{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where state = \"DC\" sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-mary-church-terrell-day-resolution-honoring-life-civil-1", "Norton Introduces \u2018Mary Church Terrell Day\u2019 Resolution, Honoring the Life of Civil Rights and Women's Rights Activist", "2026-09-21", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a resolution supporting the designation of September 23, 2026, as \"Mary Church Terrell Day,\" recognizing Mary Church Terrell's lasting contributions to the civil rights and women's rights movements. Terrell moved to the District of Columbia in 1887 to become a teacher at M Street Colored High School, now known as Dunbar High School, which is Norton's alma mater.\n\nTerrell's parents encouraged her to pursue education, beginning her journey to become one of the first Black women to graduate from college and later to become the first Black woman appointed to the D.C. Board of Education. As a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Association of Colored Women, Terrell spent her life working to advance the status of African American women as a civil and women's rights activist.\n\n\u201cMary Church Terrell is remembered for the battles she fought here in the District of Columbia to build a more equal America, particularly for Black women,\u201d Norton said. \u201cHer education gave her the knowledge and confidence to challenge the injustices of segregation and voter suppression and to demand a more just society. Yet our history books too often celebrate the accomplishments of men while overlooking the women who, like Mary Church Terrell, helped change the course of our nation.\u201d\n\nThe text of the resolution follows.\n\nRESOLUTION\n\nExpressing support for the designation of September 23, 2026, as \u201cMary Church Terrell Day\u201d, and calling on Congress to recognize Mary Church Terrell\u2019s lasting contributions to the civil rights and women\u2019s rights movements.\n\nExpressing support for the designation of September 23, 2026, as \u201cMary Church Terrell Day\u201d, and calling on Congress to recognize Mary Church Terrell\u2019s lasting contributions to the civil rights and women\u2019s rights movements.\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell was born on September 23, 1863, in Memphis, Tennessee, to former enslaved persons;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell\u2019s father, Robert Reed Church, was a successful businessman and one of the South\u2019s first African-American millionaires;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell attended the Antioch College laboratory school and Oberlin College;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell was one of the first African-American women to attend college;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell\u2019s belief in the importance of education led her to the District of Columbia in 1887;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell taught at M Street Colored High School, now known as Paul Laurence Dunbar High School;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell was the first African-American woman to be appointed to a school board;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell believed that the end to racial discrimination could be achieved through education, work, and community activism;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell\u2019s activism was sparked by the lynching of an old friend, Thomas Moss, in 1892;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell used her position to fight racial and gender discrimination;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell participated in antilynching campaigns alongside Ida B. Wells-Barnett;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell led the fight to desegregate eating places in the District of Columbia;\n\nWhereas District of Columbia laws of 1872 and 1873 required all restaurants \u201cto serve any respectable, well-behaved person regardless of color\u201d;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell was age 86 at the time she launched the campaign to enforce these civil rights laws;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell and several colleagues entered Thompson Restaurant in the District of Columbia on February 28, 1950;\n\nWhereas the group was refused service on the basis of their race;\n\nWhereas John R. Thompson Co., Inc., was prosecuted for violating these laws;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell continued her fight through boycotts, picketing, and sit-ins at restaurants around the District of Columbia;\n\nWhereas, on June 8, 1953, three years after the information charging the restaurant was filed, the Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. John R. Thompson Co., Inc., held these laws were enforceable;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell also actively fought for women\u2019s suffrage;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell was president of the National Association of Colored Women;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell was one of the founders and charter members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People;\n\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell persuaded the National Association of University Women to admit Black members;\n\nWhereas the Mary Church Terrell House is a National Historic Landmark located at 326 T Street, NW, in the District of Columbia, and is open to the public; and\n\nWhereas September 23 would be an appropriate day to designate as Mary Church Terrell Day: Now, therefore, be it\n\nResolved, That the House of Representatives\u2014\n\nsupports the designation of \u201cMary Church Terrell Day\u201d; and\n\n(2) calls on Congress to recognize Mary Church Terrell\u2019s lasting contributions to the civil rights and women\u2019s rights movements.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-22T09:42:49Z", "2026-09-22T09:44:35Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-van-hollen-introduce-no-fencing-united-states-capitol-complex-act-0", "Norton, Van Hollen Introduce No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced the No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act, which would prohibit the installation of permanent fencing on the grounds of the United States Capitol complex. After the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, a fence was erected around the Capitol that stayed in place for six months as officials recommended a permanent barrier. Norton criticized permanent fencing as both cosmetic and imprecise and instead called for smarter, state-of-the-art solutions.