measured and necessary step toward protecting American interests and reinforcing the integrity of the global economic system.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I want to turn to the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act. Washington, D.C., is where Americans come to connect with their history, where visitors from around the world come to understand our values, and where we, as elected Representatives, carry out the work of the people.

Because of that, the condition and safety of our Capital matters, not just to those who live there, but to the country as a whole. Yet, for too long, too many people have experienced a different reality when they visit Washington. Concerns about public safety, disorder in public spaces, and the condition of key landmarks became more and more visible and pressing.

When we take public safety seriously and stop being soft on crime, we see results. After President Trump deployed the National Guard, crime dropped significantly. In the first 30 days alone, total crime fell by roughly 18 percent compared to the same period the year before. Violent crime dropped by nearly 50 percent. Carjackings fell by more than 80 percent.

Those trends have continued. This year, thanks to President Trump, violent crime is down more than 30 percent; robberies have been cut by more than one-half; and homicides are down sharply compared to last year. That is what happens when we support law enforcement and restore order.

Addressing these challenges requires more than temporary measures. It requires a sustained, coordinated effort that brings together relevant agencies and ensures that responsibility doesn't fall through the cracks.

That is what this bill is intended to do.

Public safety should not be a partisan issue. The majority of Americans want safer streets, cleaner public spaces, and a Capital that reflects the strength and beauty of this country, especially on her 250th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bills, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I will remind my colleague that they can stop all of this pain at our airports by voting this week for our bill, the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act.

Let us remind the American people that the Democrats have voted seven times against funding TSA. Seven times they have had an opportunity to fund TSA, and seven times they have voted against funding TSA.

This causes the second longest shutdown in history. 100,000 DHS workers are going without pay, 450 TSA agents have quit, and 49 percent of the fiscal year 2026 TSA agents have worked without pay. Seven times the Democrats have voted against funding TSA. They have an eighth opportunity to fund it this week. I hope they will vote in favor of the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Haridopolos).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I will remind my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that they, too, can vote to fully fund DHS. They have an eighth opportunity to do that today. They have declined funding DHS seven previous times.

I remind my colleagues that there are real reforms in this bill that were negotiated with the other side: reforms including mandates for body cameras and de-escalation training for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection personnel. They are asking us to not fund ICE and to not fund CBP. That is just not something that we are going to do.

They are choosing, again and again, illegal aliens over American citizens.

I understand that they have put forward this idea that we could piecemeal funding for DHS, but we are just not going to do that. It is a critical time and public safety is a factor, but also so is protecting our American citizens from violent criminal aliens and removing them from the country after Joe Biden and the Democrats let them in with a wide-open southern border.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, apparently the only people the Democrats want to mandate that they not wear masks is ICE and CBP.

These are very challenging times, but the gentleman from Massachusetts said it himself: We have already funded ICE and CBP in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which makes their vote against fully funding DHS as an entire Department entirely performative. They are not standing on anything. This is political theater, and the American people are suffering from it.

Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleagues again they will have an eighth opportunity to vote in favor of funding our TSA agents, FEMA, Coast Guard, and cybersecurity. They will have an eighth opportunity to do that this week. I hope they will vote in favor of the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act when it comes to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I will clarify a few things. The gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) made a claim about ICE raids in schools. Contrary to fear-mongering by the media and sanctuary politicians, ICE does not target schools or children. Media is force-feeding the public stories, causing people to be scared, but there are no raids occurring at schools and no raids targeting schools.

My colleagues across the aisle also want to decry the tolling of days for resolutions of inquiry, but when the roles were reversed, they seemed completely content with then-Speaker Pelosi's iron grip on floor procedure. For over 600 days in the 116th and 117th Congresses, resolutions of inquiry were blocked from coming to the floor by the Democratic majority.

In fact, every Democratic member of the Rules Committee voted to extend such provisions, despite protests from Republicans. While they may contend that this was during the COVID pandemic, the reality is that committees were working and operating for quite some time. We have operated this Congress without the use of resolutions of inquiry, and it has had no impact on the minority's ability to conduct oversight of the administration.

