[House Hearing, 118 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]






                                 

 
               SAFETY ON CAPITOL HILL: DC CRIME'S IMPACT
                ON CONGRESSIONAL OPERATIONS AND VISITORS

=======================================================================

                                HEARING

                               before the

                           COMMITTEE ON HOUSE
                             ADMINISTRATION

                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

                             SECOND SESSION

                               __________

                             MARCH 21, 2024

                               __________

      Printed for the use of the Committee on House Administration
      
      
      [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT] 
      
      
      


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                   COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION

                    BRYAN STEIL, Wisconsin, Chairman

BARRY LOUDERMILK, Georgia            JOSEPH MORELLE, New York,
H. MORGAN GRIFFITH, Virginia              Ranking Member
GREG MURPHY, North Carolina          TERRI A. SEWELL, Alabama
STEPHANIE BICE, Oklahoma             NORMA TORRES, California
MIKE CAREY, Ohio                     DEREK KILMER, Washington
ANTHONY D'ESPOSITO, New York
LAUREL LEE, Florida

                      Mike Platt,  Staff Director 
                 Jamie Fleet,  Minority Staff Director 
                         C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

                           Opening Statements

Chairman Bryan Steil, Representative from the State of Wisconsin.     1
    Prepared statement of Chairman Bryan Steil...................     3
Ranking Member Joseph Morelle, Representative from the State of 
  New York.......................................................     4
    Prepared statement of Ranking Member Joseph Morelle..........     6

                               Witnesses

J. Thomas Manger, Chief of Police, United States Capitol Police..     8
    Prepared statement of J. Thomas Manger.......................    10
Greggory Pemberton, Chairman, D.C. Police Union..................    15
    Prepared statement of Greggory Pemberton.....................    18
Rafael A. Mangual, Nick Ohnell Fellow, Policing and Public Safety 
  Initiative, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research............    20
    Prepared statement of Rafael A. Mangual......................    23

                       Submissions for the Record

The Two-Decade Red State Murder Problem study....................    44
Letters of appointment...........................................    55

                        Questions for the Record

J. Thomas Manger answers to submitted questions..................    57
Rafael A. Mangual answers to submitted questions.................    71


 SAFETY ON CAPITOL HILL: DC CRIME'S IMPACT ON CONGRESSIONAL OPERATIONS 
                              AND VISITORS

                              ----------                              


                             March 21, 2024

                 Committee on House Administration,
                                  House of Representatives,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:37 a.m., in 
room 1310, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Bryan Steil 
[chairman of the Committee] presiding.
    Present: Representatives Steil, Loudermilk, Murphy, Bice, 
Carey, D'Esposito, Lee, and Morelle.
    Staff present: March Bell, General Counsel; Alexander 
Deise, Counsel; Kristen Monterroso, Director of Operations and 
Legislative Clerk; William Neitzel, Deputy Director of Member 
Services; Michael Platt, Staff Director; Elliot Smith, Director 
of Oversight; Evan Van Orman, Professional Staff; Jordan 
Wilson, Director of Member Services; Khalil Abboud, Minority 
Deputy Staff Director; Jamie Fleet, Minority Staff Director; 
Kwame Newton, Minority Oversight Counsel; and Owen Reilly, 
Minority Professional Staff.

    OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. BRYAN STEIL, CHAIRMAN OF THE 
 COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION, A U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM 
                           WISCONSIN

    Chairman Steil. The Committee on House Administration will 
come to order. I note that a quorum is present.
    Without objection, the chair may declare a recess at any 
time.
    Also, without objection, the meeting record will remain 
open for five legislative days so Members may submit any 
materials they wish to include therein.
    Thank you, Ranking Member Morelle, Members of the 
Committee, and our witnesses, for participating in today's 
hearing.
    D.C. crime is out of control. Anyone who lives, visits, or 
works in D.C. has seen the impact that weak-on-crime policies 
have had on public safety.
    In recent years, the D.C. City Council has taken a variety 
of steps that have weakened the city's crime laws, requiring 
Congress to step in.
    In 2020, the D.C. City Council cut $15 million from the 
Metropolitan Police Department budget. Simultaneously, the 
council repeatedly passed temporary emergency policies that 
restricted police officers' authority and changed the D.C. 
criminal code.
    For the first time in 30 years, Congress had to act and 
nullify a D.C. law because it was so ridiculous.
    Crime in D.C. is so bad that President Biden was shamed 
into reversing his veto threat.
    Months later, the House and Senate had to act again. We 
passed another resolution to overturn the anti-police policies 
implemented by the D.C. City Council.
    Unfortunately, President Biden vetoed this bill.
    This was a missed opportunity, as today D.C. crime 
continues to remain a problem.
    In my hometown of Wisconsin, I hear from countless families 
who are concerned with crime and policies we have in place. 
Last spring, Wisconsin adopted a new amendment to our State 
constitution related to bail reform. This amendment came as 
concerns for public safety and crime continued to increase.
    The same can be said for Capitol Hill today.
    I hear from visitors and staff alike who share their 
concerns about crime in our Nation's capital. Capitol Hill, 
specifically Ward 6, which encompasses the Capitol complex, has 
seen an increase in violent crime in the past few years.
    I would like to note for the Committee record that we 
invited Ward 6 Councilman Charles Allen to our discussion 
today. The Committee made several attempts. Unfortunately, Mr. 
Allen did not answer our requests to participate in today's 
hearing.
    As Chairman of the Committee on House Administration, I am 
committed to ensuring our Nation's capital and surrounding area 
is safe for every American family.
    I think we can all agree, whether you are here for a tour 
of the Capitol or to meet with your Representative, every 
visitor deserves to feel safe.
    Each year, the Capitol Visitor Center alone welcomes an 
estimated 2.5 million visitors to our Nation's capital. 
However, in the last year we have seen a dramatic increase in 
crime in Washington, D.C., particularly near the Capitol 
complex.
    Let us examine the numbers.
    In 2023, violent crime was up 39 percent year over year in 
our Nation's capital. There were over 6,800 motor vehicle 
thefts in D.C. There were 959 carjackings. For context, there 
were 152 carjackings in 2019.
    In Ward 6 specifically, which includes the United States 
Capitol, there were over 150 robberies in the past 6 months, 
and 350 vehicles were stolen.
    Last year, two of my colleagues were victims of crime. In 
September, I hosted a security briefing where we heard from two 
staff members who were mugged at gunpoint just down the street. 
These individuals shared their stories about the dangers of 
violent crime and the need to remain vigilant.
    Each of these statistics represents a staff member, a 
visitor, a Member of Congress.
    As the Committee on House Administration, we are tasked 
with the oversight over the Capitol campus security. Rising 
crime in our Nation's capital, particularly near the Capitol, 
has constrained resources for U.S. Capitol Police and the 
Sergeant at Arms. U.S. Capitol Police must devote more and more 
of their resources to increased threats against the Hill 
community.
    These resources may otherwise be spent on the U.S. Capitol 
Police's actual obligation and their core mission.
    As crime continues to remain a serious threat and concern 
for Members, staff, and visitors, I am focusing on finding ways 
we can reduce violent crime in our Nation's capital, in 
particular near the Capitol campus.
    Today I am looking forward to hearing from our witnesses 
about how violent crime threatens U.S. Capitol security. We 
will explore the impact of soft-on-crime policies, and we must 
discuss how we can ensure the Capitol is safe and secure for 
all visitors and staff.
    As Chairman, I am committed to making Capitol Hill a safe 
place to visit and to work.
    With that, I will now yield to the Ranking Member 5 minutes 
for an opening statement.
    [The prepared statement of Chairman Steil follows:]

   PREPARED STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSE 
                   ADMINISTRATION BRYAN STEIL

    D.C. crime is out of control. Anyone who lives, visits, or 
works in D.C. has seen the impact that weak-on-crime policies 
have had on public safety.
    In recent years, the D.C. City Council has taken a variety 
of steps that have weakened the city's crime laws, requiring 
Congress to step in.
    In 2020, the D.C. City Council cut $15 million from the 
Metropolitan Police Department budget. Simultaneously, the 
council repeatedly passed temporary emergency policies that 
restricted police officers' authority and changed the D.C. 
criminal code.
    For the first time in 30 years, Congress had to act and 
nullify a D.C. law because it was so ridiculous.
    Crime in D.C. is so bad that President Biden was shamed 
into reversing his veto threat.
    Months later, the House and Senate had to act again. We 
passed another resolution to overturn the anti-police policies 
implemented by the D.C. City Council.
    Unfortunately, President Biden vetoed this bill.
    This was a missed opportunity, as today D.C. crime 
continues to remain a problem.
    In my hometown of Wisconsin, I hear from countless families 
who are concerned with crime and policies we have in place. 
Last spring, Wisconsin adopted a new amendment to our State 
constitution related to bail reform. This amendment came as 
concerns for public safety and crime continued to increase.
    The same can be said for Capitol Hill today.
    I hear from visitors and staff alike who share their 
concerns about crime in our Nation's capital. Capitol Hill, 
specifically Ward 6, which encompasses the Capitol complex, has 
seen an increase in violent crime in the past few years.
    I would like to note for the Committee record that we 
invited Ward 6 Councilman Charles Allen to our discussion 
today. The Committee made several attempts. Unfortunately, Mr. 
Allen did not answer our requests to participate in today's 
hearing.
    As Chairman of the Committee on House Administration, I am 
committed to ensuring our Nation's capital and surrounding area 
is safe for every American family.
    I think we can all agree, whether you are here for a tour 
of the Capitol or to meet with your Representative, every 
visitor deserves to feel safe.
    Each year, the Capitol Visitor Center alone welcomes an 
estimated 2.5 million visitors to our Nation's capital. 
However, in the last year we have seen a dramatic increase in 
crime in Washington, D.C., particularly near the Capitol 
complex.
    Let us examine the numbers.
    In 2023, violent crime was up 39 percent year over year in 
our Nation's capital. There were over 6,800 motor vehicle 
thefts in D.C. There were 959 carjackings. For context, there 
were 152 carjackings in 2019.
    In Ward 6 specifically, which includes the United States 
Capitol, there were over 150 robberies in the past 6 months, 
and 350 vehicles were stolen.
    Last year, two of my colleagues were victims of crime. In 
September, I hosted a security briefing where we heard from two 
staff members who were mugged at gunpoint just down the street. 
These individuals shared their stories about the dangers of 
violent crime and the need to remain vigilant.
    Each of these statistics represents a staff member, a 
visitor, a Member of Congress.
    As the Committee on House Administration, we are tasked 
with the oversight over the Capitol campus security. Rising 
crime in our Nation's capital, particularly near the Capitol, 
has constrained resources for U.S. Capitol Police and the 
Sergeant at Arms. U.S. Capitol Police must devote more and more 
of their resources to increased threats against the Hill 
community.
    These resources may otherwise be spent on the U.S. Capitol 
Police's actual obligation and their core mission.
    As crime continues to remain a serious threat and concern 
for Members, staff, and visitors, I am focusing on finding ways 
we can reduce violent crime in our Nation's capital, in 
particular near the Capitol campus.
    Today I am looking forward to hearing from our witnesses 
about how violent crime threatens U.S. Capitol security. We 
will explore the impact of soft-on-crime policies, and we must 
discuss how we can ensure the Capitol is safe and secure for 
all visitors and staff.
    As Chairman, I am committed to making Capitol Hill a safe 
place to visit and to work.

OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOSEPH MORELLE, RANKING MEMBER OF THE 
 COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION, A U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM 
                            NEW YORK

    Mr. Morelle. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for 
convening us.
    Let me begin, first of all, by offering congratulations. I 
know we have some new staff here, a new parliamentarian, 
assistant parliamentarian, deputy clerk. I want to congratulate 
these appointees and wish them the best as they take on these 
new responsibilities.
    I certainly want to welcome our panel.
    First of all, always good to see Chief Manger--thank you 
for your long service--Chairman Pemberton, and Mr. Mangual. We 
are grateful for your service and for being here today.
    I do not think there is a responsibility I take more 
seriously as the Ranking Member of this Committee than the 
safety of staff, visitors, and certainly Members on or around 
the Capitol campus.
    I have said this before, I will say it in the future: Law 
enforcement has our back. It is critical that we have your back 
as well. That includes the United States Capitol Police, the 
Washington Metropolitan Police Department, as well as Federal 
law enforcement agencies like the FBI and ATF.
    It is no secret that in 2020, during the pandemic, homicide 
and violent crime increased across the Nation.
    Thankfully, while there is so much more that needs to be 
done, in 2023 violent crime and homicide rates dropped 
significantly, and last year saw one of the lowest rates of 
violent crime in the United States in more than half a century. 
Those are not my observations. Those are the statistics.
    Unfortunately, the District of Columbia has been the 
exception to the rule, and the congressional community has not 
been immune to this uptick in violence here. Members, as the 
chair has indicated, have been assaulted in elevators and 
carjacked, and staff have been brutally stabbed and robbed at 
gunpoint.
    I am pleased that the District of Columbia has taken some 
steps to address these issues.
    As I understand it, earlier this month the D.C. Council 
passed the Secure D.C. Omnibus Amendment Act, which contains 
about a hundred provisions--increasing gun violence penalties, 
expanding the definition of carjacking, addressing organized 
retail theft, and more.
    I must point out, however, that this is at least the fourth 
hearing convened by my colleagues on the other side of the 
aisle on crime in the Nation's capital this Congress.
    Despite all the talk of armed robberies and shootings, I 
have yet to hear my colleagues meaningfully address the issue 
of common-sense gun safety measures to keep guns out of the 
hands of criminals in the District of Columbia.
    On the contrary, the Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Services 
and General Government funding bill includes a policy rider 
advanced by my Republican colleagues that would permit 
concealed carry of firearms in the District of Columbia.
    It is astonishing that you would do that at a time when we 
are concerned about violent crime.
    Guns--and let us make this clear--guns make violent crime 
more violent and more deadly. I struggle to reconcile my 
colleagues' concerns about violent crime with a complete 
disregard of the key driver of those crimes.
    There are no commercial gun stores in the District of 
Columbia. The guns used here are from out of State. These guns 
are often acquired illegally through either straw purchasers or 
unlicensed sellers.
    Yet, every single Republican on this Committee who was here 
in the last Congress voted against the Bipartisan Safer 
Communities Act, which created the first Federal criminal 
statutes for firearms trafficking and straw purchasing.
    Just recently, Capitol Police officers arrested a man just 
off Capitol Grounds carrying a rifle he brought to the District 
of Columbia from the State of Georgia.
    Unless we take common-sense steps supported by a majority 
of Americans, the American people, on the question of illegal 
firearms, we will never fully address or solve the violent 
crime issue here in Washington.
    That is why I have introduced the State Firearms Dealer 
Licensing Enforcement Act and will soon reintroduce the Gun 
Theft Prevention Act. These bills would crack down on gun 
trafficking by ensuring oversight and licensing requirements 
for firearm dealers and by granting ATF the tools to hold 
repeat offenders accountable.
    We also need to support the efforts of Federal law 
enforcement partners, like the FBI and ATF, who in the last few 
months have redoubled their efforts to track down and prosecute 
violent criminals in Washington, D.C.
    What we should not be doing at this time is to call for the 
defunding of the FBI and ATF.
    Finally, I would be remiss if I did not note the role the 
Federal Government plays in the local criminal justice system 
here in the District of Columbia. For example, when the 
Metropolitan Police reports to the city government, much of the 
rest of the criminal justice infrastructure is Federal, which 
creates serious coordination issues.
    In a tragic example of these issues, according to the 
Chairman of the D.C. Council, the individual who stabbed 
Senator Rand Paul's staffer was released by the Federal Bureau 
of Prisons with no notice to the District of Columbia. He was 
supposed to go into custody or supervision of another Federal 
agency, the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, 
which apparently did not happen.
    The coordination is an issue we must address.
    I want to thank again our witnesses. I am looking forward 
to your testimony and to the questions. I look forward to the 
proceedings.
    With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    [The prepared statement of Ranking Member Morelle follows:]

PREPARED STATEMENT OF RANKING MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSE 
                 ADMINISTRATION JOSEPH MORELLE

    First of all, always good to see Chief Manger--thank you 
for your long service--Chairman Pemberton, and Mr. Mangual. We 
are grateful for your service and for being here today.
    I do not think there is a responsibility I take more 
seriously as the Ranking Member of this Committee than the 
safety of staff, visitors, and certainly Members on or around 
the Capitol campus.
    I have said this before, I will say it in the future: Law 
enforcement has our back. It is critical that we have your back 
as well. That includes the United States Capitol Police, the 
Washington Metropolitan Police Department, as well as Federal 
law enforcement agencies like the FBI and ATF.
    It is no secret that in 2020, during the pandemic, homicide 
and violent crime increased across the Nation.
    Thankfully, while there is so much more that needs to be 
done, in 2023 violent crime and homicide rates dropped 
significantly, and last year saw one of the lowest rates of 
violent crime in the United States in more than half a century. 
Those are not my observations. Those are the statistics.
    Unfortunately, the District of Columbia has been the 
exception to the rule, and the congressional community has not 
been immune to this uptick in violence here. Members, as the 
chair has indicated, have been assaulted in elevators and 
carjacked, and staff have been brutally stabbed and robbed at 
gunpoint.
    I am pleased that the District of Columbia has taken some 
steps to address these issues.
    As I understand it, earlier this month the D.C. Council 
passed the Secure D.C. Omnibus Amendment Act, which contains 
about a hundred provisions--increasing gun violence penalties, 
expanding the definition of carjacking, addressing organized 
retail theft, and more.
    I must point out, however, that this is at least the fourth 
hearing convened by my colleagues on the other side of the 
aisle on crime in the Nation's capital this Congress.
    Despite all the talk of armed robberies and shootings, I 
have yet to hear my colleagues meaningfully address the issue 
of common-sense gun safety measures to keep guns out of the 
hands of criminals in the District of Columbia.
    On the contrary, the Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Services 
and General Government funding bill includes a policy rider 
advanced by my Republican colleagues that would permit 
concealed carry of firearms in the District of Columbia.
    It is astonishing that you would do that at a time when we 
are concerned about violent crime.
    Guns--and let us make this clear--guns make violent crime 
more violent and more deadly. I struggle to reconcile my 
colleagues' concerns about violent crime with a complete 
disregard of the key driver of those crimes.
    There are no commercial gun stores in the District of 
Columbia. The guns used here are from out of State. These guns 
are often acquired illegally through either straw purchasers or 
unlicensed sellers.
    Yet, every single Republican on this Committee who was here 
in the last Congress voted against the Bipartisan Safer 
Communities Act, which created the first Federal criminal 
statutes for firearms trafficking and straw purchasing.
    Just recently, Capitol Police officers arrested a man just 
off Capitol Grounds carrying a rifle he brought to the District 
of Columbia from the State of Georgia.
    Unless we take common-sense steps supported by a majority 
of Americans, the American people, on the question of illegal 
firearms, we will never fully address or solve the violent 
crime issue here in Washington.
    That is why I have introduced the State Firearms Dealer 
Licensing Enforcement Act and will soon reintroduce the Gun 
Theft Prevention Act. These bills would crack down on gun 
trafficking by ensuring oversight and licensing requirements 
for firearm dealers and by granting ATF the tools to hold 
repeat offenders accountable.
    We also need to support the efforts of Federal law 
enforcement partners, like the FBI and ATF, who in the last few 
months have redoubled their efforts to track down and prosecute 
violent criminals in Washington, D.C.
    What we should not be doing at this time is to call for the 
defunding of the FBI and ATF.
    Finally, I would be remiss if I did not note the role the 
Federal Government plays in the local criminal justice system 
here in the District of Columbia. For example, when the 
Metropolitan Police reports to the city government, much of the 
rest of the criminal justice infrastructure is Federal, which 
creates serious coordination issues.
    In a tragic example of these issues, according to the 
Chairman of the D.C. Council, the individual who stabbed 
Senator Rand Paul's staffer was released by the Federal Bureau 
of Prisons with no notice to the District of Columbia. He was 
supposed to go into custody or supervision of another Federal 
agency, the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, 
which apparently did not happen.
    The coordination is an issue we must address.
    I want to thank again our witnesses. I am looking forward 
to your testimony and to the questions. I look forward to the 
proceedings.

