The White House reiterated its support for D.C. statehood on Friday when it was asked about a local crime bill that could be overturned by Congress.
Last week, the House passed a resolution that would overturn a law softening the punishment for homicide, robberies, and carjackings. The measure is heading to the Senate, where just a few Democrats could make the difference between it failing or moving forward.
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“This is yet another clear example of why, as you just mentioned, D.C. deserves statehood,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in response to a reporter’s question. “That is something the president has supported since his campaign and will continue to [support].”
President Joe Biden could veto the bill, but that wouldn’t be necessary if the District of Columbia were made into a state. As it stands, the federal district elects its own city council and mayor but is ultimately subject to Congress.
The House resolution pulled support from 31 Democrats in addition to all of the chamber’s Republicans. And several Democratic senators have been silent on whether they support overruling the district’s new law.
Support for the law was unanimous by D.C. Council members, but Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has defied the council in the past, vetoed the bill last month, stating it was too broad and should focus on making Washington safer. The council later overrode that veto.
If just a few Senate Democrats side with Republicans, the resolution could reach Biden’s desk, where he may issue his own veto that would see the crime bill approved for good.
The resolution cannot be filibustered, so all it would take is 51 senators to roll back the capital city’s statute. Congress hasn’t overridden a district statute in more than 30 years.
A decision on the crime bill will come after Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) was assaulted in her Washington apartment building by a homeless man with a long criminal history. She took the opportunity to chastise Washington for lax crime laws.
“I got attacked by someone who the District of Columbia has not prosecuted fully over the course of almost a decade, over the course of 12 assaults before mine that morning,” she said. “And so I think we have to think about how in the world can we make sure that we’re not just letting criminals out.”
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Despite chastising the House resolution to override the D.C. crime bill, Jean-Pierre reiterated Biden’s support for battling crime overall.
“As it relates to the D.C. crime bill itself, look, the president has never been clearer that we must do more to reduce crime and save lives,” she said. “The president has put forth a plan, a Safer America plan, to make sure that our communities are indeed safe. He’s taken actions these last two years and he’ll continue to do that.”
