"They are part of an effort to deny Americans who live in Washington the right to participate in representative government."
"Thank you for immediately deploying the Metropolitan Police Department on January 6, 2021, to come and defend us against the violent insurrection that took place."
"You sent hundreds of officers who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Capitol Police, and we know many of them were injured in the process."
"You did not hesitate to voluntarily deploy the Metropolitan Police Department to help us out."
"If D.C. were to become a state, the Governor, the new executive of the state, would have control over the National Guard."
"D.C. residents are Americans who deserve the same rights to Federal representation that each of our constituents have across the country."
"It is also telling that Republicans are choosing to target Washington, DC, even though many places across the country are dealing with much higher crime than the District."
"The rate of gun deaths in Mississippi is over 30 percent higher than it is in D.C."
"I have only been here for five months, but I have seen House Democrats sponsor numerous gun reform and gun violence legislation."
"statehood is an imperative of basic democratic values, but also of governmental efficiency."
"I can think of dozens of things more urgently important to the American people, starting with the out-of-control gun violence."
"I thank them for their democratic patience as they await approval of their petition for statehood."