\n\n\u201cPermanent fencing would send an un-American message to the nation and the world, transforming the Capitol from a place that's accessible to the people it serves into a fortress that locks them out,\u201d CongresswomanNorton said. \u201cThe answer to security vulnerabilities is not a crude barrier that makes the Capitol look safer while doing little to address the threats. Instead, we should be investing in the intelligence, technology, training and security measures that actually protect the Capitol while preserving the openness that is fundamental to our democracy. At a time when trust in government is at historic lows, the last thing we should do is put another physical and psychological barrier between the people and the government that serves them.\u201d\n\n\u201cOurs is a government of, by, and for the people \u2013 and the people should always be able to safely access our nation\u2019s Capitol and exercise their First Amendment rights. We can protect the Capitol without walling it off to the public. This legislation would ensure this complex never becomes a fortress where the American people are left on the outside looking in,\u201d said Senator Van Hollen.\n\nNorton's introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Nortonon the Introduction ofthe No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act\n\nSeptember 15, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act, which would prohibit the installation of permanent fencing at the United States Capitol complex. Senator Chris Van Hollen is introducing this bill in the Senate.\n\nPermanent fencing at the Capitol complex would send an un-American message to the nation and the world by transforming our democracy from one that is accessible, transparent and of the people to one that is closed off, secretive and fearful of its own citizens. It would tell the world that the most powerful nation must rely on crude barriers for safety instead of state-of-the-art intelligence and security protocols. The Capitol complex has welcomed First Amendment demonstrations for centuries without becoming a fortress. The openness of the Capitol complex and our democracy is a strength, not a weakness that needs to be rooted out.\n\nFurthermore, the Capitol complex does not exist in a vacuum. It is immediately surrounded by residential neighborhoods and local businesses. Permanent fencing would cause serious damage to the fabric of these communities. After the January 6th insurrection, the Capitol complex became an untraversable fortress surrounded by frightening fences capped with barbed wire typical of authoritarian regimes. These residents and businesses were more than understanding as their neighborhoods turned into militarized zones. They waited patiently as officers checked their identification on their walks home or took alternative routes when they found blocked streets. Permanent fencing would limit their ability, as well as the general public\u2019s ability, to enjoy the public spaces that define our nation\u2019s capital.\n\nThe distance between government and the people has grown, with trust in government at historic lows. We should not increase that distance by placing intimidating barriers between public servants and the people they serve, especially when such barriers are unnecessary.\n\nSecurity is not only about reducing risk. It is also about safeguarding the freedoms and values that anchor our country, not only for ourselves but for future generations. Public property should be open to the public. Americans should not have to peer at their democracy from behind fences.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-van-hollen-wicker-introduce-no-fencing-united-states-capitol-complex", "Norton, Van Hollen, Wicker Introduce No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced the No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act, which would prohibit the installation of permanent fencing on the grounds of the United States Capitol complex. After the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, a fence was erected around the Capitol that stayed in place for six months as officials recommended a permanent barrier. Norton criticized permanent fencing as both cosmetic and imprecise and instead called for smarter, state-of-the-art solutions.\n\n\u201cPermanent fencing would send an un-American message to the nation and the world, transforming the Capitol from a place that's accessible to the people it serves into a fortress that locks them out,\u201d CongresswomanNorton said. \u201cThe answer to security vulnerabilities is not a crude barrier that makes the Capitol look safer while doing little to address the threats. Instead, we should be investing in the intelligence, technology, training and security measures that actually protect the Capitol while preserving the openness that is fundamental to our democracy. At a time when trust in government is at historic lows, the last thing we should do is put another physical and psychological barrier between the people and the government that serves them.\u201d\n\n\u201cOurs is a government of, by, and for the people \u2013 and the people should always be able to safely access our nation\u2019s Capitol and exercise their First Amendment rights. We can protect the Capitol without walling it off to the public. This legislation would ensure this complex never becomes a fortress where the American people are left on the outside looking in,\u201d said Senator Van Hollen.\n\n\u201cAmericans go to great lengths to visit their nation\u2019s Capitol,\u201d said Senator Wicker. \u201cWe should make it as easy as possible to welcome them. No fence should hinder visitors from walking the halls where their elected representatives deliberate and vote.\u201d\n\nNorton's introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Nortonon the Introduction ofthe No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act\n\nSeptember 15, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act, which would prohibit the installation of permanent fencing at the United States Capitol complex. Senator Chris Van Hollen is introducing this bill in the Senate.\n\nPermanent fencing at the Capitol complex would send an un-American message to the nation and the world by transforming our democracy from one that is accessible, transparent and of the people to one that is closed off, secretive and fearful of its own citizens. It would tell the world that the most powerful nation must rely on crude barriers for safety instead of state-of-the-art intelligence and security protocols. The Capitol complex has welcomed First Amendment demonstrations for centuries without becoming a fortress. The openness of the Capitol complex and our democracy is a strength, not a weakness that needs to be rooted out.