    Chairman Steil. The Ranking Member yields back.
    Today we have one witness panel. We welcome Chief Manger, 
Mr. Greggory Pemberton, and Mr. Rafael Mangual.
    We appreciate you being with us today and look forward to 
your testimony.
    Pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 6, the witnesses will 
please stand and raise their right hand.
    [Witnesses sworn.]
    Chairman Steil. Let the record show that the witnesses all 
answered in the affirmative.
    I will now introduce our panel of witnesses.
    Our first witness is Chief Thomas Manger, who is the Chief 
of the U.S. Capitol Police.
    Chief Manger was appointed as Chief of Police in July 2021. 
Chief Manger has served 45 years in the policing profession, 
including more than two decades as Chief of Police for three of 
the largest police agencies in the national capital region.
    Our next witness, Mr. Greggory Pemberton, is the Chairman 
of the D.C. Police Union.
    Mr. Pemberton joined the Metropolitan Police Department in 
2005 and worked in patrol and vice in the Third District.
    In 2020, Gregg successfully ran for the position of 
Chairman of the D.C. Police Union and was reelected in 2022 and 
again in 2024. He currently serves and represents the 3,000 
members of MPD's rank and file.
    Our last witness, Mr. Rafael Mangual, is a fellow at the 
Manhattan Institute. He has authored and co-authored a number 
of Manhattan Institute reports and op-eds on issues ranging 
from urban crime and jail violence to broader matters of 
criminal and civil justice reform.
    We appreciate all of you being here today and look forward 
to your testimony.
    I will now recognize Chief Manger for 5 minutes.

STATEMENTS OF J. THOMAS MANGER, CHIEF OF POLICE, UNITED STATES 
   CAPITOL POLICE; GREGGORY PEMBERTON, CHAIRMAN, D.C. POLICE 
UNION; AND RAFAEL A. MANGUAL, NICK OHNELL FELLOW, POLICING AND 
   PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE, MANHATTAN INSTITUTE FOR POLICY 
                            RESEARCH

                 STATEMENT OF J. THOMAS MANGER

    Chief Manger. Chairman Steil, Ranking Member Morelle, and 
Members of the Committee, thank you for the invitation to 
testify regarding crime and safety in and around Capitol Hill.
    The department greatly appreciates the Committee's 
continued support of the men and women of the United States 
Capitol Police. Congress' support has been invaluable as we 
continued our work in addressing law enforcement demands within 
our jurisdiction and the dramatic workload increases in an 
ever-expanding volatile threat environment throughout the 
country.
    I want to start off with a very brief video. This is 
something that happened just 2 weeks ago. A lookout was 
broadcast for a robbery that occurred at the CVS on I Street 
Southeast. What you are going to see catches the suspect as he 
runs, flees the scene. I want to show you what happens next.
    [Video shown.]
    Chief Manger. You will see here in a moment, there is a 
black SUV that comes down the street and stops. There it is 
right there. It is going to stop on the corner. You see two 
women jump out of the SUV because they have seen the suspect 
fleeing down the street. The one intercepts him; the other one 
tackles him.
    Then you see the driver of the SUV, a male, help bring the 
suspect down. The fourth individual came out of the back 
passenger seat.
    All four of those individuals were Capitol Police officers. 
The first one who intercepted him, the tall woman, was Deputy 
Chief Jeanita Mitchell. Inspector Carneysha Mendoza tackled 
him. Dave Millard and Sergeant Angela Singletary assisted with 
getting him into custody.
    This is just an example of the almost daily interaction 
that the USCP has with our law enforcement partners in the 
national capital region. It is a mutually beneficial 
relationship that allows our department to fulfill its mission 
in securing the Capitol and the surrounding neighborhoods in 
order to keep Members, their families, staff, and visitors 
safe.
    By necessity, we are more and more a protection agency. 
However, at its core, the USCP still has traditional police 
department responsibilities.
    The department has patrol officers who enforce traffic 
laws. We have criminal investigators, crime scene technicians, 
officers that handle prisoner processing, motorcycle units, a 
topflight bomb squad team, canine units.
    The department deals with the enforcement of the law as it 
applies on Capitol Grounds and the extended jurisdiction zone 
in order to protect the campus and the Members and staff who 
work, reside, and travel through the neighboring communities.
    For instance, like the case last year where USCP officers 
spotted a stolen car tied to multiple carjackings in the city. 
The suspects in the vehicle were considered armed and 
dangerous. The vehicle sped away from our officers. We chased 
them. When they bailed out on foot, our cops ran them down and 
took them into custody, recovering a gun and a high-capacity 
magazine.
    Right after that case, one of our bicycle officers spotted 
a suspect wanted by the Secret Service. Our officer took 
multiple knives and a chainsaw blade off of the guy. The Secret 
Service also found that the individual had fake police 
equipment in his car and charged him with impersonating a 
police officer.
    I am sure that some of you recall when the USCP officer 
confiscated an M4-style rifle near the Senate Parks. That day 
they stopped the assault rifle from getting onto Capitol Hill.
    Even more recently, we made an arrest of an individual 
carrying a machete on Capitol Grounds and arrested another 
individual for carrying Molotov cocktails just off Capitol 
Grounds.
    Just last week, officers at the Capitol Visitor Center 
prevented a man with a hammer in his backpack from entering the 
Capitol.
    Over the course of the last 2 years, we have had a Member 
attacked in their apartment building, a Member and staff 
carjacked, and a staff member assaulted at the congressional 
Baseball Game.
    The fact is our community--the Members of Congress, their 
staff, their families, our visitors--do not just stay on 
Capitol Grounds. Many live here when they are in session. For 
many, this city is their home away from home.
    The USCP works hand in hand with the Metropolitan Police 
Department of Washington, D.C., and our other law enforcement 
partners to keep people safe, and we patrol and respond to 
where our community lives, works, and plays when they are in 
the Nation's capital.
    You each should have a map of our extended jurisdiction 
zone. We have full police authority in that zone.
    You should also know that the USCP has a roster of 
locations where many Members reside when they are in session, 
and we regularly patrol and respond to those buildings and 
areas 24/7.
    Our partnership with MPD is as strong as ever. They never 
fail to assist us when needed. Our cops are out there as well.
    In conclusion, earlier this week, for example, we responded 
to an assault in the 400 block of New Jersey Avenue. We 
arrested the individual who struck a passerby with a tree 
branch.
    Then, just a couple days ago, we responded at 3 o'clock in 
the morning to a man who was throwing bricks at the front of a 
house, of a home, on Maryland Avenue. We responded, we stopped 
the guy, and we took him into custody. The home that was 
damaged was adjacent to the home of a U.S. Senator.
    U.S. Capitol Police understand that our priority has to be 
this Capitol campus, but we also understand that our community 
does not just stay on this campus.
    We are working hand in hand with the Metropolitan Police 
Department in the areas in and around Capitol Hill when we have 
events in the city but outside the Capitol Hill area. We send 
our folks there to ensure and enhance the safety in partnership 
with MPD. We will continue to do that.
    I am happy to answer any questions that the Committee may 
have.
    [The prepared statement of Chief Manger follows:]

             PREPARED STATEMENT OF J. THOMAS MANGER
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT] 

    Chairman Steil. Thank you, Chief Manger.
    If I can, I think on behalf of all of the Members here, we 
want to extend our appreciation to all the men and women that 
serve in the U.S. Capitol Police.
    I think the four individuals you highlighted in that video 
who were involved in taking down a suspect is a reminder of how 
dangerous of a job all of our law enforcement officers have.
    We thank those four, but it is the countless men and women 
that work at U.S. Capitol Police. If you could extend our 
appreciation, I would appreciate it.
    Chief Manger. Thank you.
    Chairman Steil. Our next witness is Mr. Gregg Pemberton.
    You are recognized for 5 minutes.

                STATEMENT OF GREGGORY PEMBERTON

    Mr. Pemberton. Good morning, Members of the Committee. 
Thank you for this opportunity to testify.
    As the Chairman of the D.C. Police Union, I speak on behalf 
of approximately 3,000 sworn police officers, detectives, and 
sergeants who serve the District of Columbia as members of the 
Metropolitan Police Department.
    I am a Detective Grade 1, and I have worked for the MPD for 
19 years. I take great pride in serving the city.
    My testimony here today will be an effort to inform the 
Committee on issues related to crime in the District of 
Columbia.
    I will try to answer three questions that I hear most often 
here in the District. Why is crime so bad? How did it get like 
this? What can we do to fix it?
    My testimony will focus on how numerous actions by the D.C. 
Council--to include their rhetoric--has resulted in a mass 
exodus of sworn law enforcement officers and an exponential 
increase in violent crime.
    Beginning in June 2020, the D.C. Council began introducing 
anti-police legislation designed, in their own words, to, 
quote, ``act accordingly to bend the arc of justice,'' end 
quote.
    I would like to provide a list of just some of the 
legislation that the D.C. Council would introduce over the 
course of the next 2 years.
    The Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment 
Act. The Strengthening Oversight and Accountability of Police 
Amendment Act. The Revised Criminal Code Amendment Act. 
Reducing Law Enforcement Presence in Schools Act. Law 
Enforcement Qualified Immunity Cessation Act. Law Enforcement 
Present Sense Impression Act. Law Enforcement Vehicular Pursuit 
Reform Act. The School Police Incident Oversight and 
Accountability Amendment Act. The White Supremacy and Policing 
Prevention Act.
    The rhetoric that council members use when speaking 
publicly about law enforcement amounts to nothing short of 
virulent attacks on all police officers in the District.
    One council member stated in a public hearing, quote, ``I 
know for a fact there are police in the District who are bad 
actors and who have been going on without the proper penance,'' 
end quote. He felt the need for Metropolitan Police officers to 
receive, quote, ``some kind of retribution.''
    Other council members bragged about defunding the 
Department or making, quote, ``the biggest reduction to MPD he 
had ever seen.''
    In a hearing that took place just 2 weeks ago, many council 
members became apoplectic when there were proposals to roll 
back just some of the legislation that I mentioned earlier.
    Without delving into the granular details of how terrible 
these bills are or how blatantly awful the council's rhetoric 
is, I can assure the Members of this Committee that the direct 
result has been a mass exodus of police officers from the 
Department.
    Since the beginning of 2020, the MPD has lost 1,426 
officers, more than one-third of the Department; 540 of those 
separations, nearly 40 percent, were resignations, employees 
who just walked away from a career with the MPD.
    The MPD currently has over 500 vacancies for the position 
of sworn officer, and our Chief of Police has testified that it 
will take over a decade to fill them.
    These dangerously low police officer staffing levels take 
away valuable resources from our ability to respond to and 
investigate crime. Losing patrol officers and detectives 
impedes the Department's ability to close cases and to engage 
and speak with victims in a timely manner.
    Crime stats in the District closing out 2023 are absolutely 
staggering. Homicides have reached 274, a 35-percent increase. 
Carjackings reached 958, a 105-percent increase. Robberies were 
up 67 percent. Violent crime overall went up 39 percent, and 
all crimes went up 26 percent.
    These statistics I have mentioned are city-wide. If one 
parses out the data to the neighborhood level, some of these 
communities have grown to look like war zones.
    The District's Ward 6, which encompasses the Capitol, 
downtown, Navy Yard, Eastern Market, Barracks Row, and Capitol 
Hill, experienced a 188-percent increase in homicides, a 66-
percent increase in robberies, a 42-percent increase in sex 
assaults, a 57-percent increase in carjackings, and a 44-
percent increase in violent crime.
    Over the past three-and-a half years, our union has been 
sounding the alarm about this problem to anyone within earshot, 
including the D.C. Council. We tried to inform our elected 
leaders of the unintended consequences of these policies. 
Unfortunately, we have been ignored.
    D.C. residents and business owners are under siege. Members 
of Congress are being assaulted and carjacked. Your 
congressional staff members are being robbed and stabbed. 
Tourists and visitors, your constituents, are being targeted 
and attacked. Yet, the D.C. Council fails to admit that their 
policies have played a significant role in this outcome.
    Now, almost 4 years later, we have all seen the results of 
the D.C. Council's experiment, the empirical data is in, and we 
know for a fact that their efforts have been an abject failure, 
resulting in thousands of more victims of crime for the city.
    The lasting impacts of these horrible policies will not be 
fully realized for some time, and the efforts to repair the 
damage done could take decades without swift and thoughtful 
actions.
    If we do not undo the failing policies put in place by the 
D.C. Council that are pushing our police officers to leave MPD, 
crime will continue to rise and thousands more victims will be 
subjected to crime and violence.
    The purpose of my testimony here today is to inform the 
Committee on this ongoing crisis that exists in the District 
and to publicly state that we are prepared to assist in any way 
we can.
    Again, I thank you for the opportunity to testify, and I 
welcome any questions the Committee may have.
    [The prepared statement of Mr. Pemberton follows:]

