Ranking Member Summer Lee, Subcommittee Democrats Demand Equal Participation in Law Enforcement Roundtable Hosted by Subcommittee Republicans
**For Immediate Release**
Ranking Member Summer Lee, Subcommittee Democrats Demand Equal Participation in Law Enforcement Roundtable Hosted by Subcommittee Republicans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 13, 2025 — Today, Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement, led Subcommittee Democrats in sending a letter to Subcommittee Chairman Clay Higgins requesting information about an upcoming roundtable discussion being hosted by Subcommittee Republicans concerning emerging issues facing American law enforcement—an event Republicans have publicly characterized as “bipartisan.”
Despite these claims, Subcommittee Democrats have received no information regarding the scope of the roundtable, no written testimonies or biographies for witnesses, little clarity on how Members will be permitted to participate, and were denied the opportunity to invite a witness of their own. The decision to hold a roundtable instead of a hearing enables Subcommittee Republicans to bypass regular House rules and exclude Democratic Members from full participation in the discussion.
“By opting to convene this discussion as a roundtable and not a hearing, the Subcommittee is sidestepping House Rules that establish clear structure, expectations, and standards for Member participation and conduct. Abandoning these long-held norms undermines regular order and suggests that the Majority is attempting to sideline Democratic Members’ ability to meaningfully engage with this subject—contradicting your claims that this roundtable is a bipartisan endeavor,” wrote the Members.
In the letter, the Members emphasized the importance of the topic and expressed disappointment at being denied the opportunity to include a minority witness, writing: “we were extremely disappointed that we were not afforded that opportunity to invite a witness for this roundtable. This is a disservice to the topic at hand as we could have expanded the viewpoints and experiences being discussed[.]”
Subcommittee Democrats also reaffirmed their commitment to following regular Committee order and engaging in meaningful bipartisan processes.
“Subcommittee Democrats remain willing to engage in a bipartisan process, including with the noticed panelists, that follows regular order so that this critical topic—and all others within the jurisdiction of this subcommittee—may receive the comprehensive oversight it warrants. Moving forward, we urge the Subcommittee to convene proper hearings on the emerging issues facing federal and local law enforcement, an especially timely and pressing subject as the Trump Administration and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are actively undermining core public safety programs and terminating grants that directly support local law enforcement, prevent gun violence, reduce recidivism, and serve victims and survivors.”
Click HERE to read the full letter to Chairman Higgins.
Congresswoman Summer Lee serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Education and Workforce. Since taking office in January 2023, she has delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $2.4 Billion brought back to Western PA, including over $580 million for infrastructure, over $110 million for affordable transit, over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania, and over $55 million on clean energy efforts in and around schools to help keep our kids and communities safe. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs. Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 3,000 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.