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 loads to get to with you, however I need to decide up on one thing we have 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 try to get districts redrawn as nicely. Why do you so strongly oppose this?
REP. MIKE LAWLER: I believe gerrymandering is essentially incorrect, and it’s on the coronary heart of why Congress has been damaged for therefore a few years. If you happen to look three many years in the past, there have been over 100 aggressive districts. Final November, solely 35 seats have been determined by 5 factors or much less, and mine wasn’t even one in all them, even if Kamala Harris received my seat, I received by six and a half factors. So if you take a look at the map throughout the nation, the actual fact is roughly 400 members are usually not in aggressive districts. They’re centered totally on primaries and never basic elections, and subsequently they don’t seem to be centered on interesting to a much wider swath of the voters. And I believe that clearly displays itself if you’re really attempting to barter laws and past. However if you take a look at the redistricting scenario, clearly each events shouldn’t have clear arms 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 change into Speaker. They gerrymandered the maps after stacking the courtroom and getting a positive ruling ordering a mid-decade redistricting, even if they gerrymandered maps in 2022 and people have been thrown out as a result of it violated the state structure. So now New York goes for a 3rd chew on the apple, in accordance with Governor Hochul, who has made it clear for the reason that 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, pink states and blue states attempting to get electoral benefit proper now.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I assume what’s completely different now’s the President’s direct involvement on this, which is why it is attention-grabbing you have got laws to attempt to oppose a few of this. Do you actually assume you will get that executed if the President of United States would not need it executed?
REP. LAWLER: Look, clearly, it’ll be a battle, however that is one thing that I essentially consider 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 consider when you have got 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 general reform. So I will battle tooth and nail to get this executed. Clearly, you understand there’s going to be sturdy headwinds from each events, as a result of frankly, I do not assume each events are excited about reforming the way in which Congress features.
MARGARET BRENNAN: No, they need the bulk. Interval. On the query, although, that we now have been- additionally been discussing with the governor, that’s crime. The President of america 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 taking place in your state?
REP. LAWLER: Crime has been a significant downside in New York for years, and Kathy Hochul and Albany and New York Metropolis Democrats have failed miserably to sort out this crime.
MARGARET BRENNAN:– Would you like Nationwide Guard troops?– ,
REP. LAWLER: — By the way in which, 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 executed, clearly, for the aim of surging assets and attempting to stop crime. If you take a look at the truth that in New York Metropolis, for 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 against the law. You take a look at Washington DC, 1.7% of gun crime convictions lead to jail time. So when Democrats discuss gun violence, how come they do not need to really prosecute and implement the regulation in opposition to criminals who’re utilizing weapons within the fee of against the law?
[START CROSSTALK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: — No, however that is a local–
REP. LAWLER: — It is a elementary downside and it is why the murder rate–
MARGARET BRENNAN:– that is a neighborhood situation that would wish to get modified. However when it comes to the query on the troops–
REP. LAWLER: — No but- it’s- no- however Margaret, this why the murder fee is so high–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — You’d reasonably troops than FBI brokers or ATF brokers or DEA brokers. You do not need federal brokers who’re skilled regulation enforcement officers in New York Metropolis. You’ll reasonably Nationwide Guardsmen —
REP. LAWLER: — I would like- I would like the entire 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 reasonably the entire above, the FBI, the DEA, ATF. I’ve met with ATF only a few weeks in the past in my workplace on this very situation of actually cracking down on gun crimes and prosecuting criminals who use weapons within the fee of against the law. I used to be proud final 12 months to guide the passage of the Undetectable Firearms Act, a standard sense, bipartisan piece of gun security laws enacted into regulation within the Nineteen Eighties. We prolonged it seven years to ensure that no gun is manufactured or offered with lower than 3.7 ounces of metallic. 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 against the law, and but, as I identified, you take a look at Washington D.C., just one.7% of gun crime convictions lead to jail time. Because of this you have seen the murder fee 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 approved to take action.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I need to ask you about one thing in New York State that issues. A very good sum of money 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 unbiased of Asian pc chip manufacturing and convey all of it again on shore, the President needs to purchase a ten% stake in Intel. That firm says it’ll now principally have US taxpayers as a shareholder, personal 10%. As a conservative, do you assume that the federal government ought to have possession stakes in non-public corporations?
REP. LAWLER: Usually talking, no, I believe if you take a look at prior historical past, after we’ve had, for 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 are being invested by U.S. taxpayers, by U.S. taxpayers into corporations like Intel to fabricate chips. And so reasonably than simply give the cash away, get a return on that funding. Clearly, it is a nationwide safety situation. We need to be in charge of the manufacturing of semiconductors and that is essential 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 will go away it there. We’ll be proper again.
