Today I introduced my universal Pre-K bill.
 Considering the staggering cost of day care, the inaccessibility of early childhood education and the opportunity that early education offers to improve a child’s chances of success, schooling for 3 and 4 year olds is overdue.

📌 DC laws should be written by people who know how DC works.

Today, ahead of International Day of Peace, I introduced a resolution designating September as National Peace Month.   The resolution was inspired by 2nd graders from Horace Mann Elementary School in NW DC.

Republicans keep saying that their FY 2026 CR fixes the $1.1b cut they made to DC’s local budget in the March CR. They’re misleading the public. The Senate passed a bill to restore that funding in March. It’s been sitting on the Speaker’s desk since then.

Today's Oversight hearing shouldn't be scheduled. 700K+ DC residents should already have the protections of statehood.   But since Republicans are determined to use our time to question and disparage DC's laws, I used today's hearing as a platform to argue for #DCStatehood.

These offensive anti-home rule bills were introduced and passed by members of Congress who do not represent DC, who are not accountable to DC residents, and who have no mandate to substitute their own policy judgments for laws that were democratically enacted by the District.

The sponsor of the bill to eliminate DC's role in selecting our own judges doesn't understand how the DC courts work.
 DC courts do, in fact, deal with all local matters, including traffic tickets.
 DC laws should be written by people who know how DC works.

The substance of this bill is irrelevant, since there is never justification for Congress to legislate on local DC matters. Nevertheless, I'll address it.   Vehicular pursuits are inherently dangerous for participants and bystanders, and police often have other options.

I strongly oppose this bill, which eliminates the District of Columbia’s already small role in the selection of its local judges.

The president appoints and Senate confirms local DC judges, selected from a list approved by the DC Judicial Nominating Commission.   Lacking senators, the JNC is DC's only role in the selection of its own judges.   Today Republicans will vote to strip DC of even this small role.

A piece of good news for DC: The text of the CR released yesterday would allow DC to spend its own local funds at its own enacted levels.
 The last CR didn't, which resulted in a $1 billion cut to DC's local budget halfway through the fiscal year.

I strongly oppose charging 14-year-olds as adults.   However, whether to amend DC law to reduce or increase the minimum age a minor can be charged as an adult should be a decision for DC alone.

I strongly oppose this undemocratic and paternalistic bill, which amends DC law.   The over 700,000 D.C. residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are capable and worthy of governing themselves.

The hypocrisy and condescension are palpable in the two anti-DC home rule bills the House is voting on today.   I'll speak on both bills today – and I'll forever defend DC's right to govern itself.   #FreeDC

DC Vote continues to fight to preserve DC’s autonomy. I’m grateful for their leadership and their most recent letter with numerous other national organizations as signatories, opposing any measure that would take away power from DC and calling for #DCStatehood.

I'll speak during debate on all four anti-DC home rule bills the House is voting on this week.   700K DC residents are fully capable of governing themselves, and I'll continue to defend that right – tomorrow, Wednesday, and always.

The memory of America coming together after 9/11, in a time of great loss and collective grief, gives me hope that we're still capable of such unity. I'll never forget 9/11, the selfless actions of the many first responders, or how inspired I was by the solidarity that followed.

DC is enduring an unparalleled wave of attacks on its autonomy and home rule from the federal government. Yesterday's markup is yet another assault in that barrage. Republicans in Congress aren't accountable to DC residents and have no business dictating their local laws. bit.ly/46p8A2K

DC laws should not be written by people who don't know how DC actually works.

Rep. McGuire's bill disparages DC and perpetuates the misinformation and disinformation the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have spread about the safety and beauty of the District.    The administration and Republicans in Congress owe DC residents an apology.

Unlike many bills we're considering today, Rep. Gosar's bill does not amend or repeal a DC law. 
It'd require all mayoral EOs to undergo a 60-day congressional review period, effectively barring the mayor from implementing any measure immediately, no matter the urgency.

Starting now. Live stream: oversight.house.gov/markup/full-...

Before local DC laws take effect, DC must physically transmit legislation to Congress for a review period in a multi-step process that imposes unnecessary costs on Congress and the DC Council.   Today the Oversight Committee is marking up my bill today to bring the process into the electronic age.

I was pleased to address the Democrats on the Oversight Committee last night about the upcoming markup of 13 Republican bills targeting DC.
 The markup is an escalation in the current wave of extreme attacks on DC home rule.
 DC has many allies in Congress, and we’re grateful for their support.

DC, we face another tough week as Oversight moves to mark up 13 bills targeting us on Wednesday.   Congress may have the power to impose its will on us, but I won't make it easy for them.   I'll speak on every single bill and will forever defend DC’s right to govern itself.

Senator Chris Van Hollen and I introduced our bills to give DC full control of our own National Guard and police.   These urgency of passing these bills has only grown, as the Trump admin has extended the Guard's deployment and Congress plans a blitz of attacks on DC.

