Transcription
[Applause] Senator Marshall. Yeah.
Well, Anna, thank you for sharing your harrowing story. And unfortunately, your story is being repeated eight times a day in our nation's capital. At least it was until about two and a half weeks ago. Senator Cornin, thank you for your leadership in doing this as well and standing beside President Trump as we tried to make Washington DC safe again.
Senator Cornin and I share a couple things where I think we wake up in the morning as grandfathers, as parents, and we ask, are is our family safe? And up here, we have to ask, is our is our staff safe? Um, are the visitors from back home, are they safe?
In fact, over 27 million visitors flock to our nation's capital annually, including two million over two million international guests and well over a million students, children, and young adults. And I asked myself this morning, walking in early, why do these masses come?
Well, foreigners arrive to witness freedom firsthand, something they deeply long for. And it's here where they see the birthplace of modern democracy and the world's guardian of liberty and freedom. For Americans, we come often with their children or grandchildren to behold Lady Freedom, a top the nation's capital. Here she symbolizes freedom reigns supreme in our nation. that she stands over this nation as a guardian. She has a sheath sword that points downward. And I love that it declares that we are a people at peace, yet ready to defend our ideals. And today, we're here to defend these ideas.
For our youth, this is where history becomes life. Classroom lessons bloom into inspiration as they learn of our founding fathers and mother's sacrifices, their blood, their sweat, their tears and fortunes to birth the nation conceived in liberty and justice for all.
But people don't come to Washington DC to encounter a murder every other day, to see a carjacking daily, or to see eight violent crimes a day. Thanks to President Trump, our National Guard, brave law enforcement, and Mayor Muriel Bowser's pragmatic cooperation, crime is plummeting. In just over two weeks, murders, violent crimes, and carjackings have dropped by nearly 50% or more.
But yet, none of us standing here are satisfied with those current crime rates. The pain lingers for each one of us about our own staffers member. one of my staffers cars in the apartment was riddled with bullets. Two other my staffers vehicles were broken in and a fourth a staffer was attacked by young punks. No, we're not satisfied at all.
Our shared dream and hopes is that Washington DC remains the symbolic heart of our great nation. A vibrant embodiment of American democracy, strength, and exceptionalism. It must forever be our shining city on a hill, showcasing America's best in inspiring the next generation of patriots. Thank you.