Are You Better Off Today

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROSE. Madam Speaker, in the final week of the 1980 Presidential campaign, former President Ronald Reagan posed an important question to voters: ``Are you better off today than you were 4 years ago?'' We don't have to wait until November to answer that same question today. The answer lies right outside this building.

If you are not sure whether you are better off than you were 4 years ago, consider that last year, Washington, D.C., saw 274 homicides. That is the highest number in almost 30 years.

Homicides are up 23 percent from 2019 in Chicago. In New York City, homicides are up 23 percent from 2019. Felony assault is up 35 percent. Car thefts have almost tripled. A record 5,363 NYPD officers were injured on the job last year. In major cities across this country, organized retail theft has claimed more than $112 billion in property, up from just $94 billion in 2021.

There are two reasons for this, Madam Speaker: bad policy and bad messaging.

House Republicans are committed to restoring law and order and opposing all efforts to defund the police and cracking down on rogue prosecutors who refuse to hold criminals accountable.

We passed into law a bill to stop the D.C. Council's dangerous plan to change the criminal code. It would have ended mandatory minimums for many offenses and reduced maximum penalties for burglary, carjacking, and robbery.

According to a recent article from The Washington Post, the D.C. Council is finally starting to reverse its position on these radical, progressive criminal reforms that it has been considering. It turns out that advocating for criminals isn't the best approach to stopping crime.

D.C. lawmakers are also starting to see the damage caused by catch and release. If things keep moving in this direction, we might even begin to see those accused of violent personal crimes remain behind bars while they await trial.

Last year, this city also experienced the worst officer shortage it has seen in 50 years. This is a direct result of the defund the police movement. It was more than a ridiculous slogan. It was a dangerous slogan that, unfortunately, garnered some traction around the country. It has become a cynical rallying cry, and I believe it is the reason law enforcement agencies across the country are having difficulty filling open positions.

Another reason is, frankly, it is a more dangerous job today than it was a few short years ago. Last year, 378 officers were shot. Madam Speaker, 46 of them lost their lives. That is up 20 percent from 2020.

So, no, we are not better off than we were 4 years ago, Madam Speaker. In fact, those who live and visit our Nation's Capital are not better off than they were just 2 years ago.

House Republicans are proud to stand with the men and women who keep our communities safe. We are also committed to taking on the extreme policies of the Biden administration, including bail reform and our wide-open southern border.

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