What is good for the goose is good for the gander. As was done under the Democratic majority, we will utilize this tool as necessary.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I note that the Department of Homeland Security is composed of several agencies, not just TSA, not just FEMA, not just the Coast Guard, and not just ICE and CBP.

When my colleagues on the left are defunding or not funding, refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security, they are refusing to fund the agency in its entirety, which includes U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency protecting our critical infrastructure from cyber and physical threats, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Secret Service, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, and the Federal Protective Service to protect our Federal buildings and our employees.

Those are just some of the things under the Department of Homeland Security. Yes, Mr. Speaker, it is true, we don't want to partially fund the Department of Homeland Security. We want to fully fund every part of it. That is why we are not going to do this in piecemeal. The people who are working at the Department of Homeland Security, whether they are working for ICE to try to rid this country of criminal illegal aliens, or they are working for TSA to protect our airports, or they are engaging in protections for the cybersecurity of our homeland, they deserve to be paid for their work.

I hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will again, this week, have the opportunity to vote an eighth time to fully fund DHS, and I hope they will join us on behalf of all of the Federal workers that work under that agency.

Mr. Speaker, these four bills that we are going to consider in the rule have a common thread. They protect Americans at home and abroad. They stand behind the personnel who keep this country safe. They enforce agreements we have made and defend the values we have built. They reflect a simple principle: the United States Government exists to serve the American people.

I look forward to moving these bills out of the House this week, and I ask my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1131, I call up the bill (H.R. 5103) to establish a program to Beautify the District of Columbia and establish the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I support the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2025, which codifies core components of President Trump's Executive Order No. 14252 titled: ``Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful.''

Our Nation's Capital is a direct reflection of our great country and should be a symbol of pride for the American people and a safe and beautiful location for all who reside and visit. Violent crime in Washington, D.C., has been far too high for far too long.

The Oversight and Government Reform Committee's investigation into D.C. crime has shown that lawlessness and violence on D.C.'s streets are not an inevitability. It is a policy choice.

Specifically, we show that D.C. leadership pressured and, at times, directed police commanders to manipulate crime data in order to maintain the appearance of low crime in the Nation's Capital.

You have to ask yourself: Why would the Democratic D.C. Council do that? They sought to deceive the American people because their misguided policies hurt American citizens.

Unfortunately, years of soft-on-crime policies have turned Washington, D.C., into a city with high crime rates, rampant homelessness, and graffiti on historic buildings and monuments. Symbols of our great Nation, such as the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the World War II Memorial, have all been vandalized and defaced over the years.

President Trump and congressional Republicans are tackling crime in Washington, D.C., head-on.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5103 establishes the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission, made up of key Federal law enforcement and other Federal partners, to focus on ensuring the safety of District residents and visitors through full enforcement of Federal and local laws in the District.

The commission will develop recommendations on how to prioritize the safety of the District's residents and visitors. This bill also requires the development and implementation of a D.C. beautification plan.

Key Federal and local leaders will be tasked--I will repeat that one. Key Federal and local leaders will be tasked with coordinating the cleanliness of the District's facilities, infrastructure, and parks. These leaders will also work to restore Federal public monuments, statues, markers, and similar properties that have been defaced.

Every day, my constituents from Virginia's Fifth Congressional District visit D.C. for work, travel, and my office coordinates tours for them. My constituents, as well as all who work or live in or travel to D.C., should feel safe while walking down the street.

Today, congressional Republicans will again show that we are the party

of law and order by voting in support of H.R. 5103.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, there was a great debate in 1790 with Hamilton, Jefferson, and Madison. Many here may remember the play ``Hamilton.'' At the end of the day, they came up with the idea of having Washington, D.C. At the time, they wanted the seat of Federal Government to be in Pennsylvania or in New York. What that would have done is that would have given us a superstate where all of the money and all of the priorities would have gone.

Maryland ceded a little bit of land, Virginia ceded a little bit of land, and we came up with Washington, D.C.

Under Article I, Section 8, Clause 17, we are Congress, and we, by the Constitution, have complete authority over Washington, D.C. It is not a State, because if it was, it would be a superstate, which would have all of the money and all of the power for the country, and it would take away voices from the other States.

Now, as I have been in Congress for 14 months, I have been around the District of Columbia talking with law enforcement and people that have lived here for years. In just 14 months and into the first year of President Trump's term, I have a lot of anecdotes.