\n\nFurthermore, the Capitol complex does not exist in a vacuum. It is immediately surrounded by residential neighborhoods and local businesses. Permanent fencing would cause serious damage to the fabric of these communities. After the January 6th insurrection, the Capitol complex became an untraversable fortress surrounded by frightening fences capped with barbed wire typical of authoritarian regimes. These residents and businesses were more than understanding as their neighborhoods turned into militarized zones. They waited patiently as officers checked their identification on their walks home or took alternative routes when they found blocked streets. Permanent fencing would limit their ability, as well as the general public\u2019s ability, to enjoy the public spaces that define our nation\u2019s capital.\n\nThe distance between government and the people has grown, with trust in government at historic lows. We should not increase that distance by placing intimidating barriers between public servants and the people they serve, especially when such barriers are unnecessary.\n\nSecurity is not only about reducing risk. It is also about safeguarding the freedoms and values that anchor our country, not only for ourselves but for future generations. Public property should be open to the public. Americans should not have to peer at their democracy from behind fences.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-resolution-designate-september-national-campus-sexual-2", "Norton Introduces Resolution to Designate September as \u2018National Campus Sexual Assault Awareness Month\u2019", "2026-09-09", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 As students return to campus for the fall semester, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced her annual resolution to designate September as \u201cNational Campus Sexual Assault Awareness Month.\u201d\n\n\u201cSeptember is an appropriate time to focus the nation\u2019s attention on campus sexual assault as students return to college and begin a new academic year. Designating September as \u2018National Campus Sexual Assault Awareness Month\u2019 would give colleges and universities an important opportunity to strengthen prevention efforts, educate students about consent and sexual violence, and ensure that survivors know where they can turn for help and support,\u201d Norton said. \u201cNo student should have to choose between pursuing an education and feeling safe on campus.\u201d\n\nNorton has introduced this resolution for the past several years to highlight the problem of sexual assaults on campuses. In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein scandals and the #MeToo movement, Norton said her determination to continue to speak out has only grown, and that we must change behavior at the earliest stages of the lives of young men and women.\n\nThe resolution text follows.\n\nRESOLUTION\n\nExpressing support for the designation of September 2026 as National Campus Sexual Assault Awareness Month.\n\nWhereas freshmen and sophomores in college are at a greater risk of being sexually assaulted than juniors or seniors;\n\nWhereas college students are at a higher risk of sexual assault during the first few months of school, with more than 50 percent of college sexual assaults occurring in either August, September, October, or November;\n\nWhereas many college students are survivors of \u201cincapacitated assault\u201d, in which they are sexually assaulted while drugged, drunk, passed out, or otherwise incapacitated;\n\nWhereas these survivors often know their attackers;\n\nWhereas less than 12 percent of rapes and attempted rapes of college students are reported to campus authorities or local law enforcement;\n\nWhereas college sexual assault survivors are likely to tell someone they know, most often a friend, about their experience;\n\nWhereas 20 percent of college sexual assault survivors fear reprisal by the perpetrator;\n\nWhereas many college sexual assault survivors fear poor treatment by campus or law enforcement authorities, or even lack knowledge of the reporting process;\n\nWhereas 10 percent of colleges still do not allow confidential reporting of sexual assaults to campus authorities;\n\nWhereas 22 percent of colleges provide no sexual assault response training for members of their faculty and staff;\n\nWhereas 41 percent of colleges have not conducted a single sexual assault investigation in the last 5 years;\n\nWhereas most colleges fail to provide access to a specially trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner;\n\nWhereas law enforcement officials at 30 percent of colleges receive no training on how to respond to reports of sexual violence;\n\nWhereas more than 70 percent of colleges do not have protocols regarding how the institution and local law enforcement should work together to respond to sexual violence;\n\nWhereas 33 percent of colleges fail to provide training to dispel \u201crape myths\u201d to persons adjudicating sexual assault claims;\n\nWhereas 43 percent of the Nation\u2019s largest colleges have students assisting in adjudicating sexual assault cases, which creates privacy and conflict-of-interest concerns;\n\nWhereas 22 percent of colleges allow athletic department oversight of sexual violence cases involving student athletes;\n\nWhereas many college sexual assault survivors experience confusion over how to report a sexual assault, are unsure of acceptable standards of sexual conduct and definitions of rape and sexual assault, and fear punishment for activities preceding some sexual assaults, such as underage drinking;\n\nWhereas 21 percent of the Nation\u2019s largest private colleges report not independently investigating all claims of sexual assault that they conveyed to the Department of Education;\n\nWhereas only 10 to 25 percent of the perpetrators of college sexual assaults are permanently expelled;\n\nWhereas less than 7 percent of reported college rape cases result in criminal charges against the perpetrator;\n\nWhereas survivors of campus sexual assaults are more likely to have their lives disrupted, such as by changing a college major, changing campus housing, and dropping a class, than the average student;\n\nWhereas 7 States require colleges to adopt affirmative consent policies; and\n\nWhereas September 2026, when many students begin or return to college, is an appropriate month to designate as National Campus Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Now, therefore, be it\n\nResolved, That the House of Representatives supports the designation of National Campus Sexual Assault Awareness Month.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-10T09:25:58Z", "2026-09-10T09:27:09Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-extend-educational-benefits-dependent-parents", "Norton Introduces Bill to Extend Educational Benefits to Dependent Parents of Servicemembers", "2026-09-08", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to expand education benefits to dependent parents of servicemembers and veterans. Under the legislation, a dependent parent could qualify for education assistance if their child dies from a service-connected disability or has a total and permanent service-connected disability. Currently only spouses and children of these servicemembers are eligible.