            PREPARED STATEMENT OF GREGGORY PEMBERTON
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT] 



    Chairman Steil. Thank you, Mr. Pemberton.
    Mr. Mangual, you are now recognized for 5 minutes.

                 STATEMENT OF RAFAEL A. MANGUAL

    Mr. Mangual. Chairman Steil, Ranking Member Morelle, and 
other Members of this distinguished body, I would like to begin 
by thanking you for the opportunity to offer remarks on an 
important topic.
    To put it bluntly, our Nation's capital is very much in the 
midst of a crime and disorder crisis. In 2023, a year in which 
the latest FBI estimates suggest the Nation saw homicides 
decline by 13 percent and violent crime decline by nearly 6 
percent, Washington, D.C., saw homicides spike 35 percent and 
violent crime increase 39 percent.
    For historical context, D.C.'s 2023 homicide total was the 
highest it has been in 26 years. Robberies and car thefts in 
the District were up a whopping 67 and 82 percent, 
respectively, in 2023, while carjackings nearly doubled, even 
after half a decade of year-over-year increases.
    Those numbers are even more concerning than they might seem 
at first glance because robberies, carjackings, and assaults 
are occurring at such high numbers despite the fact that D.C. 
has, like other cities, seen a marked shift in what 
criminologists call routine activities.
    In short, foot traffic, in-office work, and public transit 
ridership in D.C. are all down significantly, which has reduced 
the number of opportunities for offenses to take place because 
there are fewer targets in public spaces.
    In other words, what the official crime statistics do not 
fully capture is the increase in the rate at which 
opportunities for crime are actually converted into 
victimizations.
    According to an analysis of cell phone data by the 
University of Toronto, foot traffic in downtown Washington as 
of last spring was just 70 percent of what it was pre-pandemic.
    Data published by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit 
Authority shows that on weekdays rail ridership in November 
2023 was just 55 percent of what it was in November 2019. Just 
last week, The Washington Post reported that office attendance 
is at, quote, ``48 percent of pre-pandemic levels, as a 
preponderance of Federal workers still work from home,'' and, 
quote, ``More than 20 percent of downtown storefronts and 
offices are vacant.''
    All of this means that the crime increases seen in the 
District reflect an even larger increase in the risk of 
victimization. This phenomenon was recently illustrated by 
research published last fall in the Proceedings of the National 
Academy of Sciences, which found that activity-adjusted crime 
rates--i.e., crime rates that accounted for the amount of time 
that potential victims actually spent outside--showed that in 
New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago people in public spaces 
were, quote, ``15 to 30 percent more likely to be robbed or 
assaulted'' in 2020 even though the number of robbery and 
assault offenses recorded in those cities that year decreased.
    The increase in victimization risk is, on its own, 
sufficient cause for urgency when it comes to combating crime 
here in Washington, but it is worth noting that the economic 
and broader societal impacts of rising crime and disorder are 
unlikely to be positive.
    Research establishes that violent crime can impact housing 
prices, economic mobility, and even standardized test 
performance. Then there is the potential effect of crime and 
perceptions of public safety on tourism, which should be 
particularly concerning for Washington.
    All of this raises two questions. What might explain the 
recent crime spike? What can be done about it?
    The answer to the first suggests the answer to the second. 
Like so many other American cities that have seen crime spike 
in recent years, D.C. has fallen short in two important ways.
    First is the dwindling number of experienced police 
officers on the street. Last spring, the now former D.C. Metro 
Police Chief, Robert J. Contee, reported to the D.C. Council 
that the Department was down some 450 officers compared to 
2020, bringing it to its lowest staffing level in half a 
century.
    This is not unrelated to the sharp decline in arrests 
throughout the city, a measure that has remained low after 
falling off a cliff midway through 2020.
    Strong causal analyses show that the addition of new 
officers will likely reduce homicides, particularly in the 
city's most troubled enclaves, and D.C. knows firsthand just 
how effective police surges can be on crime, as it was home to 
one of the most well-known studies on the effect of additional 
police presence on crime.
    Second is the fact that serious violent crime in Washington 
is driven disproportionately by chronic offenders with 
extensive criminal histories, suggesting that not enough is 
being done to incapacitate those who repeatedly offend.
    A 2021 report published by the National Institute for 
Criminal Justice Reform reported that, quote, ``Approximately 
86 percent of homicide victims and suspects were known to the 
criminal justice system prior to the incident,'' and that, 
quote, ``Most victims and suspects with prior criminal offenses 
had been arrested about 11 times for about 13 different 
offenses by the time of the homicide.''
    That measure was in line with what Chief Contee related to 
reporters in March of last year when he said that homicide 
offenders in D.C. had 11 prior arrests, which is in line with 
measures from other cities.
    The repeat offender problem certainly has not been helped 
by the decline in the share of felony and misdemeanor arrests 
charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Total cases charged by 
that office hit a 20-year low in 2022, though recent reporting 
from The Washington Post shows that more cases were filed by 
U.S. Attorney Graves in 2023. Still, there is much ground to 
make up on that front.
    The reality is that D.C. has not been immune from the 
general national trend toward depolicing and decarceration. I 
do not think it is a coincidence that the city has also seen 
public safety deteriorate since more dramatically moving in 
that direction.
    Now is the time to pause and recalibrate. The recent 
passage of a new omnibus crime bill by the D.C. Council last 
week is a good first step, but the city is far from out of the 
woods, even if recent year-to-date crime numbers show declines 
on some crime measures.
    If the city is to achieve a true turnaround on the public 
safety front, it is going to have to address the gaps in 
policing and prosecution that have allowed too many chronic 
offenders to walk the streets of our Nation's capital with too 
few officers to respond and prevent the sorts of offenses that 
have been plaguing D.C. residents and visitors for far too 
long.
    Thank you very much, and I look forward to answering any of 
your questions.
    [The prepared statement of Mr. Mangual follows:]

            PREPARED STATEMENT OF RAFAEL A. MANGUAL
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT] 