I ran into a young woman, who went into a Subway, and a homeless woman said: Let me get the door for you. So the homeless woman opened the door. As she walked in, this woman punched her in the back of the head, nearly knocked her out. When she came to, that woman that knocked her out went to jail. She got a phone call just a few hours later from a detective saying: Hey, we put that woman back on the street, but don't worry, she is not going to harm anyone.

It seems like the policies coming out of the D.C. Council indicate to the American citizens visiting and living here that police are bad, criminals are good, and nobody cares about the victim. They have made a mockery of the criminal justice system.

Again, that authority is Congress, and this bill codifies that.

My bill codifies many elements of President Trump's successful executive order until 2029, ensuring there isn't a backslide into lawlessness in the city.

I had a young woman come up to me and say: I walk my dog at 8 p.m. I didn't understand what that meant. What she then said is: 2 years ago, I would not walk my dog in the dark. That is just in 14 months, and we need to codify that.

This bill is not partisan. It is common sense. Whether you are Democrat, Republican, Independent, we are all Americans, and I think we all want to live, work, and raise our family in peace. It should be nonpartisan. Wanting our Nation's Capital to be safe and beautiful, again, is not political. It is in the best interests of all who travel to and call D.C. their home.

When people come to Washington, D.C., they are not just visiting a city. They are visiting our Nation's Capital, the greatest country with the greatest people in the history of Earth. We may not be perfect, but we have lifted more people out of poverty, given more people freedom, and given more people opportunity than any country on Earth. Even in our worst days, everyone around the world wants to come to America because of our freedom.

What they see in The National Mall, the memorials, in our parks, and transit quarters shapes their pride and our shared heritage. If those spaces aren't clean, safe, and cared for, we all feel it--residents, commuters, small businesses, and millions of visitors who power D.C.'s local economy. When people visit D.C., they should feel safe

while taking in the scenery and historic landmarks, not scared to walk two blocks because of the crime or confronted with a homeless encampment while walking on The National Mall.

One young staffer told me that she takes an Uber if she has to walk more than two blocks, but in the last 14 months she now walks 20 minutes to work. So, we are making progress, and we need to codify that.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 6 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, reckless D.C. Council policies have caused citizens from all over the United States and in D.C. to be robbed, raped, and murdered. They are reckless. They are not getting the job done, which is why we need to do this bill.

In the Oversight Committee we pointed that out. Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia Chief Pamela Smith actually resigned immediately following the release of the Oversight Committee's report. Why would they cover up these crimes? It is to trick the American people so they don't understand how bad their policies are.

In 2023, there were 274 homicides in D.C., a 20-year high.

In 2024, D.C. had the fourth highest homicide rate in the country.

While these crime statistics are troubling on their own, they significantly understate the level of crime in the D.C. area.

Last year, an investigation into D.C.'s crime statistics by the Oversight Committee revealed that D.C. leadership pressured and at times manipulated crime statistics to maintain the appearance of low crime in our Nation's Capital. This pressure demoralized the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department making the city less safe.

President Trump's crackdown on violent crime in D.C. last year resulted in a significant drop in crime and increased arrests.

My bill, H.R. 5103, facilitates the deployment of more robust Federal law enforcement presence in D.C. in coordination with local law enforcement, providing vital support to ensure that both Federal and local laws are being followed to keep D.C. safe.

Now, sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals. If you are a criminal, would you rather go to a city where local and Federal police authorities cooperate, communicate, and work as a team, or would you rather go to one where they don't work as a team? They have not been working as a team in D.C., and it is causing people to die.

That is unacceptable.

On the concealed carry permit aspect of the bill, D.C. has some of the most complicated and strict gun laws in the country.

Law-abiding residents who wish to protect themselves and their loved ones are forced to wait 4 months on average for a concealed carry permit appointment. This is unacceptable and, frankly, infringes on their Second Amendment rights, which are enshrined in our founding documents.

Criminals don't care about the law.

My bill establishes the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission which will collaborate with appropriate local government entities to speed up and reduce the cost of D.C.'s concealed carry permit process.