\n\n\u201cParents of servicemembers make enormous sacrifices to support their children\u2019s service, often stepping in to care for their grandchildren while their sons and daughters are deployed overseas,\u201d Norton said. \u201cWhen a servicemember is killed or becomes permanently disabled in service to our country, we should not leave those parents behind. This bill recognizes the sacrifices they have made by helping them pursue the education and training they may have put on hold and giving them a better opportunity to enter or reenter the workforce.\u201d\n\nThis legislation has been endorsed by Disabled American Veterans.\n\nThe idea for the bill came from a Norton constituent. Norton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of a Bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend eligibility for survivors\u2019 and dependents\u2019 educational assistance to the dependent parent of a person who dies of a service-\n\nconnected disability or has a total and permanent service-connected disability, and for other purposes.\n\nAugust 27, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce a bill to expand eligibility for the Survivors\u2019 and Dependents\u2019 Educational Assistance Program, commonly referred to as Chapter 35 benefits, to dependent parents of servicemembers.\n\nThe idea for this bill came from one of my constituents. Currently, the spouses and children of servicemembers who die or become disabled are eligible for Chapter 35 benefits. However, dependent parents of servicemembers are not eligible.\n\nParents of servicemembers often fill the role of caregiver for the children of servicemembers while they are overseas. Such time commitments make it challenging for these parents to pursue post-secondary education, making it difficult for them to enter the workforce if their child is killed or becomes disabled in service of their country.\n\nThis bill would expand the definition of \u201celigible person\u201d in Chapter 35 to include dependent parents of servicemembers. Granting dependent parents of servicemembers access to Chapter 35 benefits will allow them to gain the necessary skills to enter the workforce and support themselves and other surviving family members.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-09T09:27:09Z", "2026-09-09T09:29:04Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-statement-passing-her-friend-gloria-steinem", "Norton Statement on the Passing of Her Friend Gloria Steinem", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released the following statement on the death of Gloria Steinem, the pioneering feminist writer and organizer, who Norton knew as a friend and fellow activist for more than 50 years.\n\n\"Gloria and I first met when we were organizing what came to be the modern women's political movement. We co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971 with the goal of electing more women to serve in office and collaborated many times over our more than 50 years of friendship to advance the cause of gender equality. In the decades since, from my work at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission through more than three decades in Congress, Gloria remained a steady presence and a trusted friend, someone I could always turn to for wisdom about which fights were worth having and how to win them. We shared an unflagging optimism and determination to make the future better for our daughters.\n\n\"In 2013 I received the 'Gloria Award' from the Ms. Foundation, named after Ms. Magazine, which Gloria founded and I regularly contributed to. I said then that an award named after my friend should come with a receipt attached saying 'Keep on earning it.'\n\n\"Gloria's work may be finished, but there is still much to do. We find ourselves again with men in power who would prefer that women limit ourselves to the role defined by our differentiating reproductive capabilities rather than the full potential of our minds. The gender pay gap has narrowed, but it persists. We must carry Gloria's example forward the only way she would have wanted: by refusing to accept less than full equality for women, and by getting back to work.\"\n\nNorton and Steinem first worked together in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and their collaboration continued for more than five decades across the founding of key feminist institutions, Norton's tenure at the EEOC, and her service in Congress representing the District of Columbia.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-resolution-designating-september-peace-month-inspired-dc-2", "Norton Introduces Resolution Designating September as \u2018Peace Month,\u2019 Inspired by D.C. Second Graders", "2026-08-31", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, ahead of International Day of Peace on September 21, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a resolution supporting the designation of September 2026 as national \u201cPeace Month\u201d and calling on Congress to take action to promote peace, at home and abroad. The idea for the resolution came from the Helpful Potato Bugs, a class of second-grade students at Horace Mann Elementary School in the District of Columbia. Eight years ago, the students sent Norton a handwritten note, adorned with peace signs, expressing their desire to \u201chelp make the world a peaceful place\u201d and for \u201call Americans to be nice, have no conflicts, and be very peaceful.\u201d Norton has introduced resolutions supporting the designation of September as Peace Month since then.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to introduce this resolution ahead of the International Day of Peace, a commemoration that calls on nations around the world to lay down their arms and pursue peacemaking and diplomacy,\u201d Norton said. \u201cAt a time when the United States is engaged in an illegal and ill-advised war with Iran, it is more important than ever that we reaffirm our commitment to peace and diplomacy.\n\n\u201cCongress should take note that even our youngest constituents are paying attention. Some of the best ideas for legislation come directly from constituents, which is why I\u2019m grateful to the second graders who wrote to me in 2018 about the importance of building a more peaceful society and world. Their voices remind us of our responsibility to uphold our constitutional role and take action to advance peace at home and around the world.\u201d\n\nNorton's resolution follows.\n\nRESOLUTION\n\nExpressing support for the designation of September 2026 as \u201cPeace Month\u201d and calling on Congress to take action to promote peace.