WASHINGTON (7News) — On Monday night, D.C. officials held a meeting to discuss their response after a tree fell and killed a woman at Garfield Park last week.

The Urban Forestry Division under the District Department of Transportation cares for the more than 170,000 public trees in the District.

A department official said every tree in Garfield Park has been inspected no fewer than three times since 2016.

The tree that killed 35-year-old Sarah Noah of Southeast D.C. was inspected a couple of times in recent years over public requests for pruning.

READ MORE | Witnesses describe loud noises prior to deadly tree fall in Southeast DC park

One request was in December 2018. Officials said it was inspected that day and pruned four months later.

Another request was made in May 2022. It was inspected that day and pruned two months later.

Inspections showed the tree was listed in good condition with no indication of internal decay.

In fact, in October 2023 the North American Tree Climbing Championships was held in Garfield Park, and that tree was heavily used. Before the competition, experts inspected and assessed the tree and found no issues.

DDOT said this past April an independent consultant reviewed the trees for an upcoming playground renovation and found no issues with this tree.

DDOT did not provide any explanation as to what caused this accident.

READ MORE | Deadly tree branch incident in DC prompts safety assessment

“Even with that tree having fallen apart, there was no single defect or characteristic that made us go, ah, of course. This is, you may have heard me describe this earlier in the week as unforeseeable,” said DDOT Associate Director for Urban Forestry Division Earl Eutsler.

Attendees expressed concerns about the irrigation system at the park and asked whether the North American Tree Climbing Championships contributed to this accident, but Eutsler said those were not connected to this accident.

DDOT has reviewed all 261 trees in the park. 215 are in good or excellent condition. 6 are in poor condition and scheduled to be removed. All those trees are rather small.

The median diameter of the trees at Garfield Park is 14 inches. Very few trees are 45 inches or larger in diameter.

This week, I returned to Washington following my recovery, and I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your incredible support during my time away. If I had a penny for every prayer sent my way, I’d be a millionaire. The generosity and kindness of our community never cease to amaze me. It is an honor to be back and to represent the wonderful people of Eastern North Carolina.

We’ve hit the ground running in Washington by passing the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility Act, a critical piece of legislation that ensures only American voices are heard in our elections. Additionally, the House successfully passed H.J.Res.165, which protects America’s daughters by reversing Biden’s dangerous Title IX program.

I will continue fighting for the values of North Carolina’s Third Congressional District. If you wish to stay more engaged and aware of what is happening in Washington and our District please follow me on my socials linked above or here: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. 

Thank you for your well wishes

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers during my treatment and recovery. I’m grateful to be doing well and excited to get back to DC to continue serving you.

I wanted to share some thoughts here.

Key Votes

Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act

The integrity of elections is the bedrock of our democracy. Unfortunately, many across the country are determined to undermine the ballot box by allowing noncitizens to vote. This action, despite being unconstitutional, is being pushed by those who want to pollute the American voting process. The city council in DC, for example, pushed through legislation that would have allowed Chinese and Russian nationals to vote. The Left continues its attack on free and fair elections.

Requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote is critical in preserving Americans’ trust in our federal elections. The SAVE Act would ensure states do this.

I voted to uphold our nation’s most sacred right and lift American voices by protecting election integrity.

Protecting Women’s Sports

Female athletes should not be forced to compete against biological males. It’s unfair, and in many cases, dangerous.

Unfortunately, the Biden Administration is waging a war on women’s sports. Earlier this year, President Biden’s Department of Education finalized a Title IX rule that threatens to destroy protections for women’s sports and put young women and girls at risk by allowing transgendered athletes on women’s teams and in their locker rooms and bathrooms. 

I voted to reverse this nonsense on campuses and locker rooms across the country.

President Biden’s Cognitive Health

As a physician who has taken care of elderly patients for decades, I am deeply concerned about the cognitive health of President Biden.

The Democratic charade of lies is over. Our Commander in Chief must be capable of performing his job at the highest level.

At present, this is a national security issue.

Listen to a few thoughts I have here. 

Letter to the White House Counsel on FLOTUS Taxpayer-Funded Personal Trips

Recently, reports indicated the First Lady had around $345k in travel costs to attend Hunter Biden’s trial covered. Dr. Jill Biden used YOUR money to see Hunter in court. How many more times will this happen? With Bidenflation still making so many folks struggle to make ends meet, taxpayers should not be footing her personal bills.

Because of this, I sent a letter to the White House Counsel to ensure accountability:

Discussion on “The PACT Act Two Years Later”

It was great to meet with colleagues and supporting organizations to discuss the implementation of the PACT Act, a package that included my Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA).

Two years later, there are still hurdles we face because of ridiculous and unacceptable government bureaucracy and red tape. Unfortunately, since the CLJA was enacted, only 53 out of 175,000 claims submitted have been settled. I’m proud to fight alongside my North Carolina colleague, Congresswoman Deborah Ross, to pass legislation to remove barriers prohibiting veterans from benefits that they are entitled to.

Committee on House Administration Hearing: Oversight of the Library of Congress

I had the opportunity to question Dr. Carla Hayden during the Committee on House Administration’s hearing on the oversight of the Library of Congress. She provided valuable updates on the library’s partnership with the Veterans History Project.

Through veterans sharing their unique and personal stories, this project holds great potential to significantly impact how future generations perceive our nation’s heroes.

I appreciate Dr. Hayden’s commitment to archiving the history of our veterans and their families for posterity.

Watch the full line of questioning here. 

Meeting with AACS Youth Legislative Training Conference

A group with AACS Youth Legislative Training Conference stopped by my office to learn more about how Congress works and to ask any questions they had of me. I had the pleasure of sharing some nuggets of wisdom I’ve picked up along the way.

This was a passionate group of young leaders who are eager to make an impact wherever their careers take them. Thanks for stopping by and best of luck to all of you in your future endeavors!

Meeting with North Carolina Pork Producers

I had the pleasure of catching up with some of North Carolina’s great pork producers this week.

We discussed the impact Prop 12 has on their operations, the critical need to expand market access, and strategies to prevent foreign animal diseases.

We also discussed the letter I sent to US Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, urging her to address barriers restricting America’s pork exports to South Africa. We need the Biden Administration to do more to open up foreign markets to our products.

North Carolina’s 3rd District is proud to be the second-largest pork-producing district in the nation, and America and the rest of the world relies on our farmers for high-quality food.

Meeting with the Americans United for Life

Today, I had the opportunity to meet with Americans United for Life, to discuss the critical importance of educating the public about the harms of assisted suicide and addressing common misconceptions about palliative care.

It is essential for doctors to prioritize quality-of-life options for elderly and disabled patients to eliminate any factors of coercion that might influence their decisions.

I am dedicated to being a proactive leader on this issue to ensure patients receive the compassionate and effective care they need to manage the effects of painful diseases and live fulfilling lives for as long as possible.