Criminals do not care about the law. You can create whatever law you want and try to get guns out of D.C. The criminals do not care. They are always going to get a gun, and you are making law-abiding citizens helpless victims.

The only people who are affected by D.C.'s complicated process are law-abiding residents. Streamlining concealed carry permits will decrease crime by allowing law-abiding citizens to better protect themselves and their families.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, crime statistics coming from the other side, obviously, I can't see them being reliable, especially as a member of the Oversight Committee. We talked about the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. Chief Pamela Smith resigned immediately following the release of the Oversight Committee report, where they had a clear coverup on crimes to make it look like D.C. crime is not accurate.

Since President Trump's Federal enforcement action, the D.C. crime, especially violent crimes, has truly drastically decreased. Carjackings have dropped 87 percent. This is proof that increased Federal and local cooperation is essential to reducing crime in D.C.

Again, if you are a criminal, Mr. Speaker, you would rather go to a city where they don't cooperate, communicate, and work as a team. We are ensuring that they cooperate, communicate, and work as a team, and they will be less attracted to D.C.

Mayor Bowser herself stated that she appreciated the surge of Federal law enforcement officers as it enhanced the Metropolitan Police Department's law enforcement efforts. In contrast, the D.C. Council has proven time and time again that they prioritize dangerous criminals over the law-abiding residents of D.C. and the thousands of tourists who visit our Nation's Capital every day.

My bill will ensure coordination between Federal and local law enforcement continues, providing local police the additional Federal resources and personnel they need to combat crime in the District.

Again, on the concealed carry permit, nowhere in the United States do you have to wait 4 months, Mr. Speaker. That is an infringement on our Second Amendment, for whatever excuse they have.

Thankfully, not only is President Trump making America great again, he is making Washington, D.C., great again.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that my colleagues, my friends on the other side, will consider the priority of the safety of American citizens in D.C. and the rest of the country, and keep the city that represents our great Nation safe and beautiful.

Under Article I, Section 8, Clause 17, Congress has a constitutional duty to ensure the District of Columbia is safe, secure, and beautiful.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose this bill. I include in the Record letters opposing this bill from the District of Columbia Mayor and every member of the D.C. Council.

September 10, 2025.

Hon. James Comer,

Chairman, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Robert Garcia,

Ranking Member, House Committee on Oversight and Government

Reform, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Comer and Ranking Member Garcia: As Mayor and

Chief Executive Officer of the District of Columbia, I am

proud of the work we have accomplished to invest in our

people, strengthen our neighborhoods, and drive down crime.

Building on this progress, my Administration established the

Safe and Beautiful Emergency Operations Center to coordinate

public safety and beautification efforts as the presidential

emergency declaration ends. This structure ensures that DC

will remain proactive--bringing together local and federal

partners to sustain momentum on reducing crime and improving

quality of life for every resident.

We have worked collaboratively with this Committee on

shared priorities, including public safety, the federal

Return to Work, implementing a DC budget Fiscal Year 2025 fix

(which is still pending in the House) and revitalizing the

RFK campus; but I write now to ask you to reject 13 of the DC

bills before you today that encroach on DC's Home Rule:

Bills like H.R. 5183, the District of Columbia Home Rule

Improvement Act, make the District less efficient,

competitive, and responsive to the needs of a highly complex

unique local government that serves local, county and state

functions. Bogging down legislative and executive action only

adds costs and uncertainty, making it more difficult to

handle the economic headwinds and growth opportunities ahead.

Bills like H.R. 5214, the District of Columbia Cash Bail

Reform Act, make DC less safe. Replacing our very effective

pre-trial detention regime, which focuses on charged violent

offenses and repeat violent offenders, not just on cash bail.

I credit recent changes to our laws related to pre-trial

detention for helping to drive down violent crime in the last

two years.

And the bills to abolish the Judicial Nominations

Commission and to convert the elected DC Attorney General to

a Presidentially appointed legal officer for the District are

both less democratic and untenable for District operations.

The Judicial Nomination Commission, with seven members

appointed by the Mayor, DC Council, President, US District

Court for DC, and the DC Bar, works. As recently as last

month, President Trump nominated three federal judicial

nominees who were selected from the Commission's candidate

pool--a process that demonstrates the value of maintaining

local input. DC residents also voted to elect an Attorney

General who represents the public interest. Changes to these

charter agencies would significantly undercut the already

thin ties to autonomy that limited home rule provides.

