Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2025

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 5103. As a proud cosponsor of H.R. 5103, I stand with Representative McGuire and my Republican colleagues to deliver on President Trump's vision for our Nation's capital. This bill codifies Executive Order 14252 and turns words into law to make Washington, D.C., safe, clean, and beautiful once again.

The bill creates the bipartisan ``District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission,'' comprising federal law enforcement leaders from DHS, the FBI, ATF, the U.S. Marshals, and the U.S. Attorneys for D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. This commission will work directly with D.C. officials to crack down on crime, enforce federal immigration law, and support the Metropolitan Police Department. American taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize lawlessness in the seat of our government.

This legislation also directs the Department of the Interior to launch a comprehensive beautification program to clean up monuments, memorials, parks, sidewalks, highways, and public spaces. Our capital should reflect American pride and history, not graffiti and decay.

Both the Commission and the beautification program sunset on January 2, 2029, ensuring focused action and regular congressional oversight through required progress reports. This is targeted, time-limited leadership, not another permanent bureaucracy.

As the seat of our federal government and a symbol to the world, Washington, D.C., must be safe for tourists, workers, residents, and Members of Congress alike. Crime, filth, and disrespect for our monuments undermine national morale and our global image. H.R. 5103 fixes that.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5103 today. Let's show the American people that we are delivering on law and order and restoring the beauty and dignity of our Nation's capital.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source