\n\nWhereas the United Nations designated September 21 \u201cInternational Day of Peace\u201d, otherwise known as Peace Day;\n\nWhereas the United Nations General Assembly declared Peace Day as a day devoted to \u201ccommemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples\u201d;\n\nWhereas all United Nations member states, organizations, regional and nongovernmental organizations, and individuals are encouraged to celebrate and recognize global peace efforts on Peace Day;\n\nWhereas Peace Day represents shared hopes of an end to conflict in all forms;\n\nWhereas the United Nations calls for a 24-hour global cease fire on Peace Day;\n\nWhereas this year\u2019s Peace Day theme is \u201cInvest in Peace - For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day\u201d;\n\nWhereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a milestone development in contemporary human history promoting peace and well-being worldwide;\n\nWhereas global peace promotion efforts improve the lives of Americans and all peoples;\n\nWhereas the United States has a long history of promoting peace and human rights at home and abroad; and\n\nWhereas September would be an appropriate month to designate as Peace Month: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives\u2014\n\nsupports the designation of \u201cPeace Month\u201d; and\n\ncalls on Congress to promote peace, both at home and abroad.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-01T09:48:49Z", "2026-09-01T09:49:51Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-resolution-honoring-two-postal-workers-and-three-other", "Norton Introduces Resolution Honoring Two Postal Workers and Three Other Americans Killed in Anthrax Attacks", "2026-08-10", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a resolution honoring the late Joseph Curseen, Jr. and Thomas Morris, Jr., the United States Postal Service (USPS) employees who died from anthrax inhalation while working at the USPS processing facility located at 900 Brentwood Road NE, which is now named for them. Morris and Curseen died on October 21, 2001, and October 22, 2001, respectively. Norton\u2019s resolution also honors three other Americans who died from exposure to anthrax during the attacks, as well as all USPS employees for their dedicated service to the nation in the face of threats to their health and to federal facilities throughout the United States.\n\n\u201cEach Congress, I introduce this resolution to honor the lives of Joseph Curseen, Jr. and Thomas Morris, Jr., who were tragically lost in the 2001 anthrax attacks, to ensure that they, along with Bob Stevens, Kathy Nguyen, and Ottilie Lundgren, are never forgotten,\u201d Norton said. \u201cIt\u2019s important that Congress and the nation continue to recognize these victims and the entire U.S. Postal Service workforce for serving the nation in the face of unpredictable risks.\u201d\n\nThe resolution text follows.\n\nRESOLUTION\n\nHonoring the lives, work, and sacrifice of Joseph Curseen, Jr., and Thomas Morris, Jr., the 2 United States Postal Service employees who died as a result of their contact with anthrax while working at the United States Postal Facility located at 900 Brentwood Road, NE, Washington, D.C., during the anthrax attack in the fall of 2001; United States Postal Service employees, who have continued to work diligently in service to the people of the United States notwithstanding anthrax attack, as well as the 3 Americans who died and the 17 who became ill in the attack.\n\nWhereas the founders of the United States, recognizing the importance of a national system of mail to the new country, gave Congress the constitutional authority \"To establish post offices and post roads\";\n\nWhereas employees of the United States Postal Service provide indispensable public service and honorably represent the United States on a daily basis;\n\nWhereas despite the many terrorist attacks in federal facilities throughout the United States, including the 2001 anthrax attack, United States Postal Service employees continue to risk their lives daily to serve the people of the United States;\n\nWhereas Joseph P. Curseen, Jr., and Thomas L. Morris, Jr., both natives of Washington, D.C., diligently and admirably served the Nation for decades as employees of the United States Postal Service;\n\nWhereas in the fall of 2001, during the course of their jobs with the United States Postal Service, Joseph Curseen, Jr., and Thomas Morris, Jr., were exposed to letters containing anthrax that were placed in the mail and subsequently suffered from the inhalation of anthrax and thereafter died;\n\nWhereas 5 individuals in the United States died from exposure to anthrax during the 2001 anthrax attacks and 17 became ill; and\n\nWhereas in 2002, the United States Postal Service facility located at 900 Brentwood Road, NE, Washington, D.C., was designated as the \"Joseph Curseen, Jr. and Thomas Morris, Jr. Processing and Distribution Center\" by Public Law 107-225: Now, therefore, be it\n\nResolved, That the House of Representatives honors the lives and work of Joseph Curseen, Jr., and Thomas Morris, Jr., and acknowledges the sacrifice that all Postal Service employees make on behalf of the United States on a daily basis.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-11T05:54:29Z", "2026-08-11T05:56:25Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-expand-americorps-reduce-youth-unemployment-0", "Norton Introduces Bill to Expand AmeriCorps, Reduce Youth Unemployment", "2026-08-04", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill today to help reduce the number of unemployed young Americans by expanding AmeriCorps by 500,000 members to allow unemployed young people who have mostly completed college or high school to earn a stipend sufficient to support themselves, as well as an education award, while gaining valuable work experience. Norton's bill would allow states and localities to boost personnel for badly needed services, such as after school and elderly programs, without new administrative structures or bureaucratic requirements.\n\n\"As artificial intelligence reshapes the job market and shrinks the number of available entry-level opportunities young people have long relied on to gain a foothold in their careers, we cannot afford to leave an entire generation behind,\" Norton said. \"My bill would meet this moment by adding 500,000 new AmeriCorps positions, giving young people a paid pathway to real work experience, valuable skills, and public service at a time when AI is making it harder than ever for them to break into the workforce. We owe our young people more than a diploma and a shrinking job market. They deserve a fair shot at well-paying and meaningful careers.