Finally, I urge you not to up end our three-part education

funding SOAR Act. I have long supported the program to expand

opportunity for DC students. However, my support has always

been contingent on parity among all three education sectors--

public, private, and charter--and this approach is working.

We will not support changes that tip the scales away from

this core principle of fairness for DC families. As the

fastest improving urban school system, DC has become a model

for urban education. We outpace the national average on all

tested subject areas. We boast free, full-day Pre-K access

serving more than 13,200 young learners--an investment which

supports our children and our workforce. DC ranked top of the

nation in parental satisfaction regarding school choice.

Mayoral control, council oversight, and deep, targeted

investments in our students, teachers, and buildings made

these remarkable achievements possible.

I look forward to continuing a productive partnership with

the Committee--one that respects the will of DC residents and

honors the principles of home rule. Together, we can build on

our successes while protecting the autonomy that, as history

reflects, has made our city stronger.

Sincerely,

Muriel Bowser,

Mayor.

Mr. Speaker, D.C. is a world-class city, yet this bill seeks to codify and encourage President Trump's efforts to control and transform D.C., as well as to demonize D.C. and its 700,000 residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown. President Trump already has called for the repeal of D.C. home rule, federalized the D.C. police department, deployed troops and masked Federal agents on D.C.'s streets, terrorized immigrants in D.C., demolished the East Wing of the White House, removed the nonprofit managing the public golf courses in D.C., and announced the closure of the Kennedy Center. This bill will only embolden him.

This bill would establish in the executive branch the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Commission. The commission's responsibilities include increasing civil immigration enforcement in D.C., deploying more Federal law enforcement officers in D.C., and increasing the number of people carrying guns in D.C.

The commission's top priority is to increase civil immigration enforcement in D.C. Specifically, the commission is required to ensure the ``maximum enforcement of Federal immigration law within the District of Columbia, including policies to encourage the redirection of available Federal, State, or local law enforcement resources to apprehend and deport illegal aliens,'' and to monitor D.C.'s ``compliance with the enforcement of Federal immigration law.'' The commission is also

required to facilitate the ``deployment of a more robust Federal law enforcement presence'' in D.C. and to ``increase the speed and lower the costs of processing concealed carry'' permits in D.C.

However, D.C. does not want masked Federal agents terrorizing communities, separating families, and destroying the community trust needed for effective local policing or more guns on the streets.

This bill would also require the Secretary of the Interior to ``develop a program to beautify'' D.C., even though D.C. is already one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

This Congress, Republicans have filed over 100 bills, amendments, and riders to repeal, amend, or block D.C. from carrying out local laws and policies. The House has already passed 10 of those bills.

D.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying Federal taxes, serving on juries, and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self- government and voting representation in Congress. The only solution to this undemocratic treatment is to grant D.C. statehood.

Congress has the authority to admit D.C. as a State. The D.C. statehood bill, H.R. 51, would reduce the size of the Federal district from 68 square miles to 2 square miles, consisting of the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and The National Mall. The residential and commercial areas of D.C. would be a new State.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 5103.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter opposing this bill from Brady United Against Gun Violence.

March 25, 2026.

Dear Members of the U.S. House of Representatives: Founded

in 1974, Brady works across Congress, courts, and

communities, uniting gun owners and non-gun owners alike, to

take action, not sides, and end America's gun violence

epidemic. Our organization today carries the name of Jim and

Sarah Brady. As you know, Jim was shot and severely injured

in the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. As

victims of gun violence and life-long gun owners, Jim and

Sarah dedicated the rest of their lives to passing federal

legislation requiring background checks for gun sales. Brady

continues to uphold Jim and Sarah's legacy by uniting

Americans from coast to coast, red and blue, young and old,

liberal and conservative, to combat the epidemic of gun

violence.