The DC appropriations bill reported out of the Republican-controlled Appropriations Committee last night contains numerous irresponsible, condescending riders that would overrule the expressed will of DC residents.   I'll fight this with everything I have.

DC currently has only one source of drinking water. FEMA must create a backup plan to provide potable water for the District should this sole source be contaminated.   I filed an amendment to the FEMA Act requiring FEMA to submit such a plan to Congress.

In one of the most egregious violations of DC home rule I've ever witnessed, the president has used DC residents as props in a political play to showcase his own power. He won't stop with DC.

I’ll speak at a press conference with Congresswoman Delia Ramirez at 9:30 this morning in opposition to President Trump’s authoritarian deployment of National Guard troops and federal law enforcement in American cities. Watch it here: www.facebook.com/events/18322...

Today:

Tomorrow morning at 9:30 I’ll speak at a press conference at House Triangle to express my opposition to President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops and federal law enforcement in American cities. Thank you to the ACLU and Rep. Ramirez for hosting. MORE: bit.ly/45JSBwV

The Pentagon has released no cost estimate for the National Guard deployment in DC.   However, if we use the cost/NG member deployed in 2020, our government is currently spending more than $1m/day for armed Guard troops to stand around or collect trash.   Is this responsible governance?

Current events have made it plain that we need #DCStatehood.   In the meantime, I have filed a series of pro-DC home rule amendments to this year's NDAA, including to repeal the president's authority to federalize MPD and to give the mayor control over the DC National Guard.

DC abolished the death penalty in 1981, and DC residents voted against it again in 1992. Reinstating the death penalty in DC would be a blatant violation of home rule. The last execution in DC took place in 1957, and I intend to keep it that way.

Federal LEOs recently executed a search that a judge called “the most illegal search I've ever seen in my life.”    @DonBeyerVA and I plan to introduce a bill to require federal LEOs to wear body cameras, to ensure egregious rights violations like this do not happen.   More: bit.ly/3Vll85R

Thank you to DC Vote, which has been one of the leaders in the fight against the recent major home rule attacks on DC.   I am grateful for their leading this letter with numerous other national organizations.

The Trump administration has deployed more than 2,000 National Guard troops to DC who are wholly unaccountable to DC residents.   I introduced a critical bill to require them to follow the same body camera requirements that MPD officers do.   Details: bit.ly/47gY6Va

Today I wrote DoD and the National Guard Bureau demanding answers on the scope, legal parameters, mission and cost of the unwarranted deployment of National Guard troops in DC.   More: bit.ly/47Ns0jP

Happy Anniversary to my friends at Ben’s Chili Bowl! No matter what obstacles D.C. faces, Ben’s stands tall.   I am excited to return to their historic U Street location once the renovation is complete.

Who defined a genre and made his music the heartbeat of DC? Chuck Brown!   Today, I introduced a resolution to designate August 22 as Chuck Brown Day to honor his contributions to our city and nation.   MORE: bit.ly/3HNriIN

We know you don't care, Scott. The same is true of the president and Republican members of Congress, who don’t represent DC.   This clip encapsulates why we need #DCStatehood: It’s the only way DC will permanently escape having policies it disagrees with being forced on its 700K+ residents.

If public safety were the goal instead of the pretext for seizing control of local DC resources, federal support would be directed towards violence prevention. Instead, troops are guarding monuments and the National Mall. Lowering crime isn’t the goal here – control is.   More: bit.ly/41TuY2t

Washington DC’s 700,000+ residents deserve federal representation. DC statehood now.

Trump's rhetoric characterizing DC as crime-ridden is contradicted by both the objective numbers and the subjective experience of DC residents, according to a new WaPo poll.   The number of residents who say crime is a serious problem dropped by 34% since last year.

Aiming to attend one of our nation's prestigious military service academies? Applications for nominations are due November 3.   We'll announce details about our in-person Service Academy Night event in the days to come. Stay tuned.   More: bit.ly/4lAjLek

After federal law enforcement were filmed in DC using excessive force, obscuring their own faces and refusing to identify their agency, @RepDonBeyer and I announced we'll reintroduce our bill requiring body and dashboard cameras when Congress returns.   More: bit.ly/3HHTrkA

When roving gangs of law enforcement conduct violent arrests, obscuring their faces and refusing to identify themselves, people eat out less.   The president's partisan political play is hurting real people, including workers and small business owners in the restaurant industry.

Attention DC middle and high school students: The annual Congressional App Challenge has begun! Submissions must be created between October 24, 2024 and October 30, 2025. Details here: bit.ly/3JsAKSp

DC pays the most in federal income taxes per capita in the nation, yet DC was excluded from a health program in the BBB, likely depriving the District of $100s of millions.   I introduced a bill to make DC eligible, the same way states are.