McCollum Vote on HR 354,7343,8146,7530, and H. Res. 1210

Ms. McCollum: Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to Republicans using Police Week to push divisive legislation in the House that takes away local control from communities, weakens gun safety laws, and dehumanizes immigrants.

Our constituents did not elect us to get involved in the local politics of our nation’s capital city. Yet, House Republicans think it’s appropriate to waste Congress’s time to limit Washington, D.C.’s ability to police itself. Congress does not have the authority to pass such a resolution for Minnesota or any other state—and we would not have that power over D.C. and its 700,000 residents if the District was granted statehood as the majority of its residents’ support.

Children at schools, daycares, and playgrounds deserve to be safe from guns and gun violence.  House Republicans instead pushed legislation eroding the ability for communities across America to protect these areas from guns. Overriding a community’s ability to establish zones that are gun-free fails to make our children safer, it exposes them to the danger of firearms. Three million children are already threatened by gun violence each year in America. More than 20,000 are killed or wounded. The solution to the gun violence crisis in this country is not more guns, and it clearly isn’t overruling the will of a community that is taking its own action to make vulnerable children safer.

Finally, House Republicans continue to dehumanize immigrants, as they have week after week this Congress. They have presented their harmful proposals under the guise of protecting and supporting our law enforcement. Mr. Speaker, I support law enforcement. I always have. These bills do nothing to support or protect the people who serve our communities. House Republicans continue to insist on undermining Constitutional civil liberties by removing the hurdle of proving guilt before deportation. As I’ve said before: Where will they stop? Are American citizens next?

It is shameful that House Republicans are using our law enforcement as pawns for the Majority’s extreme MAGA immigration rhetoric. House Republicans must stop their politics of division and distraction from addressing the real challenges facing Americans.  They need to join Democrats at the table to find solutions.

Thank you and I yield back.