Muriel Bowser
At a September 2025 House Oversight hearing on D.C. crime, Rep. Mace questioned Mayor Bowser on DEI programs and the definition of 'woman,' sparking a widely reported exchange.
Muriel Bowser is the Mayor of Washington, D.C., a Democrat who has served as the District's chief executive since 2015; she came into direct public conflict with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) during a September 2025 congressional oversight hearing focused on crime and public safety in the capital.
What happened
September 18, 2025, House Oversight Committee hearing on the District of Columbia. The full House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, chaired by Rep. James Comer (R-KY), convened a hearing titled "Oversight of the District of Columbia." Witnesses included Mayor Bowser, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb. The stated purpose of the hearing was to examine public safety solutions amid a recent federal "crime emergency" declaration by the Trump administration and a series of Republican-backed bills that would increase congressional control over D.C. governance.
Mace's line of questioning. During her five-minute questioning period, Mace departed from crime statistics and directed a series of questions at Bowser about the District's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. She asked Bowser about the use of the terms "birthing person" and "structural or institutional racism" in city code, and whether government benefits should be distributed based on race. Mace also announced the introduction of her "No DEI in D.C. Act." Mace characterized the District's government as "a poster child for DEI and gender madness," according to reporting by The Advocate.
The "what is a woman" exchange. Mace asked Bowser directly: "Mayor Bowser, what is a woman?" Bowser responded: "I'm a woman. Are you a woman?" Mace answered, "A hundred percent." Bowser added, "You're looking at one." Multiple reporters and the C-SPAN clip archive confirmed this exchange occurred and that Bowser's response drew audible laughter in the hearing room. When Mace asked about the term "birthing person," Bowser responded: "I would assume it's someone who gives birth."
Procedural dispute during questioning. When Bowser sought to elaborate on her answers, Mace interrupted her and stated: "This is not her time. It's my time. You can be quiet as I ask you questions, and then you can answer them." Bowser replied: "Let's make good use of the time, Ms. Mace." Later in the exchange, Mace called Bowser "slick" for what Mace described as evasive answers, saying: "You're not answering any of these questions. I'll give it to you, you're slick."
Bowser's post-hearing statement. After the hearing, Bowser told reporters: "The hearing was disgraceful in its characterization of the District." She disputed the Republican framing of D.C. crime conditions, noting that the District had experienced a crime spike in 2023 but had driven crime down in the two subsequent years.
Broader hearing context. Other members also generated controversy during the hearing. Rep. Jim Jordan questioned whether crime statistics were being manipulated. D.C. Council Chairman Mendelson accused the D.C. Police Union head of lying about statistics. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) criticized President Trump's federal enforcement surge in the District. NBC4 Washington and WUSA9 reported that the hearing's stated focus on crime was frequently overtaken by unrelated political exchanges.
Sources
- TheGrio, Nancy Mace tells DC Mayor Bowser to 'be quiet,' calls her 'slick' in testy exchange over DEI & defining 'what is a woman?' (September 18, 2025)
- The Advocate, Unhinged Nancy Mace attacks D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser over race, gender & LGBTQ+ businesses in House hearing (September 18, 2025)
- C-SPAN, "I'm a woman. Are you a woman?" (clip archive, September 18, 2025)
- WUSA9, 'The hearing was disgraceful' | Congressional hearing on DC crime overshadowed by unrelated issues (September 18, 2025)
- NBC4 Washington, Sparks fly on Capitol Hill as Congress grills DC leaders on crime (September 18, 2025)
- MSN / Yahoo News, 'I'm A Woman, Are You?': DC Mayor Muriel Bowser Flips the Script on Rep. Nancy Mace During Heated Exchange in House Hearing (September 18, 2025)
- House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Chairman Comer Announces Hearing with D.C. Officials