Today, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a legislative hearing on five bills, including legislation to codify President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) 14252, “Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful.” Subcommittee Chairman Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) issued the following statement in response:

“After suffering through four years of President Biden’s weak-on-crime agenda, our nation's capital has become one of the most dangerous cities in the country. Today, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands will take up legislation to ensure that Washington, D.C., is safe, beautiful, and a display of national pride for all who visit.”

Background

Washington, D.C., was created to be both the permanent seat of our federal government and to serve as a powerful symbol of national pride and strength. For more than 230 years, the District of Columbia has been our nation’s capital, home to iconic landmarks and monuments that commemorate national triumphs, promote foundational ideals, and portray serious challenges and struggles overcome.

Sadly, the city’s crime rate has skyrocketed in recent years, making it one of the most dangerous and deadly cities in America. In 2023, under unified Democratic local leadership, Washington, D.C., experienced 274 homicides, its deadliest year in two decades. In 2024, there were 29,348 crimes reported in the city, including 5,139 vehicle thefts, 3,469 violent offenses, 2,113 robberies and 1,026 assaults with a deadly weapon.

To fix the dire situation in our nation’s capital, President Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 14252, “Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful,” on March 27, 2025.  Furthering these efforts, President Trump also issued EO 14333, “Declaring a Crime Emergency in the District of Columbia,” on August 11, 2025, which deployed 800 National Guard members to crime hotspots throughout the city. Just one week after the president issued EO 14333, violent crime dropped 58 percent, carjackings were down 60 percent and there were 56 percent fewer robberies.

Tragically, last week, two National Guardsmen, Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe, who were sent here to protect our nation’s capital, were brutally and violently attacked just blocks from the White House. Unfortunately, U.S. Army Specialist Beckstrom passed away from her injuries at just 20 years old, while U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition. Their sacrifice further underscores the vital nature of the National Guard’s mission to defend law and order in the nation’s capital.

To support this effort, the Subcommittee held a hearing on H.R. 5103, the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. John McGuire (R-Va.), which codifies critical elements of President Trump’s EO 14252 by authorizing a program to beautify the District of Columbia and establishing the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission.

The Subcommittee also heard testimony on four additional pieces of legislation:

H.R. 4931, the National Park System Long-Term Lease Investment Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to extend certain leases within units of the National Park System to encourage long-term investments.

H.R. 5063, the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), ensures adequate lifeguard staffing at Federal beaches.

H.R. 4671, the Ensuring Casualty Assistance for our Firefighters Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.), directs the Secretary of the Interior to develop a Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program. A version of this legislation was also included in the Fix Our Forests Act.

H.R. 5254, the Gateway Partnership Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), allows for an agreement between the Secretary of the Interior and the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events in buildings in Gateway Arch National Park.