\"\n\nNorton's full introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Promoting National Service and Reducing Unemployment Act\n\nToday, I introduce the Promoting National Service and Reducing Unemployment Act to address one of the greatest workforce tragedies\u2014our unemployed young people\u2014by adding 500,000 new members to AmeriCorps. Youth unemployment is harming our young people and costing our country billions of dollars each year in lost productivity and tax revenue, among other costs. Although the total unemployment rate has reached a relative low (4.2 percent), the youth unemployment rate is 10.8 percent. These young people have not had a fair chance to use the high school or college education we strongly urged them to obtain.\n\nBy adding 500,000 new members to AmeriCorps, this bill would allow unemployed youth to earn a stipend, obtain work experience and provide valuable public service. AmeriCorps participants receive a living allowance and are also eligible for an education award equal to the value of a Pell grant, school-loan forbearance, health care benefits and childcare assistance.\n\nThis bill would also establish that the minimum wage for any AmeriCorps State and National member is 200 percent of the federal poverty line and would not allow for a decrease in that amount, as is allowed under current law. AmeriCorps members serve their country and gain skills, but we should increase the minimum wage for everyone, including national service members.\n\nFor some time, it has been clear that policies to address the most stubborn forms of unemployment need to be targeted in order to be effective. Without significant targeting, many young people will continue to face their first years as adults without jobs and with no way to acquire necessary work experience. Young people deserve a better start in life as adults.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-raskin-beyer-ivey-oppose-trump-administrations-rushed-redevelopment", "Norton, Raskin, Beyer, Ivey Oppose Trump Administration\u2019s Rushed \u201cRedevelopment\u201d of Historic East Potomac Park", "2026-07-30", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Don Beyer (D-VA) and Glenn Ivey (D-MD), along with 43 of their colleagues, demanded transparency about the Trump Administration\u2019s new vanity project, the proposed redevelopment of East Potomac Park designed by President Trump\u2019s handpicked architect, Tom Fazio. The letter, written to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Acting Director of the National Park Service Jessica Bowron, called on the Administration to preserve the park\u2019s historical features and affordability.\n\nIn this latest letter, the lawmakers are demanding the administration disclose the cost of the golf course\u2019s redevelopment and how any changes would affect bike and walking paths. They also demanded the administration comply with historic preservation laws and disclose how the golf course\u2019s pricing may change.\n\n\u201cWe write with strong objections to your rushed \u2018redevelopment\u2019 of East Potomac Park, as well as the lack of clear public communication as to the changes planned for a beloved historic and recreation site,\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201cAny significant construction\u2026 requires compliance with bedrock environmental and historic preservation laws, robust public consultation and review, and protection of the existing uses of the site.\u201d\n\nEast Potomac Park, which includes East Potomac Golf Links, lies on federal land in Washington, D.C. The existing golf courses are well-used and popular, and hosted 130,000 rounds of golf in 2025. The courses are known for both their affordability\u2014a tee time costs as little as $17\u2014and their rich history and accessibility for players of all skill levels. In addition to the golf courses, East Potomac Park is also a beloved recreation site for thousands of residents in D.C., Maryland and Virginia who use the park\u2019s biking and walking paths and picnic on scenic Hains Point. In the spring, the park hosts visitors who travel to see D.C.\u2019s oldest stand of cherry blossoms.\n\nThe courses became a core part of the nation\u2019s civil rights history in 1941 when three Black golf players insisted on playing a round of golf, making East Potomac Golf Links one of the first desegregated public golf courses in the country.\n\nIn addition to public access considerations, the lawmakers raised transparency concerns surrounding the redevelopment project\u2019s financing.\n\n\u201cA private entity called the National Garden of American Heroes Foundation has sent brochures of the redesign to prospective donors and advertised the option for these donors to remain anonymous,\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201cThe only information available about this shadowy foundation is that interested donors can contact President Trump\u2019s 2024 presidential campaign finance director if they have any questions.\"\n\nThe lawmakers first sounded the alarm on threats to East Potomac Park in response to the 35,000 cubic yards of toxic debris that the Trump Administration dumped on the golf courses following the illegal demolition of the White House\u2019s East Wing. The proposed East Potomac Park redevelopment follows the Trump Administration\u2019s pattern of unauthorized demolition and construction projects. Following the personal involvement of President Trump, the Administration has defaced other cultural and recreational spaces in the Nation's Capital, including the East Wing of the White House, the Kennedy Center and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.\n\nThe letter is also signed by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Andr\u00e9 Carson (IN-07), Sean Casten (IL-06), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny Davis (IL-07), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Dwight Evans (PA-03), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jes\u00fas \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Henry \u201cHank\u201d Johnson (GA-04), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Betty McCollum (MN-04), James McGovern (MA-02), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Dave Min (CA-04), Jerry Nadler (NY-17), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Emily Randall (WA-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Robert \u201cBobby\u201d Scott (VA-03), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez (NY-07), James Walkinshaw (VA-11) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).