    Chairman Steil. Thank you very much, Mr. Mangual.
    We will now begin our questions, starting with me, followed 
by the Ranking Member. We will then alternate between the 
parties. I will now recognize myself for 5 minutes.
    I will start with you Mr. Pemberton.
    Countless congressional staffers have been robbed within a 
mile of the Capitol. Last year, a staffer for Senator Rand 
Paul, he was stabbed repeatedly, puncturing his lungs and 
skull. A Member of Congress was assaulted in an elevator. A 
Representative was carjacked just down the road.
    All these crimes happened within a mile of here, largely in 
Ward 6, represented by Council Member Charles Allen. We invited 
Allen to speak today, but he rejected that invitation.
    Mr. Pemberton, you mentioned some of the bills the D.C. 
Council passed in the last few years that have had a negative 
impact on policing. I want to focus in on the Youth 
Rehabilitation Act that passed in 2018 that reduced sentences 
for first-time offenders.
    Is it true that the bill raised the age of what is 
considered a youth to 24 years of age?
    Mr. Pemberton. That is correct.
    Chairman Steil. If a 24-year-old was to commit a carjacking 
with a gun in our Nation's capital, they would be eligible for 
a reduced sentence under that law?
    Mr. Pemberton. That is correct.
    Chairman Steil. Have you encountered people who have used 
this program more than once, contrary to how the program was 
sold?
    Mr. Pemberton. Absolutely.
    Chairman Steil. You know individuals who are over the age--
well over the age of 18, up to the age of 24, who could commit 
a carjacking with a gun, be eligible for a reduced sentence, 
and that can happen multiple times?
    Mr. Pemberton. Yes, absolutely.
    Chairman Steil. What would be the impact of an individual 
who does this? What is your analysis of that law?
    Mr. Pemberton. There are no consequence for the actions of 
their behavior, and they understand that. When they get back 
out on the street, they are free to recommit these crimes as 
often as they like.
    Chairman Steil. What does that do to the morale of police 
officers serving in the Metropolitan Police Department?
    Mr. Pemberton. It is horrible, because you are arresting 
people for violent crimes, and then they are back out on the 
street the next day, and then they are never held accountable 
for their actions. It really takes an impact on morale.
    Chairman Steil. An officer would risk their life to try to 
apprehend a dangerous criminal, in this case maybe a 24-year-
old who carjacked someone with a gun, only to find out that 
this individual is treated as a youth in our Nation's capital 
with limited consequences and can find themselves back out on 
the street in short order to commit another crime?
    Mr. Pemberton. This is what happens more often than not. 
Yes, this is regular.
    Chairman Steil. Then if we look at the numbers in D.C., 
violent crime increased last year by 39 percent, homicides 
increased 35 percent, robberies increased 67 percent, and 
carjackings increased 82 percent.
    For those reasons, we created a House Security Resources 
Guide after a briefing with you last September.
    Would you agree that D.C.'s increase in crime is a direct 
result of the policies pushed by the D.C. City Council and 
anti-policing and soft-on-crime policies?
    Mr. Pemberton. Absolutely.
    Chairman Steil. To go to you, Mr. Mangual, is it safe to 
say that the nationwide research shows a correlation between 
increased crime and anti-policing, soft-on-crime policies?
    Mr. Mangual. Absolutely.
    Chairman Steil. Let me come back to you, Mr. Pemberton, if 
I can.
    In 2023, D.C. had the fifth-highest homicide rate of any 
city in the country. That is saying something, and it is not 
saying anything good.
    Meanwhile, the average homicide suspect in our Nation's 
capital had already been arrested 11 times. Is that accurate?
    Mr. Pemberton. That is correct, yes.
    Chairman Steil. We are looking at these trends where 
officers are arresting time and again as having a detrimental 
impact on morale, correct?
    Mr. Pemberton. Absolutely.
    Chairman Steil. Mr. Pemberton, in your testimony you 
mentioned the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Act was 
negatively impacting police. There were a number of policies 
that are in there.
    Can I ask you what the impact of negative rhetoric by the 
D.C. City Council toward police has had on officers?
    Mr. Pemberton. Yes. The discussions that came out around 
all these pieces of legislation and then the regular 
conversations that the council has about policing generally are 
incredibly negative.
    The message is loud and clear from the council, and the 
rank-and-file Members are receiving that: The council does not 
like police officers. They do not want them doing police work. 
They do not want them making arrests. They certainly do not 
want them getting out and stopping and investigating people.
    That message is loud, and it drives people away from the 
Department, and people who, those that do not leave the 
Department, are apprehensive about doing their job.
    Chairman Steil. Thank you.
    Then, as noted, because of the dramatic increase in crime, 
in particular in the area surrounding the Capitol, this has an 
overflow effect on you, Chief Manger, and your officers.
    Is it accurate that last year Capitol Police made 234 
arrests related to DUI, assaults, drugs, motor vehicle thefts, 
and weapon law violations?
    Chief Manger. That is correct.
    Chairman Steil. Have you seen a dramatic uptick in those 
types of arrests in the Capitol Hill area over the last 4 
years?
    Chief Manger. Yes, we have.
    Chairman Steil. Has it made your job harder and the job of 
the U.S. Capitol Police harder to deliver on your chief 
mission, which is securing and protecting the Capitol complex.
    Chief Manger. Yes. We look at our crime-fighting 
responsibilities as integral to our mission. It just, like so 
many other areas of our mission, it has just increased. The 
volume of work has increased.
    Chairman Steil. Understood. We appreciate the work that you 
and the men and women under your command do every day.
    I think D.C. in 2023 is a stark example of what happens 
when anti-police, soft-on-crime policies are implemented. The 
data is clear: When you make a police officer's job harder and 
more difficult, when you denigrate the service of police 
officers, when you defund police, there are negative 
consequences.
    In contrast, we are going to continue to support the law 
enforcement officers, and in particular the law enforcement 
officers of the Capitol Police who are doing their job to 
protect visitors, staff members, and Members here, and we will 
ensure that they have the resources to do their job. I am 
committed to making sure the U.S. Capitol and the surrounding 
area are safe.
    I will yield back. I now recognize the Ranking Member for 5 
minutes.
    Mr. Morelle. Thanks so much, Mr. Chairman.
    I appreciate all the comments made by the witnesses, and, 
obviously, this is a challenging, challenging issue.
    I do note that since there has been extensive use made of 
statistics, I just thought I would read some of the more 
current ones for the year 2024, which, admittedly, we are only 
about a quarter of the year in, so I want to be mindful of 
that.
    As I understand it, according to the Metropolitan Police 
Department statistics, homicide in 2024 for the same period in 
2023 is down 31 percent, assault with a dangerous weapon is 
down 32 percent, robbery down 8 percent, violent crime overall 
down 16 percent.
    As it relates to property crimes, burglary is down 19 
percent, motor vehicle theft down 30 percent, theft from auto 
is down 23 percent, arson is down 40 percent, property crime 
down 11 percent, and all crime down 12 percent.
    I assume if these trends continue that some of the remarks 
that have been made would be withdrawn by people who have made 
them since we are relying so heavily on statistics, and I 
certainly hope that the trend lines continue.
    I also just want to note for the record that, while a 
number of statements have been made about continuing to support 
law enforcement, I do note that the Republican House bill on 
CJS, which is Commerce, Justice, and Science, that the 
Republican bill, had it passed--and, fortunately, it did not--
would have cut funding for the FBI by $415.3 million as opposed 
to Fiscal Year 2023, would have reduced ATF's funding by $149.9 
million, and would have reduced funding for United States 
Attorneys who prosecute these Federal crimes by $320 million.
    For folks who continue to talk about supporting law 
enforcement, some of my colleagues either have amnesia or do 
not recognize the importance of supporting law enforcement at 
the Federal, State, and local levels.
    I want to ask you, Chief Manger, particularly since you 
have responsibility for the Capitol complex, and this hearing 
is really about Capitol Hill--in fact, it is titled ``Safety on 
Capitol Hill,'' and you have responsibility to that--you 
mention in your testimony that the Capitol Police confiscated 
an M4-style ghost gun near the Senate Parks, stopped an assault 
rifle from getting to Capitol Hill, and arrested an individual 
with a high-capacity magazine.
    I also know you have experience as a police chief in both 
Maryland and Virginia.
    How are these guns making their way into Washington, D.C.?
    Chief Manger. Typically, they are coming from other States. 
I can tell you, having been a police officer in Virginia for 27 
years, Virginia has got plenty of guns.
    Mr. Morelle. Many of those guns are making their way into 
Washington, D.C.?
    Chief Manger. They make their way to a lot of places.
    Mr. Morelle. In your opinion, your professional opinion, 
would the Capitol campus and the area immediately around it be 
safer without M4-style ghost guns, assault rifles, and high-
capacity magazines on the street?
    Chief Manger. Certainly in the wrong hands, yes.
    Mr. Morelle. Yes.
    Do you believe your officers would be safer if it was more 
difficult to obtain M4-style guns, assault rifles, and high-
capacity magazines?
    Chief Manger. Any police officer is safe when there are 
fewer guns around, in my view.
    Mr. Morelle. I want to ask you, you have talked about and 
others have mentioned the attacks that have occurred on Members 
of Congress, as well as staff.
    What are the safety resources available to Members and 
staff when they are off Capitol Grounds in D.C.? You mentioned 
it a little bit in your testimony. I wonder if you could just 
expand on that.
    Chief Manger. We do--when we have congressional events that 
are off campus, we certainly want to provide escorts or 
resources.
    One of the initiatives that we are looking to do is to 
reach a memorandum of agreement with MPD so that when we have a 
congressional event--I will give you an example, like the 
congressional football game or the congressional softball 
game--that we have authority to take action should something 
happen.
    We have that in the extended jurisdiction zone. If we can 
have that at any congressional event no matter where it might 
be in the city, that would be of great benefit to us.
    Because, again, we are not trying to replace MPD. MPD is 
the best partner we have. We can supplement and focus more 
resources when our community is in and around the city.
    Mr. Morelle. Very good.
    I want to join with you, Mr. Chairman, in certainly 
thanking the officers of the Capitol Police department and MPD 
who put their lives on the line every day.
    We are completely grateful for your service and for your 
sacrifice and will continue to support your efforts.
    With that, I yield back.
    Chairman Steil. The gentleman yields back.
    Dr. Murphy is recognized for 5 minutes.
    Dr. Murphy. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Just a point of inquiry. Can we subpoena the D.C. City 
Council? Do you know if we are able to subpoena the D.C. City 
Council?
    Chairman Steil. We do have that authority. We invited Mr. 
Charles Allen. Mr. Charles Allen rejected the invitation to 
attend. We did not----
    Dr. Murphy. I do not know why this crime and the safety of 
individuals within this community is a partisan issue. I do not 
get it. I do not get--like, bullets can kill Democrats just as 
well as they can kill Republicans and innocent individuals.
    There is a reason that criminals should be prosecuted. I 
will remind our colleagues that money for prosecutors does not 
matter if the laws do not allow them to be prosecuted, period.
    I am just going to remind everybody here, the Michael Brown 
incident in St. Louis was a tragic one, but the bullet holes 
were in the top of his head, showing that he did not have his 
hands up. He was charging the police officer, period. That is 
when so much of this started, and truth matters when we are 
dealing with these things.
    This is infuriating. It is absolutely infuriating. We are 
allowing a city council to let havoc be wreaked in this town 
because they do not like law enforcement. It is time for the 
adults to come back in the room and make this country and this 
city safe.
    Questions to Mr. Pemberton.
    Can you tell me what, when we are dealing with police 
chases, what the policies are in this city?
    Mr. Pemberton. The Metropolitan Police Department has very 
strict policies on vehicle pursuits. The only vehicles we are 
allowed to pursue would be when a violent felony is committed 
and if we believe there is an imminent threat of serious bodily 
injury or death if we do not pursue that person.
    Dr. Murphy. Tell me about carjacking. What happens with 
those?
    Mr. Pemberton. In certain circumstances, officers would be 
able to pursue those vehicles. In reality, most of those 
pursuits are called off by management officials.
    Dr. Murphy. Because of what reason?
    Mr. Pemberton. The danger--the perceived danger that there 
could be or possible bad public relations for a vehicle 
pursuit.
    Dr. Murphy. I had a condo here in town. There were five 
shootings in 3 months. My wife would take our dog out just in 
the median to relieve itself and it felt no longer safe for my 
wife.
    I will be damned if I am going to risk my life coming up 
here to serve the people of North Carolina, serve the country, 
and get shot doing it just because the city council here is 
absolutely derelict in their duty to protect the citizens in 
which they are charged.
    Just following up with that. As far as jurisdictional 
grounds, what happens if the police chase an individual outside 
D.C. into Maryland or any of the surrounding communities? What 
happens with that chase?
    Mr. Pemberton. In certain circumstances, Metropolitan 
Police officers would be permitted to pursue a vehicle into 
other jurisdictions, but most often, in reality, those pursuits 
are called off.
    Dr. Murphy. When you have discussions with the city 
council, what is the tenor of those? Are you immediately--
because of the role in which you are placed, are they 
immediately adversarial?
    Mr. Pemberton. Yes. Many of the meetings that we have made 
with city council members that we thought would be productive, 
they would send low-ranking staff members and not show up 
