Pat Williams, Last Montana Democrat to Serve in the House, Dies at 87
His death, in a hospital, was announced by his family.
Mr. Williams championed wilderness protection, federal arts funding and family-friendly social policies. He retired from the House in 1997 after 18 years, the longest consecutive tenure by a Montana congressman.
His most notable election came in 1992, when Montana had been chiseled down to a single congressional seat, from two, after the 1990 census.
Mr. Williams, who represented the state's more liberal forested western half, faced Representative Ron Marlenee, a Republican who served the conservative ranchland of eastern Montana.
The left-versus-right showdown was fought over the use of the state's vast natural resources and whether the New Deal-era safety net for the vulnerable still mattered. Mr. Williams won narrowly, with 51 percent of the vote.
In Washington, he was a co-sponsor of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, which gave workers 12 weeks of unpaid time off to care for a newborn or a sick family member. Multiple attempts to enact the law under the Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush had failed. Mr. Williams called those administrations 'frozen in the ice of their own indifference' to working people.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
7 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Ted Cruz Wants Democratic Wipeout in Texas Over Newsom's California Plan
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. U.S. Senator Ted Cruz proposed that Texas extend the state's Republican advantage in the U.S. House of Representatives to a full Democratic wipeout if California Governor Gavin Newsom goes through with his plan to gerrymander seats. Newsom, a Democrat, has threatened to proceed with redistricting California so that his party has a majority in the U.S. House, and he urged President Donald Trump to stop Republican-governed states from redistricting, such as in Texas. Texas Democrats are thwarting a redistricting effort by state Republicans that, based on the previous election's results, could add five seats for the GOP in the U.S. House. They fled Texas to prevent the necessary quorum in the state legislature. "If California gerrymanders from its current 43-9 Dem advantage (83%) to a 52-0 Dem advantage (100%)... ...then Texas should go from a 24-14 GOP advantage (63%) to 38-0 (100%)," Cruz, a Republican, posted to X on Thursday morning. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
As Guard deploys, Trump to seek 'long-term' federal control of DC police
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he will seek more permanent federal control of the Washington, D.C., police force as he continues his efforts to ramp-up crime enforcement in the nation's capital. Earlier this week, Trump announced his plans to deploy National Guard troops in the nation's capital, declaring a public safety emergency in order to put the Washington police department under federal control and station the National Guard on the city's streets. Trump's current control of the D.C. police force expires in 30 days, after which Congress would have to weigh in. Asked Wednesday whether he'd work with Congress to extend the emergency authorization allowing him to temporarily seize control of local law enforcement, Trump said he'll ask Congress for a "long-term" extension of federal authority over the Washington police force. MORE: National Guard troops told to maintain presence near National Mall as part of Trump's anti-crime mission "We're going to be asking for extensions on that -- long-term extensions, because you can't have 30 days," Trump said at an event at the Kennedy Center. Trump indicated at one point that he'd ask Congress for more funds to fight crime and to make repairs to Washington's streets and parks. "We're going to make Washington beautiful. We're going to redo roads. We're going to redo the medians. The pavers and the medians are all throughout the city. We're going to take all the graffiti off. We're going to have to remove the tents. And the people that are living in our parks, we're going to be redoing the parks, the grasses and all. We're going to be going to Congress for a relatively small amount of money. And [Senate Budget Committee chair and GOP Sen.] Lindsey [Graham] and the Republicans are going to be approving it," Trump said. MORE: What to know about DC Home Rule Act as Trump puts DC police under federal control Trump has long threatened to take control of Washington, saying he wants to crack down on violent crime in the District although police statistics show that in the past two years, violent crime has gone down. "Fighting crime is a good thing. We have to explain we're going to fight crime -- that's a good thing," Trump said Wednesday. "Already they're saying, 'He's a dictator,' he said, referring to Democrats. "The place is going to hell. We've got to stop it. So, instead of saying, 'He's a dictator,' they should say, 'We're going to join him and make Washington safe.'" "We're going to be essentially crime-free. This is going to be a beacon, and it's going to also serve as an example of what can be done," Trump said. The D.C. National Guard is expected to begin ramping up its presence along the National Mall and at the federal monuments in Washington overnight Wednesday into Thursday, according to several officials familiar with the plans. Officials said the Trump administration is still in the process of setting up a joint task force, which will be led by Army Col. Larry Doane. While the task force is expected to include 800 activated soldiers, D.C. residents won't see that many on the streets. The troops will work in shifts of 100 to 200 troops at a time, and some of them will be assigned to administrative or logistical roles in support of local law enforcement, officials told ABC News. ABC News producers did not see any National Guard or increased law enforcement presence around Washington Wednesday afternoon -- including around the National Mall, D.C. Armory or in Logan Circle where a man was gunned down and killed earlier this week. A White House official told ABC News that, beginning Wednesday night, officials expected a "significantly higher National Guard presence to be on the ground throughout Washington, D.C." The White House official added that beginning Wednesday night, the deployment will transition to round-the-clock, 24/7 operations. Those operations had been previously focused on evening and overnight hours. On Tuesday night, more than 1,450 federal law enforcement officers and National Guard members patrolled Washington, according to a White House official. Law enforcement teams made 43 arrests on Tuesday night -- nearly twice the number made Monday night, the official said. Those law enforcement teams included 750 D.C. Metropolitan Police Department officers who were "uniformed, marked as patrol and directly assigned as anti-crime officers," the White House official said. That was in addition to the federal law enforcement who had been previously mobilized in the area. The White House official said that there were about 30 National Guard troops on the ground last night. MORE: Trump admin live updates: Trump threatens 'severe consequences' for Putin if he doesn't stop war The law enforcement teams were "deployed throughout all seven districts in D.C. to promote public safety and arrest violent offenders," the White House official said. After Trump's announcement Monday, approximately 850 officers and agents fanned out over D.C. right after Trump declared a crime emergency in the capital, making 23 arrests, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday. On Tuesday, National Guard troops were spotted on the National Mall, with many stationed around the base of the Washington Monument. The troops left Wednesday morning. It was not immediately clear why the presence of U.S. troops along the National Mall was needed, other than to put Trump's orders on display. The area, marked by museums, monuments and long stretches of grass, is known as a relatively safe part of the city that attracts mostly tourists and school groups. ABC News' John Parkinson contributed to this report. Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that National Guard did not make any arrests of individuals in Washington. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Donald Trump enacts plans to take over D.C. police. Mike Lee wants him to go even further
WASHINGTON — More than 800 National Guard troops are being deployed to Washington, D.C., after President Donald Trump signed an emergency order to address the city's crime rates — but some lawmakers such as Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, want the president to go even further. Trump announced plans on Monday to federalize the D.C. police department, invoking a rarely used statute that allows the president to take control of the city's law enforcement on a temporary basis. The order would expire in 30 days unless explicitly extended by Congress. Republicans praised Trump's decision, citing personal stories of juvenile crime and other attacks — claiming the executive order was needed to restore peace in the city. The order also marks the strongest action yet following through with Trump's desires to take control of the nation's capital and repeal its self-governance laws. Lee has used the recent order to revive calls for the passage of his BOWSER Act, a bill to overturn local control over Washington, D.C., and place it under federal jurisdiction. The bill, named after Mayor Muriel Bowser, would revoke what is known as the D.C. Home Rule Act, which allows the city to operate as a self-governing entity. 'We have no other choice,' Lee wrote in an op-ed for The Spectator. 'The district's government has proven unable and unwilling to meet even the basic obligations of governance. It's gotten to the point where Washington is no longer merely a local embarrassment. To allow it to remain a showcase of crime, corruption and incompetence is an act of national self-harm.' The latest threats highlight an ongoing challenge for D.C. officials, who have been working for months to crack down on rising rates of youth crime. Since the beginning of 2025, juveniles have made up more than 50% of arrests related to carjacking, according to D.C. police. A majority of those arrests are made up of teens who are 15 and 16 years old. Bowser has acknowledged the recent trends, even going so far as to create a special police unit in April tasked with responding to juvenile crime. Curfew zones for the city's juveniles have also been put in place this week. Lee pushes for more action to dismantle D.C. autonomy While Trump has threatened for months to take control of D.C. entirely, his latest order does not quite meet that level. Instead, Lee is now pressing for a vote on his legislation that would place the district completely under congressional jurisdiction — and has even suggested returning some of D.C.'s land back to Maryland, preserving only a narrow strip of the city containing the White House, Capitol, and Supreme Court to be its own entity. 'This small federal enclave would remain under congressional control—allowing the centers of power in Washington to remain under exclusively federal control — while the rest of DC's residents would gain full voting rights and representation as Marylanders,' Lee said in a post on X. 'This solution would give DC residents what they deserve — state-level representation — without upending the Constitution or creating an anomalous micro-state. This approach would be practical, historical, and fair.' Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., who leads the BOWSER Act in the House, has similarly pushed for the bill's passage, telling the Deseret News he texted Trump last week about the legislation. Ogles said he also contacted House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to remind him of his legislation, noting a vote on the matter 'needs to happen.' It's not clear whether Trump will pursue legislative action to take control of the capital city. When asked if the president plans to work with Congress, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said he is 'very much still interested' in addressing issues such as cashless bail and other public safety policies in D.C. 'Juvenile delinquency is another major problem in the city that Congress can address,' Leavitt said. 'I know Congress is on recess right now. When they get back to work in Washington, the president looks forward to having these conversations with our friends on Capitol Hill, so we can work with them to make D.C. safe and beautiful again.' Trump's troop deployment underscores new strategy that 'will go further' In the meantime, Trump has made clear he plans to utilize military action if needed to crack down on crime and homelessness in Washington, D.C., announcing this week that his administration would begin removing homeless people from their encampments across the city and taking them elsewhere. Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday that those who are removed from the encampments would be given the choice to be placed in a homeless shelter or other facilities — or else the individuals will face fines and possibly jail time if they do not remove themselves from the streets. Trump initially threatened in a post on Truth Social to move homeless people 'FAR from the Capital.' When pressed on what that means, Leavitt said it's an option the administration is still exploring. Trump also suggested D.C. is just the beginning of his efforts to crack down on crime in major cities, telling reporters on Monday that 'we're starting very strongly with D.C., and we're going to clean it up real quick.' 'We have other cities also that are bad, very bad. You look at Chicago, how bad it is. You look at Los Angeles, how bad it is. We have other cities that are very bad,' Trump said. 'New York has a problem. And then you have, of course, Baltimore and Oakland. … They're so far gone. We're not going to let it happen. We're not going to lose our cities over this. And this will go further.' The deployment in D.C. comes after Trump similarly sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles earlier this year to quell protests against his administration's immigration policies. The new strategy marks a shift from his predecessors by using military deployments within U.S. borders.
