By Shania Shelton, Gabe Cohen, CNN

(CNN) — Washington, DC, doesn’t need a “federal emergency,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said Wednesday, adding her new executive order is meant to be a pathway out of the federal takeover that is set to end this month.

The Democratic mayor clarified that her order this week, which requires the city to coordinate with federal law enforcement, is not an endorsement of the Trump administration’s ongoing involvement in the city, but rather a framework for ending the president’s federal emergency.

“Let me tell you, without equivocation, that the mayor’s order does not extend the Trump emergency,” Bowser said at a press conference. “In fact, it does the exact opposite. What it does is lay out a framework for how we will exit the emergency. The emergency ends on September 10. The only way it can be extended legally is by the Congress.”

Her comments come as Republican senators on Wednesday praised President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on crime in the nation’s capital. One senator suggested reforming or altogether undoing DC’s Home Rule Act – a law that balances local self-governance with federal oversight in the capital.

“If we can reform the Home Rule status, we can give that a try. But we have to remember, this is authority that is ours. It’s been delegated, delegated unwisely, in my view. If we can reform that, then let’s do it. And President Trump’s action is an important first step in that direction,” Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said.

He continued, “But to the extent that that experiment is not able to work out, then we’ve got to be ready to do what needs to be done, and undo Home Rule.”

The Home Rule Act of 1973 allows the president to take control of the city’s police for 48 hours if he “determines that special conditions of an emergency nature exist,” which requires the department’s use for federal purposes.

The president can retain control of the department for a longer period if he notifies the chairs and ranking members of the congressional committees that handle legislative matters pertaining to DC. Any request of control over the city’s police department for over 30 days must be passed into law.

Bowser added Wednesday, “I want the message to be clear to the Congress: We have a framework to request or use federal resources in our city. We don’t need a presidential emergency.”

Her order states that Washington, DC, will continue to coordinate with federal law enforcement as permitted by district law. She has credited the federal law enforcement surge with helping to reduce violent crime but remains critical of the National Guard’s presence and ICE operations in the city.

This week, Trump also praised Bowser’s cooperation, calling DC a model for possible federal deployments in other Democratic-led cities like Chicago and Baltimore.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn praised Trump Wednesday over his actions in DC and gave credit to Bowser, who he said, “finally welcomed the federal enforcement for support for law enforcement.”

“The nation’s capital has been plagued by out-of-control violent crime for a long time now,” Cornyn said. “Fortunately, President Trump has not only acknowledged this problem, but he’s actually done something about it.”

During a separate press conference on Wednesday, House Democrats criticized Trump’s actual and threatened deployment of National Guard members to Democratic-led cities.

“We understand that whether it’s LA, DC, Chicago or Baltimore, Trump’s deployment of thousands of armed federal agents and military personnel into the nation’s capital and other cities is the action of a wannabe dictator. For him, Donald Trump, abusing the power of the National Guard is not about protecting public safety. It’s about control,” Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois said.

Illinois Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García added, “This escalation is not about public safety or about law and order. It’s an authoritarian power grab that has profound consequences, that seeks to target and profile, working class, immigrant and brown communities.”

Bowser, meanwhile, also addressed criticism – including a letter from more than 100 progressive groups – over her perceived reluctance to challenge the Trump administration more forcefully. She reiterated her commitment to protecting DC’s autonomy, citing the city’s unique legal status and lack of statehood as guiding principles.

Responding to concerns about the Metropolitan Police Department cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Bowser explained that the district is legally required to do so during the president’s federal emergency.

“We got to get out of the emergency,” Bowser said. “That’s why it’s important that you understand that the framework that I laid out in the mayor’s order is a pathway out.”

The-CNN-Wire
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