themselves. Then we would try to have conversations with those 
individuals, which I would imagine were not even related to----
    Dr. Murphy. You know, it is interesting. D.C. wants 
statehood, and this is the type of legislative body that they 
demonstrate themselves to be.
    How in hell could people want that, anything other than 
reasons than being political, that they want two more votes in 
the Senate? They have not shown the ability to protect their 
citizens.
    Our Capitol Police do a fantastic job. If our D.C. police 
are handled?
    What am I supposed to think if, God forbid, my wife gets 
carjacked and the criminal who does that is literally slapped 
on the wrist to go out and do it again? We are in our Nation's 
capital for God's sake. I just do not get it.
    What is the purpose of allowing criminals back on the 
street to repeat their offenses? Can you give some examples? I 
would love to hear this. The carjacking thing absolutely 
destroys me.
    We had a Member of our own body carjacked by three 
individuals at gunpoint. The person got slapped on the wrist.
    What am I--what are we supposed to do with this? What kind 
of pursuit policies actually will allow our officers to 
actually do something about it? God forbid we do it, we turn 
them in to the prosecuting attorneys, and they just push them 
right back on the street.
    What does that do to the morale?
    Mr. Pemberton. Officers do not want to work in an 
environment where their work is meaningless. People join the 
policing profession because they want to help their community. 
This is not a job where you get rich. This is a municipal 
government position, and people typically take this job because 
they like what they are doing.
    Dr. Murphy. They put their lives on the line for the safety 
of the citizens that they protect, yet they are not--it is just 
a circular firing squad.
    I am not allowed to carry a gun unless I go through hoops 
and hoops and hoops, but then I am only in a specific area. I 
will be damned if I will let a criminal hurt my wife. God 
forbid he tries to do something to me. I feel sorry for him, to 
be truth be told, that this should happen.
    This is absolutely against what the laws of the United 
States should dictate, and here we are allowing our own 
individuals to wreak crime across this Nation. Dammit, it is a 
damn partisan issue, and I just do not get it.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will yield back.
    Chairman Steil. The gentleman yields back.
    Mr. Loudermilk is recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Loudermilk. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you 
for having this hearing. Very timely and very important.
    Thank you all for being here. Thank you for your service.
    It is essential that we have the resources here to protect 
the Members of Congress, the staff, even the visitors that come 
to Capitol Hill here. The crime that is in the city has an 
impact on that.
    Let me say this: I have the greatest admiration for those 
that wear the uniform of law enforcement, both in the city, 
Capitol Police.
    I am here today because of the bravery and heroism of one 
of the Capitol Police officers on the baseball field in 2017 
who on his own drew fire to allow me to try to get to one of 
the players who had been already shot. David Bailey will remain 
a hero not only to me, but to my family. I appreciate their 
dedication.
    Chief, good to see you again. It has been almost 16 hours. 
I appreciate--I mean, you were at the Gershwin Awards last 
night. I think it is important not only you be there, you were 
in uniform.
    To show--one thing is that, even though the jurisdiction 
may be Capitol Hill, it really follows anywhere that we go as 
Members, whether it is somewhere else on Capitol Hill or 
whether it is we are traveling in a codel or we are traveling 
somewhere else.
    It is not just what happens on Capitol Hill, but it is the 
crime in the area because--I was even thinking of this last 
night as we spoke about this hearing. Here we are, not on 
Capitol Hill, but we are in D.C. with a significant number of 
Members of Congress that are there.
    I know that the police budget request for Fiscal Year 2024 
was 841 million, and that has increased substantially over the 
past 5 years.
    Chief, can you speak to the challenges that the department 
is facing that led to that increase in your request?
    Chief Manger. It really comes down to our mission and our 
workload. Our mission has expanded, and our workload has gone 
up dramatically.
    You have heard me talk many times about the number of 
threats against Members of Congress, and you have heard me talk 
about the number of demonstrations that we handle and the 
tactics that these demonstrators seem to--that seem to 
escalate, which requires a commensurate response from Capitol 
Police.
    One of the things that I have done since I got here was to 
take a more--a broader approach to the safety of our community. 
When I say ``our community,'' I am talking about the Members of 
Congress, your staff, the visitors, and not--so when they cross 
the street and they are no longer on the Capitol complex, OK, 
well, that is somebody else's problem. No, we take 
responsibility for our community as best we can.
    A good example is Union Station. There is a lot of activity 
over at Union Station. Some of it is great and some of it is 
criminal. We assist Amtrak Police, we assist Metro Transit 
Police, and we assist MPD to the best of our ability.
    We monitor the radio. When we hear 911 dispatches come out 
over MPD's radio, if we are close by, our cops respond, because 
we want to be able to help. Again, MPD is the best partner we 
have, and they always come to help us when we have the need.
    We want to be better partners, good partners as well, and 
make sure that folks that are in and around Capitol Hill, when 
our community is at an event, you are going to see us there.
    Mr. Loudermilk. All right. I know it is beyond just Capitol 
Hill because in our recent policy conference several members of 
the Capitol Police were there securing us. We have conventions 
coming up that I am sure that you are going to be involved in 
both of those.
    Chief Manger. Hundreds of officers, yes.
    Mr. Loudermilk. Yes, there is a big draw on the force.
    Mr. Pemberton, does MPD face similar challenges that 
necessitate more funding? Is it true that you are at the lowest 
level of officers that you have been in in 50 years?
    Mr. Pemberton. That is correct, the lowest staffing levels 
we have had in 50 years. Funding would be a problem if we did 
not have a shortage of 500 police officers. Not paying those 
500 cops that are supposed to be here, I think, is saving the 
city a lot of money.
    Even when the city has thrown money at this--right now they 
are offering $25,000 signing bonuses to become a Metropolitan 
Police officer, and that is not moving the needle. The reason 
is, is because of this climate and this environment that has 
been created by the city council. It is not an attractive place 
to work for current employees or potential future employees.
    Mr. Loudermilk. All right. Thank you. I see my time has 
expired.
    I also want to thank you for your response on January 6th. 
You guys were an integral part of that. Thank you.
    I yield back.
    Chairman Steil. The gentleman yields back.
    Mrs. Bice is recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mrs. Bice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    I first want to say a heartfelt thank you to Capitol Police 
and Metro Police for the jobs that you do.
    I come from a State that we respect law enforcement and we 
abide by the letter of the law. Every week that I get on a 
plane and I fly to D.C., my husband wonders if something is 
going to happen to me while I am here working, serving the 
people of Oklahoma's Fifth Congressional District.
    It is absolutely infuriating to me what is happening to the 
Nation's capital right now. People call my office excited to 
come this summer to tour the monuments, to bring their 
children. One of the questions they are asking my office is: 
Can you tell me about safety?
    Why in the world do we have to have a conversation with 
visitors to the U.S. Capitol, the heart of this country, we 
have to worry about safety? It is just appalling.
    I think it should be noted, the majority of the Members 
have been popping in and out, but we have not seen the majority 
of the Democrat side attend this hearing, nor did they offer up 
a Dem witness to be able to ask questions to.
    As my colleague Dr. Murphy mentioned, this is not a 
partisan issue. This is a safety issue.
    It was brought up at the beginning of this hearing by the 
Ranking Member. There was a discussion about gun violence. This 
is not a gun violence discussion. This is a prosecute the 
crimes that the individuals are committing in this city 
problem. It was referenced that we are arresting young people 
under the age of 24 and not prosecuting them.
    The D.C. City Council and the Mayor of D.C. should be held 
fully accountable for the crime that is happening in this city. 
It is infuriating to me.
    Chief, I want to start with you. How is the USCP trying to 
suppress or deter crime in the Capitol Hill area?
    Chief Manger. We have the advantage of having a much 
smaller jurisdiction than other police departments. As I have 
said, we certainly understand that we can be of service and we 
can be of help to the neighborhoods in and around Capitol Hill. 
We respond to calls that we hear come out in this area. I think 
it is important that we work in partnership with MPD to help 
them.
    I talk all the time about us being a protection agency, 
which we are, but we cannot ever walk away from our police 
responsibilities. We are still cops, and we still fight crime.
    On this campus, if you took the crime rate of things that 
happen on this campus, it is very low. There is not a lot of 
crime on this campus. Not nonexistent, but there are not a lot.
    To the extent that we can branch, push that out to the 
surrounding neighborhood, certainly push it out where we have 
congressional events, we are going to continue to do that. It 
is just understanding that we need to continue to take our 
police responsibilities very seriously.
    Mrs. Bice. It was mentioned by a couple of my colleagues 
that we have a 50-year low for the number of officers on the 
MPD currently.
    Is your USCP trying to help augment some of the 500-police-
officer shortage that the MPD is seeing currently?
    Chief Manger. To the extent we can, absolutely, especially 
in the area where we are patrolling. We would offer them the 
help, the same way they offer us help every day of the week. 
Yes, we are doing our best to work hand in hand with them, yes.
    Mrs. Bice. If I can also just ask, what do you think are 
the proactive measures that can be taken by either Members or 
staff to try to protect the safety of people in and around the 
Capitol? What should we be doing?
    Chief Manger. We offer a fair number of services in terms 
of escorts, in terms of what we call law enforcement 
coordinations. It still frustrates me that the participation 
rate, the request rate for those services is very low.
    Just encouraging your colleagues, encouraging staff 
members, encouraging at any event that you all might have to 
let us know so that we can help either coordinate with the 
State and locals who are in the jurisdiction or we can be there 
ourselves.
    Mrs. Bice. The last thing I think I want to read, which I 
think really gets to the heart of the problem, has to do with 
some of the police reforms that have come forward.
    I would say that D.C. is not prosecuting the crimes, not 
just these individuals that are being classified as youth that 
are under 24, but a myriad of other crimes as well.
    There were over 15,000 crimes committed, according to the 
report that I have in front of me, but more than 10,000 were 
not actually prosecuted, and I think that is part of the 
problem.
    Maybe the D.C. City Council should look at changing their 
statutes to allow for an elected DA to be able to hold a DA 
accountable.
    With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    Chairman Steil. The gentlewoman yields back.
    The gentleman from the State of Ohio, Mr. Carey, is now 
recognized.
    Mr. Carey. I want to thank the Chairman and also the 
Ranking Member for having this hearing today.
    I do want to point out a couple things.
    I happen to be one of those Members that actually lives in 
a neighborhood very similar to Capitol Hill in Columbus, Ohio. 
We have seen the uptick, of course, and I have talked to our 
police officers there. The recruiting efforts that they are 
facing are equal to what I think is consistent with what I am 
seeing across the country.
    I also do want to point out that when you reach a certain 
age, a lot of your staff tend to be about the same age as your 
children.
    We had three of our young staffers that were just walking 
back on Capitol Hill--one of them is here with us today--that 
were attacked by a homeless guy with a knife.
    As a father, you hear that and you view these young 
staffers as professionals, but you are mindful.
    Anyway, along those lines, I do have a few questions.
    Chief, I would like to kind of start with you.
    As we know, the Capitol Police expanded jurisdiction 
reaches beyond the Capitol campus itself into some of those 
surrounding neighborhoods.
    You mention this in your written testimony, you also 
highlighted it, and you describe some of the multiple 
incidences that you have responded to and the crimes in the 
nearby area.
    What are the greatest challenges that you face with the 
jurisdiction of these neighborhoods?
    Chief Manger. The biggest challenge for us is that once you 
get beyond that extended jurisdiction zone--and oftentimes we 
are patrolling beyond there because we have got a building 
where 30 Members of Congress live. We are patrolling that 
three, four, five times a night.
    The fact that we--if something happens, oftentimes we would 
have to call for MPD to take some sort of action, because we do 
not have the authority that we need.
    Mr. Carey. Well, with that, what would you say the 
coordination with MPD, what is that typically like?
    Chief Manger. It is great. A very quick example.
    At the congressional softball game last year, it was beyond 
our extended jurisdiction zone. We had a group of demonstrators 
walk into center field and stop the game.
    We called for MPD because we did not have the authority to 
arrest them, because it was outside the extended jurisdiction 
zone.
    What I would like is to have a memorandum of agreement--we 
have several memorandums of agreement with MPD--to be able to, 
at a congressional event, that we would, in fact, have the 
authority to take police action at something like that so we 
would not have to wait for them to arrest--make the arrests.
    Mr. Carey. I appreciate that.
    Something else. Like I mentioned, I live in a neighborhood 
very similar to Capitol Hill. It is in the city of Columbus. Of 
course, many Members do across the country.
    Chief, can you describe how the Capitol Police work with 
our local law enforcement agencies nationwide to ensure Member 