This week, the House will consider the Make the District of

Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2026 (H.R. 5 103), which

establishes in the federal executive branch the District of

Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission, consisting entirely

of federal officials. This bill is yet another example of

federal overreach into the affairs of the District's

residents, imposing unnecessary and unwanted criminal and

civil reforms. Most egregiously, the bill would direct the

commission to seek to ``increase the speed and lower the cost

of processing concealed carry license requests in the

District of Columbia.'' Brady stands in strong opposition to

H.R. 5103 and urges Members to oppose this dangerous

overreach of federal authority over the District of Columbia

and its residents.

Every American should have a say in how they can best

prevent gun violence and violent crime in their own

communities; that is at the very core of the system of

federalism our founding fathers fought a revolution to

create. Yet, when it comes to efforts to pass public safety

laws, citizens of our nation's capital are often at the mercy

of federal legislators with little interest in their needs,

and attempts by the District's leaders to keep their

communities safe are continuously tossed aside by lawmakers

with no stake in those communities.

The District's residents are among the only Americans who

bear all the responsibilities of citizenship without fully

realizing their benefits. The District has a population

larger than two states that enjoy full representation in

Congress. D.C. residents pay higher taxes than residents in

all but 2 states and have the highest per capita federal tax

rate in the nation. Yet, D.C. Home Rule is limited--Congress

has the power to review and block local legislation, impose

their own legislative prerogatives, control the budget, and

appoint judges.

The District of Columbia, guided by interest in preserving

public safety for its residents and visitors, has implemented

a concealed firearm carry licensing process that ensures

prospective licensees meet the necessary legal requirements

for firearm and concealed carry possession, including the

completion of an MPD-approved range training, within the

District. Under H.R 5103, the federal government would meddle

with the District's laws regarding who can carry concealed

handguns in public, undermining its ability to enforce laws

in service of public safety.

District residents deserve autonomy over their home and

over how they choose to combat violent crime. The federal

government should not abuse its oversight of the District of

Columbia to interfere with home rule policies and practices.

As such, Brady calls on Members to oppose H.R. 5103 and any

other bill that restricts the autonomy of the District of

Columbia or overrides the District's criminal justice laws.

Best regards,

Mark A. Collins,

Director, Federal Policy.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the so-called Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act. This is yet another example of the majority wasting our time here, dictating local decisions in D.C., instead of doing our jobs focusing on the real issues affecting the American people.

As we speak, President Trump has us engaged in an unconstitutional, reckless war with Iran. Gas prices are at $4 a gallon. TSA lines are approaching 4 hours. Republicans have stripped healthcare from millions of Americans while giving big tax cuts to billionaires. Masked Federal agents have killed Americans on our streets.

So what legislation do Republicans bring to the floor today? Legislation to bring down the high costs that American families are struggling with? No. Legislation to address the healthcare crisis and the fact that in our own Commonwealth of Virginia, nine rural hospitals are at risk of closing? No. This is a bill to further the President's seeming desire to make himself the king of the District of Columbia.

In this Congress, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has spent a lot of time meddling in local D.C. matters and none holding the Trump administration accountable for corruption, its coverup of the Epstein files, and for the failure to deliver the lower costs that the President promised.

If President Trump wants to run the District of Columbia, he should resign from the Presidency and run for Mayor. I think there is an opening.

If congressional Republicans want to micromanage the District of Columbia, they should resign from Congress and run for the D.C. Council.

Let's talk specifically about the bill in front of us on which it is important to note the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has not held a single hearing. The bill creates a Federal commission to oversee the District of Columbia, with mass deportation as its first priority. The commission is required to develop policies to ``direct the maximum enforcement of Federal immigration law within the District of Columbia, including policies to encourage the redirection of available Federal, State, or local law enforcement resources to apprehend and deport illegal aliens.''

It is to redirect law enforcement. Redirect law enforcement from the worst of the worst and, presumably, toward detaining more hardworking folks and children on top of the thousands of children that this administration has detained.

At the same time, the commission is required to support efforts to speed up and lower the costs of concealed carry permits in D.C., increasing the risk of gun violence.

My friend, the gentleman from Virginia, talked about crime in the District of Columbia. It is true that violent crime across this country spiked during President Trump's first term, but the good news is that it is way down in D.C. today. In fact, violent crime is at a 40-year low. Now, one crime is one crime too many, but it is at a 40-year low in the District of Columbia today. In fact, dozens of cities in red States, represented by my friends on the other side of the aisle, have higher violent crime rates than the District of Columbia.

