The next is the transcript of an interview with Rep. Mike Lawler, Republican of New York, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Aug. 24, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome again to Face The Nation. We go now to Republican Congressman Mike Lawler of New York. Good to have you ever right here, Congressman, there’s rather a lot to get to with you, however I need to decide up on one thing we had been discussing with the governor of Maryland, and that was this redistricting, gerrymandering that’s occurring. The President inspired Texas Republicans to do it. Now, California Democrats are attempting to get districts redrawn as nicely. Why do you so strongly oppose this?
REP. MIKE LAWLER: I believe gerrymandering is essentially improper, and it’s on the coronary heart of why Congress has been damaged for thus a few years. For those who look three a long time in the past, there have been over 100 aggressive districts. Final November, solely 35 seats had been determined by 5 factors or much less, and mine wasn’t even one in all them, although Kamala Harris gained my seat, I gained by six and a half factors. So whenever you have a look at the map throughout the nation, the very fact is roughly 400 members aren’t in aggressive districts. They’re targeted totally on primaries and never basic elections, and subsequently they are not targeted on interesting to a wider swath of the voters. And I believe that clearly displays itself whenever you’re truly attempting to barter laws and past. However whenever you have a look at the redistricting state of affairs, clearly each events do not need clear palms right here. Democrats in New York did mid-decade redistricting final 12 months in 2024 on the behest of Hakeem Jeffries, who needed to choose up seats in New York to grow to be Speaker. They gerrymandered the maps after stacking the court docket and getting a good ruling ordering a mid-decade redistricting, although they gerrymandered maps in 2022 and people had been thrown out as a result of it violated the state structure. So now New York goes for a 3rd chew on the apple, based on Governor Hochul, who has made it clear because the second she took workplace in 2021 that she would use redistricting to assist Democrats win the home. So that is what you are coping with, purple states and blue states attempting to get electoral benefit proper now.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I assume what’s completely different now could be the President’s direct involvement on this, which is why it is attention-grabbing you’ve gotten laws to attempt to oppose a few of this. Do you actually assume you will get that completed if the President of United States does not need it completed?
REP. LAWLER: Look, clearly, it should be a struggle, however that is one thing that I essentially imagine we have to reform. We have to ban gerrymandering nationwide. We have to ban mid decade redistricting. I need to embody time period limits as a part of these reforms, as a result of I essentially imagine when you’ve gotten members of Congress like Chuck Schumer, who’s been in elected workplace since 1974 by no means held a job outdoors of elected workplace. It is time to go. You want time period limits. You want total reform. So I’ll struggle tooth and nail to get this completed. Clearly, you understand there’s going to be robust headwinds from each events, as a result of frankly, I do not assume each events are inquisitive about reforming the best way Congress capabilities.
MARGARET BRENNAN: No, they need the bulk. Interval. On the query, although, that we have now been- additionally been discussing with the governor, that’s crime. The President of the US has talked about New York is one other metropolis he needs to take a look at to deploy Nationwide Guard troops. Do you assume that is the very best use of federal taxpayer {dollars}, and are you comfy with that occuring in your state?
REP. LAWLER: Crime has been a serious drawback in New York for years, and Kathy Hochul and Albany and New York Metropolis Democrats have failed miserably to deal with this crime.
MARGARET BRENNAN:– Would you like Nationwide Guard troops?– ,
REP. LAWLER: — By the best way, Kathy Hochul has mobilized- Kathy Hochul has mobilized Nationwide Guard’s troops to enter the subway system due to the crime within the subway system. In order that has been completed, clearly, for the aim of surging sources and attempting to forestall crime. Once you have a look at the truth that in New York Metropolis, as an example, 80% of gun crimes don’t lead to a conviction or prosecution, that 80% of those people are launched again out onto the road regardless of utilizing weapons within the fee of a criminal offense. You have a look at Washington DC, 1.7% of gun crime convictions lead to jail time. So when Democrats speak about gun violence, how come they do not need to truly prosecute and implement the legislation towards criminals who’re utilizing weapons within the fee of a criminal offense?
[START CROSSTALK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: — No, however that is a local–
REP. LAWLER: — This can be a basic drawback and it is why the murder rate–
MARGARET BRENNAN:– that is a neighborhood problem that would wish to get modified. However by way of the query on the troops–
REP. LAWLER: — No but- it’s- no- however Margaret, this why the murder charge is so high–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — You’d moderately troops than FBI brokers or ATF brokers or DEA brokers. You don’t need federal brokers who’re skilled legislation enforcement officers in New York Metropolis. You’d moderately Nationwide Guardsmen —
REP. LAWLER: — I would like- I would like all the above.–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — who’ve skilled to be skilled to police?
[END CROSSTALK]
REP. LAWLER: No. No, no, do not put phrases in my mouth. I would moderately all the above, the FBI, the DEA, ATF. I’ve met with ATF only a few weeks in the past in my workplace on this very problem of actually cracking down on gun crimes and prosecuting criminals who use weapons within the fee of a criminal offense. I used to be proud final 12 months to steer the passage of the Undetectable Firearms Act, a typical sense, bipartisan piece of gun security laws enacted into legislation within the Eighties. We prolonged it seven years to guarantee that no gun is manufactured or bought with lower than 3.7 ounces of steel. I led that effort, and the rationale I did is as a result of we don’t need weapons on the road getting used within the fee of a criminal offense, and but, as I identified, you have a look at Washington D.C., only one.7% of gun crime convictions lead to jail time. For this reason you’ve got seen the murder charge double in lower than a decade. It is outrageous, and it is precisely why the President is cracking down on crime in main cities, and as we noticed in California, he’s legally licensed to take action.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I need to ask you about one thing in New York State that issues. A superb amount of cash from that CHIPs invoice went to New York. On Friday, the White Home introduced there’s going to be a change to how the federal government offers with that cash that is meant to make America impartial of Asian pc chip manufacturing and produce all of it again on shore, the President needs to purchase a ten% stake in Intel. That firm says it should now mainly have US taxpayers as a shareholder, personal 10%. As a conservative, do you assume that the federal government ought to have possession stakes in personal corporations?
REP. LAWLER: Typically talking, no, I believe whenever you have a look at prior historical past, after we’ve had, as an example, the financial institution bailouts, after we’ve had the auto bailouts, you understand, in the- within the aftermath of the collapse of the market and ’08 the American taxpayer actually did not get a return on that. I believe what the President is seemingly attempting to do is get a return on these tens of billions of {dollars} which can be being invested by U.S. taxpayers, by U.S. taxpayers into corporations like Intel to fabricate chips. And so moderately than simply give the cash away, get a return on that funding. Clearly, this can be a nationwide safety problem. We need to be answerable for the manufacturing of semiconductors and that is vital for our international coverage.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman, I am sorry to chop you off. I am being advised I’ve to go to a business break, so I’ll depart it there. We’ll be proper again.
