Disapproving the Action of the District of Columbia Council in Approving the Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Ms. ERNST. Madam President, about 20 million people a year visit our Nation's Capital, Washington, DC. They come to see our hallowed Capitol, DC's inspiring monuments and museums, and to experience the city's lively melting pot of cultures.

As we have seen across many major cities in our country, bad policymaking has turned a once vibrant city into a scarcely recognizable shadow of its former self. The DC Council is throwing gas on the fire through its woke criminal policies, which will embolden criminals and victimize residents and visitors alike.

We are seeing a staggering increase in crime. The stats speak for themselves. For example, today is day 67 of 2023--day 67--and already this year, there have been more than 1,200 carjackings--it sounds like 1,201 carjackings as of today--422 robberies, and a murder happening every 2 days--day 67, folks.

These aren't just numbers. These crimes have victims, and those victims have families.

The sad reality is that no one is off limits to criminals running rampant in our Capital. It is simply unsafe for everyone.

Just last month, a 15-year-old tried to carjack an elderly woman on her way to chemotherapy. The victim, affectionately known as ``Grandma,'' said:

Baby, you better shoot me, because you're not taking my car.

Elsewhere, two children, ages 6 and 9, were shot while getting off a city bus--children who were just coming home from school.

Again, the very evening DC's Mayor threatened to veto the council's ill-conceived crime bill, an 8-year-old was shot by a stray bullet.

Despite the rise in crime and the chorus of opposition, the DC Council plowed forward with its lunacy.

DC is seeing an explosion of carjackings, and what does their policy do? Reduce sentencing for carjackers.

Similarly, murders are through the roof, and yet this new policy reduces penalties for murderers.

As one commentator put it, ``serious crime is increasing in the District of Columbia. So the city council has decided to reduce sentences for those who commit serious crimes.''

These ideas are crazy, folks. Even DC's very liberal Mayor says so:

This bill does not make us safer.

The law was so reckless--so irresponsible--that only those congressional Democrats in the most extreme wing of the ``defund the police'' crowd defended the code change publicly. In fact, most Democrats did a complete 180 when the spotlight shined on their preferred criminal justice policies.

The Mayor opposes the policy. The DC police chief opposes it. And, most importantly, DC residents oppose it. So why is the DC Council doing it, and why are the far-left Democrats in Congress supporting it? Look no further than the policy's advocates, who say it will ``advance racial justice in the criminal legal system.''

Folks, this is just one more of the woke nonsense which gave us ``defund the police.''

The DC Council is free to make their own policy, but we in Congress cannot sacrifice the safety and security of the residents and visitors to our Nation's Capital on the religious altar of the ultraprogressive social justice agenda. While it is foolish for radical, leftist Democrats on the DC Council to support this, it is not surprising. It is also unsurprising that 173 House Democrats support the policy.

And, frankly, it is unsurprising that Biden quickly flip-flopped on his position when he realized the public and the press were not going along with this nonsense. That is right. When it became clear that this resolution was going to pass, President Biden reversed course. And now the DC Council has joined him in his flip-flop.

I can only wonder: What changed? Was it the shootout a few short blocks from the Capitol? Or maybe it was the assault on a Member of Congress just 3 days after President Biden issued a formal statement supporting DC's law? Whatever the reason, his flip-flop is a welcome surprise to those of us with common sense.

Welcome to the real world, Mr. President and DC Council.

Perhaps the ``defund the police'' crowd has finally learned what everyone else has known for ages: Criminal penalties are not just suggestions; they protect the public.

Folks, it is time to get serious about crime on our streets, and there is no better place to start than by blocking this reckless policy.

I am proud to join my colleagues in supporting this resolution because, to paraphrase one of my House colleagues, ``this policy ain't it.''

So my thanks to Senator Hagerty for his leadership on this resolution.

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