The bill also requires the Secretary of the Interior to ``develop a program to beautify the District of Columbia.''

As a former member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, I know a little bit about efforts to improve quality of life within local communities in partnership with those communities, and that is not what this bill does. The so-called beautification project is not intended to improve the lives of the 700,000 people who call D.C. home. It is an instruction to the Secretary of the Interior and the commission to transform D.C. into Mar-a-Lago on the Potomac for President Trump's benefit.

If my friends on the other side were serious about making D.C. safer and more beautiful, they wouldn't have blocked the District from spending its own tax revenue last year. They blocked the use of $1 billion in local D.C. funds, funds that could have gone towards locally-directed efforts that would have made D.C. safer and more beautiful for its residents.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this legislation and instead support efforts that respect local officials here in D.C. and across the country who work to make our communities safer and more beautiful.

D.C. residents are among the only Americans who have all the responsibilities of citizenship in this country but don't enjoy all the benefits. If Republicans want to legislate on D.C. matters, let's pass D.C. statehood and give them all the benefits of citizenship.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I hear my friends on the other side often talking about the constitutional authority that this Congress has to legislate with respect to the District of Columbia, and I would make two points.

One, I think the question isn't can we. The question is should we. Should we substitute our judgment based on the anecdotes we might have heard for the judgment of the District of Columbia's elected representatives who are connected to their communities each and every day and if they aren't responsive to those communities can be unelected by those communities.

I would submit that they are in a better position than us to determine the policies for the District of Columbia.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), an elected Representative of the District of Columbia.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

With respect to the concealed carry permit and streamlining the process, one of the aspects of the District's process that does take a little bit of time is the requirement for range training. I suspect that what the gentleman means when he says he wants to streamline the process for concealed carry permits in D.C. is he wants folks to have a concealed carry permit without completing range training. I know some people have that philosophy. I don't think that would make the District of Columbia safer.

With respect to the crime data manipulation, as the gentleman noted, last year the Republicans on the Oversight Committee investigated alleged crime data manipulation in D.C. By the way, it is the same crime data that today they and President Trump celebrate as he claims to have eliminated violent crime in the District of Columbia.

The investigation backfired on my Republican friends almost as soon as it began, thanks in large part to the testimony of every one of the eight current and former D.C. police commanders who sat down for transcribed interviews. That investigation proved, I think, not what they hoped it would prove.

The evidence was that President Trump was not telling the truth and is not telling the truth about crime in D.C. to justify his federalization of the D.C. police and deployment of troops on D.C. streets. It undermined Republican attacks on home rule by showing that D.C. was successfully reducing crime before the Federal intervention.

Every single one of those commanders testified that D.C. was experiencing a sustained decrease in crime over 2 years, well before President Trump's administration. Commander after commander testified that the data recording this trend wasn't manipulated. In fact, it was the very data they were using every day to help successfully drive down crime.

With respect to the argument that President Trump has made D.C. safer, in 2024, the year before President Trump began his second term, violent crime in D.C. was down 35 percent, a 30-year low. In 2025, it was down 29 percent, which is smaller than 35 percent, so the reduction in crime slowed down after President Trump's intervention.

As I noted before, homicides in D.C. and across the country did spike during President Trump's first term, but they have been falling for years, and the reduction in homicides in D.C. began before President Trump's second term.

We heard some anecdotes that the gentleman has heard from his staff and others. According to a poll conducted by The Washington Post, 80 percent of D.C. residents opposed President Trump's federalization of the D.C. police department and the deployment of the National Guard and Federal law enforcement in D.C. They disagree with the majority's view that President Trump and Federal troops have made D.C. safer.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, $4 a gallon gas, 4-hour waits at TSA lines, millions of Americans losing their healthcare, rural hospitals set to close, and tariffs driving up costs for hardworking American families. Those are the challenges that our constituents across the country are facing. Those are the challenges that we here as Members of Congress are supposed to address, yet we are meddling in the District of Columbia's affairs.

Let's do our job in this Congress and work together to bring down costs for the American people. Let the Mayor of the District of Columbia and the District council do their jobs.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.