"D.C. residents are Americans who deserve the same rights to Federal representation that each of our constituents have across the country."
"The rate of gun deaths in Mississippi is over 30 percent higher than it is in D.C."
"The data is clear on gun violence. The numbers do not lie, and yet, we are ignoring it."
"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."
"D.C.'s lack of statehood has real financial consequences as well."
"We cannot continue to take these hearings serious when we are talking about crime if we are not going to talk about gun violence."
"We, in Congress, have the obligation to finally extend statehood to the residents of D.C."
"congressional interference in D.C.'s local affairs and the denial of statehood have very real consequences for D.C. residents."
"St. Louis and I are here today for a timely and important hearing to defend the planet itself."
"This is not about fiscal responsibility. It is a well-funded, dark-money-funded culture war attack not only on the American economy but on the American people."
"Republicans' failure to act is deadly. We've seen it over and over again; it's deadly."