security in our own districts?
    Chief Manger. I appreciate that question.
    We have dozens--and that number is growing exponentially--
dozens of memorandums of agreement that have been signed with 
State and local police departments from around the country so 
that we can request their assistance and they will provide that 
assistance for an event in a Member's home district, so that 
they will provide additional security, and we will reimburse 
them for any cost of that assistance.
    We work very well with State and local agencies from around 
the country. As you may know, we have nationwide jurisdiction 
to investigate threats against Members of Congress.
    The fact is we do not have the staffing to investigate, to 
go all over the country to do so. We work with State and 
locals, and we have great relationships all over the country.
    Mr. Carey. Last, and I only have a minute left.
    How many arrests does the Capitol Police make in a typical 
week from DUIs or other criminal suspects coming from D.C. into 
the nearby campuses?
    Chief Manger. Traffic offenses, including DUIs, we probably 
make a dozen or so every week. I will tell you that the number 
of arrests over the last couple years has gone up each year.
    Mr. Carey. As somebody who was a staffer here in the 
1990's, I can tell you it has definitely changed, in many ways 
for the better, but obviously we are seeing this uptick.
    Really appreciate your testimony, and I appreciate the work 
that you do with our local security teams. I know we have a 
person on our staff that coordinates with you guys, and you 
guys have done a fantastic job, and I appreciate that.
    With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    Chairman Steil. The gentleman yields back.
    A former law enforcement officer, Mr. D'Esposito, is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Thank you all for being here today.
    This is rare, but I have to disagree with my colleagues 
when they say that this is not partisan.
    This is actually, in fact, partisan, because Democrats and 
their legislation have created this issue, whether it is here 
in Washington, D.C., in our Nation's capital, or if it is home 
in New York.
    They have passed and promoted pro-criminal, anti-law 
enforcement legislation that has led us to this situation.
    Law enforcement officers actually wear handcuffs on their 
gun belts to use them against criminals, but Democrats in 
places like New York and Washington, D.C., have allowed those 
handcuffs to be put on us to not do our jobs.
    I know that in the beginning of the hearing we heard that 
the beginning of this year it seems that crime is down in 
Washington, D.C.
    Chief Manger, Mr. Pemberton, you guys have been in law 
enforcement for how many years?
    Chief Manger. Forty-five.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Forty-five.
    Mr. Pemberton. Nineteen.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Nineteen. That is 64. We will add mine in. 
Let us say almost 80 years, all right? Eighty years on the job.
    What season do we usually see the least amount of crime 
committed, especially those on the street? Probably be the 
winter, right? When the weather gets nicer, crime tends to 
spike.
    Now, I know that we also talked about guns. One of the 
issues that we are facing with guns throughout this country is 
that people are getting arrested with illegal firearms and they 
are not getting prosecuted.
    We see guns being taken off the streets, but very often the 
criminals who tote those firearms are able to walk the streets 
freely again before the cops are actually done with their 
paperwork.
    Now, Mr. Pemberton, I know that you were in the Violent 
Crimes Unit, similar to the work that I did. If you had to take 
a guess, an estimation, how many firearms, how many gun arrests 
have you been a part of in your career?
    Mr. Pemberton. I would have to say it would be over a 
thousand.
    Mr. D'Esposito. OK. My number is probably a little less. 
You have some more time on the job.
    My next question is this. Out of the over a thousand gun 
arrests that you were part of, how many of those individuals 
when you went to arrest them presented you with a license to 
carry that gun?
    Mr. Pemberton. Zero.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Gun licensing really would have nothing to 
do with the carrying of firearms, because those who are 
breaking the law really do not care about what gun laws are, 
correct?
    Mr. Pemberton. That is correct.
    Mr. D'Esposito. OK. Now, in all of the guns that you have 
recovered--I guess we should focus more recently here in 
Washington, D.C., because it seems like the other side of the 
aisle wants to talk about assault weapons, they want to talk 
about high-capacity firearms, when, in fact, much of the time 
the people who speak the most--and I am not talking about Mr. 
Morelle at all. I have great respect for him.
    There are people who love to speak about high-capacity 
weapons. They love to talk about guns that are in mass 
shootings. In fact, they really do not know much about firearms 
and they do not even know about the guns that they are speaking 
of.
    In the arrests that have been made by the MPD, how many of 
the guns over the last year would have been handguns? You could 
give an estimate. I am sure you do not have the number off the 
top of your head.
    Mr. Pemberton. Yes, I do not. I know that last year we 
recovered 3,200 firearms. I do not know how many were handguns, 
but I would venture a guess that it was at least 90 percent.
    Mr. D'Esposito. 90 percent of the guns recovered last year 
in Washington, D.C., you said 3,200 were recovered, so 90 
percent of them were handguns, illegal firearms. Not one of 
those people probably presented a license to carry it.
    Mr. Pemberton. I think that is fair, yes.
    Mr. D'Esposito. OK. A lot of those individuals were repeat 
offenders, right? They have been arrested. They have been part 
of the criminal justice system.
    Why? Because over the last few years, legislation 
implemented by Democrats throughout this country has made this 
country less safe. It is a fact.
    Mr. Mangual, I know that you mentioned in your opening 
statement about the dwindling number of police officers. Why do 
you think we have a dwindling number of police officers?
    Mr. Mangual. I think a lot of it has to do with the 
rhetoric and the environment that is been created by policy, 
and I have some personal experience with this.
    Mr. D'Esposito. That is exactly right. It is the rhetoric 
and it is the policy that has been created. It is the rhetoric 
that is being spewed by Democrats here on Capitol Hill, by 
anti-cop people throughout this country.
    It is the policies. Not only policy, because now we are 
talking about laws, actually things that are on the books. 
People took pens, put them to paper, and passed legislation to 
make this country less safe, to make the jobs of law 
enforcement harder, and to give criminals free rein to do 
whatever it is they want without any repercussions.
    It is why right here on Capitol Hill you cannot go to CVS 
and get batteries because they are locked up. Why? Because 
people go into stores, take whatever they want, and walk right 
out.
    That is the country, that is the city that Democrats have 
created. I blame it, and I say it is partisan, because they are 
the ones who have carried this banner, they are the ones who 
have passed this legislation, and they are the ones who have 
doubled down and said: We are going to continue to do this.
    My time is expired, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
    Chairman Steil. The gentleman yields back.
    Ms. Lee is recognized for 5 minutes.
    Ms. Lee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Thank you to our witnesses who have joined us here today 
for your important testimony and also your efforts to fight 
crime, to fight violent crime, and your work to ensure that 
those who live and visit our Nation's capital can do so in a 
way that is safe.
    I would also like to discuss today a program with the 
Capitol Police, Chief Manger, the Special Assistant United 
States Attorney program, and how that is a program that you are 
utilizing to actually help ensure that you are keeping Members 
of Congress, other Government officials, and the public safe.
    Would you please describe for us the Special Assistant 
United States Attorney, or SAUSA, program that you are using in 
field offices in Tampa, Sacramento, and D.C.?
    Chief Manger. DOJ has provided us with the authorization to 
have these SAUSAs to prosecute cases nationwide and to assist 
in prosecuting threats against--involving Members of Congress. 
The Department of Justice has also designated our SAUSAs as 
subject matter experts on threats cases.
    We have had great success with them. Our SAUSA in Tampa has 
worked multiple cases in the Middle District of Florida, 
leading to guilty pleas in threat cases involving a threat 
against a Member of Congress, other Federal officials, and in 
one case a threat against a Supreme Court Justice.
    We have had, again, great success. The SAUSA in D.C., their 
primary portfolio includes managing the threat portal for the 
U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Columbia.
    A number of cases involving Members of Congress as victims, 
congressional staff members as victims, or crimes that occurred 
on Capitol Grounds, we have our own prosecutor that makes sure 
those cases go forward.
    Ms. Lee. Do you foresee or would you hope to see an 
expansion of the SAUSA program into additional cities across 
America?
    Chief Manger. I think as the workload presents itself, it 
is a very efficient way for us to handle a lot of these cases 
so that not every investigator, not every attorney is flying 
out from D.C., we have got folks around the country that can be 
on the scene working these cases.
    Ms. Lee. I believe the SAUSAs also provide training to case 
agents and investigators within the threat assessment section.
    Could you describe for us that section and how the SAUSAs 
are working to help train case agents and investigators?
    Chief Manger. They are the subject matter experts on threat 
cases. We get, as everybody here knows, you get threats and 
concerning calls and directions of interest that are very 
concerning.
    These attorneys train our officers to know when it crosses 
that line from being just free speech or being just something 
concerning to something that is a criminal threat.
    Ms. Lee. In your assessment, has the program, as 
implemented thus far, been successful in addressing some of the 
rise in threats against Members in Congress?
    Chief Manger. Absolutely. We have better success in terms 
of prosecution now than we did before we had this program.
    Ms. Lee. Can you tell us why you think that change, why 
that better rate of success is happening?
    Chief Manger. I think it is because this is their primary 
job. Prior to this, we were competing with attorneys that had a 
huge caseload. Sometimes they just looked at our case and said: 
OK, not sure this is going to rise to the level of being a 
priority for me, because I am prosecuting much more serious 
cases.
    This way, we have folks that their priority is working 
threats against Members of Congress.
    Ms. Lee. Thank you, Chief.
    Mr. Mangual, last fall the Committee on House 
Administration held a briefing for Members and staff regarding 
the rise in crime in Washington, D.C. It included safety tips 
and advice for how best to protect oneself against carjackings 
and the proliferation of other things, like assaults and 
robberies, that we have been seeing here in the District.
    Would you like to provide any additional insight or advice 
on how residents or visitors to our Nation's capital can 
protect themselves from these types of violent crimes?
    Mr. Mangual. Unfortunately, I cannot say that I have any 
expertise in terms of giving advice on personal security. The 
one piece of advice that I would give residents is to urge 
their policymakers and their representatives in the D.C. 
Council and in Congress to push harder on anti-crime measures.
    As I mention in my testimony, it is very, very clear that 
the criminal justice system's capability of dealing with repeat 
offenders has been eroded, and it has been eroded for quite 
some time. That is why you see the most heinous crimes 
consistently committed by people who have 10, 15, 20, 30 prior 
arrests.
    To my mind, one of the most effective uses of time that 
citizens can make with respect to this issue is putting 
pressure on their elected officials to make some changes and 
stop that problem where it is.
    Ms. Lee. Thank you very much.
    Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    Chairman Steil. The gentlewoman yields back.
    We are in the homestretch here of our hearing, but I would 
like to recognize the Ranking Member for brief closing remarks.
    Mr. Morelle. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Again, thank you all for being here. This is a complicated 
and nuanced issue, no doubt, and more resources would clearly 
be helpful.
    Ms. Lee pointed out an interesting point as relates to the 
U.S. Attorneys, which, again, is why I am so strongly opposed 
to the proposed $320 million cut that was proposed by House 
Republicans for U.S. Attorneys, who do great work all across 
this country, including prosecuting crimes here in Washington, 
D.C.
    I am sorry that Mr. D'Esposito left, but since he raised a 
couple things.
    First, as it related to 2024 crime statistics, he talked 
about seasonality. I was actually comparing the same period of 
time of year from January 1 to March 21.
    Basic statistics, you want to compare like things, and that 
is what I did. I understand there will be seasonal adjustments.
    He raised another thing, which he said this was a partisan 
issue and basically condemned Democrats and blamed us for the 
crime issue.
    I was not going to raise this, but I am going to now, which 
is violent crime, as I said, in D.C. is obviously of concern to 
all of us.
    I know, according to a study by Third Way that looked at 21 
years of crime data, at the peak of the violent crime spike in 
2020 murder rates were 40 percent higher in red States, defined 
as States that voted for former President Trump in 2020, as 
opposed to blue States, defined as those States that voted for 
Joe Biden in 2020.
    The murder rate in States that voted for Donald Trump 
exceeded the murder rate in the States that voted for Joe Biden 
every year for two decades, from 2000 to 2020.
    Over the course of those 21 years, the per capita murder 
rate in Trump States was 23 percent higher than the murder rate 
in Biden States.
    Even if you remove murders in the largest cities in red 
States from the equation, those dominated by Democrats, murder 
rates in Trump-voting States were 12 percent higher across the 
21-year period than Biden States, which included those 
Democratic-controlled areas.
    I ask unanimous consent to enter this study entitled ``The 
Two-Decade Red State Murder Problem'' into the record.
    Chairman Steil. Without objection.
    [The article referred to follows:]
    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT] 