\n\nRead the full text of the letter here and below:\n\nDear Secretary Burgum and Acting Director Bowron:\n\nWe write with strong objections to your rushed \u201credevelopment\u201d of East Potomac Park, as well as the lack of clear public communication as to the changes planned for a beloved historic and recreation site. Any significant construction at East Potomac Park, which was expressly created by Congress in 1897 to be \u201cforever held and used as a park for the recreation and pleasure of the people,\u201d requires compliance with bedrock environmental and historic preservation laws, robust public consultation and review, and protection of the existing uses of the site. Removing or diminishing any of those uses, including the existing affordable public golf course, the biking and running trails around the course, and the historic grove of cherry trees along Hains Point, is unacceptable and potentially illegal. We urge you to immediately abandon those efforts and protect this essential site for generations present and future.\n\nEast Potomac Golf Links has been an indispensable public asset since 1921. The National Park Service (NPS) responded to popular demand that year to create one of the country\u2019s first public golf courses. The three courses\u2014Red, White and Blue\u2014were designed or inspired by the designs of Walter Travis, who rejected Victorian-style designs favored by the rich and powerful to create links-style courses that all players could enjoy. The courses opened with rounds of golf priced at just 25 cents. This legacy of inclusive pricing continues to this day. Visitors can book a child\u2019s tee time for just $9 and enjoy a hamburger at the Potomac Grille for under $10\u2014an enjoyable afternoon that won\u2019t break the bank. The courses became a core part of our national civil rights history in 1941 when three Black golf players insisted on playing a round of golf, making East Potomac Golf Links one of the first desegregated golf courses in the country. For 85 years, residents of all backgrounds in the District of Columbia and the surrounding area have enjoyed the golf course and the biking and running trails that surround it.\n\nThis all changed on August 1, 2025, when you met with President Trump to discuss destroying the Red, White, and Blue courses and replacing them with a single \u201cchampionship- style\u201d layout designed to host professional tournaments. This recently released \u201cWashington National Plan,\u201d credited to Tom Fazio\u2014who has previously designed golf courses for President Trump\u2014would be a wholesale redevelopment of a property that has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973. To make this design a reality, the existing 36 holes, split across the Red, White and Blue courses, would need to be destroyed, trees would be cut down, and an entirely new clubhouse would likely be constructed. All of this would yield just one large course, an 18-hole course designed for professionals, and one 9-hole pitch and putt course, leaving little room for the cycling, running and picnicking activities that are equally important to the park\u2019s character.\n\nOn June 28, this already expansive redesign became catastrophic when President Trump toured East Potomac Golf Links and examined new renderings of a far more expansive redesign proposal than what you disclosed on social media. If the high-resolution photos of the plan clutched by the President during the tour reflect the Administration\u2019s real intentions, the redesign would create just one 18-hole course for professionals, provide no 9-hole pitch and putt course, and completely eliminate Hains Point and the walking and biking trails surrounding the park. The Administration has not publicly released cost projections for this massive undertaking. The limited information shared about public access after the redesign includes estimates that the weekend price for local golfers could nearly double as a result of this complete transformation, even as the number of available courses to play on is cut by a third. This undermines the longstanding principles of affordability and public access which have driven East Potomac Golf Links since its founding.\n\nWhile the courses are certainly in need of significant maintenance and repair following decades of underinvestment, this work must be accomplished in compliance with the law and with respect for the historic nature of this beloved public resource. NPS itself has performed a Cultural Landscape Report on East Potomac Golf Links, determining in 2019 that the Red, White and Blue courses are \u201cessential\u201d to the \u201cdesign integrity at East Potomac\u201d and that the historic design reflects \u201can egalitarian institution within the city of Washington, D.C., as originally intended.\u201d Furthermore, the biking and running trails circumnavigating East Potomac Park\u2014in addition to providing crucial public access to the waterfront\u2014are core components of the park. Hains Point is a beloved and scenic picnic area that is also critical to residents and visitors alike, who come each spring to enjoy Washington, D.C.\u2019s cherry blossom season.\n\nTo raise funds for the Washington National Plan, a private entity called the National Garden of American Heroes Foundation has sent brochures of the redesign to prospective donors and advertised the option for these donors to remain anonymous. The only information available about this shadowy foundation is that interested donors can contact President Trump\u2019s 2024 presidential campaign finance director if they have any questions. We have seen this hollow promise before. Previous construction efforts that President Trump has touted as privately funded have both ballooned in cost and in fact been paid for by taxpayers.\n\nSection 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) requires federal agencies to assess the effects of any proposed project on \u201chistoric federal properties.\u201d It also requires federal agencies to publicly release development plans of this level of significance and incorporate sufficient time for public comment. Instead of engaging with the public about this design as required by law, the Administration began setting plans in motion to close the existing golf courses and clear stands of trees within them in May 2026. The trees have only been spared and the course only remains open due to pending litigation.\n\nTo learn more about your plans to redevelop the park, and how you will address our concerns about the redevelopment and its negative impact on multi-purpose recreation access, we request written answers to the following questions by no later than August 14, 2026:\n\nWhat is the cost of redeveloping East Potomac Golf Links?\n\nWill the beloved and heavily-used walking and biking paths and lanes through the Park be preserved? If so, will any changes be made to those paths and lanes?\n\nWill the similarly beloved and heavily-visited cherry trees within the Park be preserved? If so, are there anticipated impacts on health or access to those trees?