    Mr. Morelle. I would say again, this is nuanced.
    Look, I have strongly, as a Democrat, supported more 
resources for law enforcement. I will continue to do that. I 
believe we should have zero tolerance for crime in general. I 
do not disagree with many of the comments made about 
prosecution.
    It is impossible to look at the crime problem in the United 
States without looking at gun safety measures that are common 
sense. We have 400 million guns in the United States today. 
That is more than a single gun for every man, woman, and child 
in the United States.
    I have a family of hunters and people who take this very 
seriously, and most people do take gun violence seriously and 
gun safety. We have a problem. Not to acknowledge it and to 
suggest that the only reason that we have a problem is because 
of Democrats in urban areas I think is just irresponsible and I 
think is beneath the really learned approach that needs to be 
taken by the Congress in addressing these problems.
    Again, thank you for the hearing, Mr. Chair.
    Thank you again to the witnesses for your service.
    I yield back.
    Chairman Steil. The gentleman yields back.
    I thank you for your attendance.
    I will note, if we are debating if this is a partisan 
issue, I think it is telling one Democrat showed up willing to 
defend the soft-on-crime policies of the D.C. City Council. The 
rest of the entire Democrats on this Committee ducked out.
    Why? Because it is pretty darn tough to defend a 24-year-
old male who uses a gun to carjack someone being treated as a 
youth, and that is the policy here in our Nation's capital 
because of soft-on-crime policies.
    It is pretty tough to defend the fact that the average 
homicide suspect in our Nation's capital has been arrested 11 
times before.
    It is pretty hard to defend the massive rise on crime we 
have seen in Washington, D.C., over the last 4 years after in 
2020 the D.C. City Council and the Mayor cut the budget for the 
law enforcement officers in our Nation's capital.
    It is not surprising to me that only one Democrat on this 
Committee showed up. It is partisan because we see Democrats 
and the radical left have driven through soft-on-crime 
policies, and what we have seen here is the empirical data of 
what happens when you do that.
    You combine that with the anti-police rhetoric from those 
on the left that we documented here today, shared by Mr. 
Pemberton, what the impact is on the morale of law enforcement 
officers and how hard it is to recruit men and women to join 
the law enforcement community, to put a badge over their heart, 
to walk out the door every day not knowing what the call will 
be, but knowing that they are going to answer the call on all 
of our behalf.
    Everyone, visitors, staff members, Members of Congress, 
have a right to feel safe in our Nation's capital. Right now, 
far too many do not feel safe. They do not feel safe because of 
the policies put forward by liberals on the D.C. City Council 
that have allowed crime to spike in our Nation's capital.
    As the Chairman of the Committee on House Administration, I 
can tell you, I am committed to making sure that you, Chief 
Manger, have the resources that you need to be able to do your 
job and to be able to make sure that we continue to put 
pressure and pass laws, as we have, to overturn soft-on-crime 
policies in our Nation's capital.
    We have been successful once. We have been vetoed by the 
President of the United States another time. We are going to 
continue our efforts to make sure that everyone, visitors, 
staff members, Members alike, are safe here in our Nation's 
capital.
    I want to, on behalf I think of all the Members who showed 
up, I want to say thank you to the law enforcement officers of 
the Metropolitan Police Department, the men and women of the 
U.S. Capitol Police, who are out there every day, whose jobs 
are darn hard, in particular darn hard because of the policies 
and the soft-on-crime policies that have been advocated by this 
City Council.
    I will pause there, and I will just once again thank our 
witnesses for appearing before us today. Your comments were 
very helpful. The Members of the Committee may have some 
additional questions for you, and we ask that you please 
respond to those questions in writing.
    Without objection, each Member will have 5 legislative days 
to insert additional materials into the record or to revise and 
extend their remarks.
    Now, pursuant to paragraph (c) of rule 14 of the rules of 
the Committee, I will hereby appoint March Bell as 
parliamentarian of the Committee on House Administration and 
Thomas Lane as assistant parliamentarian on the Committee on 
House Administration.
    In addition, pursuant to paragraph (b) of rule 14, I hereby 
appoint Annemarie Cake as deputy clerk of the Committee on 
House Administration.
    Without objection, letters announcing both appointments 
will be placed in the record, and a copy of these letters will 
be available to all Committee Members.
    [The letters referred to follow:]

                     LETTERS OF APPOINTMENT
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    Chairman Steil. There being no further business, I want to 
thank the Members for their participation.
    Without objection, the Committee stands adjourned.
    [Whereupon, at 12:01 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.]

                    QUESTIONS FOR THE RECORD
                    
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