\n\nHow much more will it cost for the public to play golf at East Potomac Golf Links under the \u201cWashington National Plan\u201d? The similar courses that you have cited as cost models in your redesign proposal feature prices that are as much as double the current East Potomac Golf Links prices. What justifies this increase?\n\nWhat is the relationship between the National Garden of American Heroes Foundation and members of the Trump Administration and specifically President Trump?\n\nWhat are the Department\u2019s plans to assess project compliance under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act for the wholesale redevelopment of East Potomac Golf Links?\n\nIf these plans move forward, what is the Department\u2019s anticipated public comment schedule?", 1, "2026-09-01T09:48:49Z", "2026-09-01T09:49:51Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-strengthen-workplace-protections-legislative-branch-0", "Norton Introduces Bill to Strengthen Workplace Protections for Legislative Branch Employees", "2026-07-27", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced the Congress Leads by Example Act, which would subject Congress and the rest of the legislative branch to workplace laws that protect employees in the private sector and the executive branch.\n\n\u201cCongress should abide by the laws it imposes on others, including those that protect employees,\u201d Norton said. \u201cCongress already acknowledged the importance of accountability in the legislative branch when it passed the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 and further confirmed it when it passed the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act in 2018. As a former chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, I take these issues very seriously. My bill builds on the protections in previous laws, bringing the protections for legislative branch employees in line with those for other workers.\n\n\u201cCritically, this bill would also help restore the public\u2019s trust in Congress by redoubling our efforts to lead by example.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Congress Leads by Example Act of 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Congress Leads by Example Act of 2026, which would apply to the legislative branch many of the laws that protect employees in the private sector and the executive branch. Congress should abide by the laws it imposes on others.\n\nIn 1995, Congress passed the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA), which applied 13 existing civil rights, labor and workplace safety and health laws to the legislative branch. In 2018, after reports of sexual harassment in Congress and in light of the #MeToo movement, Congress passed the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act (Reform Act), which changed the name of the Office of Compliance to the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR), revised the process to resolve workplace claims and extended CAA protections to unpaid staff, interns and fellows. It also made Members of Congress personally liable for their own violations of workplace harassment and retaliation laws.\n\nThe CAA and the Reform Act were important steps in making the legislative branch accountable for its employment practices, but they did not finish the job. As noted, the CAA brought the legislative branch under 13 existing civil rights, labor and workplace safety and health laws but it omitted important substantive and procedural protections. OCWR has identified additional federal workplace laws and procedures that should apply to the legislative branch. This bill takes into account OCWR\u2019s recommendations.\n\nThis bill would provide general whistleblower protections and make additional Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) anti-retaliation provisions applicable to the legislative branch. This bill would provide subpoena authority to OCWR to conduct inspections and investigations into OSHA violations. It also would provide extended paid parental bereavement leave to legislative branch employees.\n\nThis bill would further the CAA\u2019s goal of preventing workplace discrimination in the legislative branch by prohibiting the legislative branch from making adverse employment decisions based on an employee\u2019s wage garnishment or involvement in bankruptcy proceedings pursuant to the Consumer Credit Protection Act or Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code.\n\nFinally, this bill would bolster the CAA\u2019s recordkeeping requirements. It would apply to the legislative branch the obligation to maintain accurate records of safety information and employee injuries, as otherwise required by OSHA, as well as employee records necessary to administer anti-discrimination laws.\n\nThis bill would help restore the public\u2019s trust in Congress by redoubling our efforts to exercise leadership by example. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-28T07:37:32Z", "2026-07-28T07:38:50Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/after-committee-passage-bill-make-most-consequential-reduction-dc-home-rule", "After Committee Passage of Bill to Make the Most Consequential Reduction in D.C. Home Rule in Modern History, Norton Vows to Prevent Further Advancement", "2026-07-22", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 After the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform (COGR) marked up and passed a bill introduced by Rep. James Comer (R-KY) that would strip D.C. of the authority to make changes to its own tax code without congressional approval, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said she was outraged.\n\nComer has claimed that the intention behind the bill was to prevent D.C. from raising taxes. As drafted, however, the bill would also prevent D.C. from cutting or eliminating taxes.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m outraged by the bill the Committee passed today, which would be the most consequential reduction in D.C.\u2019s authority to govern itself since the D.C. Home Rule Act was passed in 1973 \u2013 the entire modern history of D.C. home rule,\u201d Norton said. \"Requiring Congress to proactively approve changes to D.C.'s tax code would prevent D.C. from taking fiscally responsible measures to address abrupt cash flow shortages of the type Congress itself is known to cause.\n\n\u201cLast year, House Republicans omitted a provision in the Continuing Resolution that, in effect, caused a projected $1.1 billion shortfall in D.C.'s budget. Chairman Comer used today\u2019s hearing to disingenuously blame that billion-dollar shortfall on fictional overspending by D.C. This is factually incorrect; D.C.'s budget has been balanced for the last 29 years. Republicans in Congress intentionally caused last year's shortfall by forcing the District to revert to the prior year's spending levels. Falsely blaming D.C. for a congressional action that D.C. vehemently opposed demonstrates that his bill lacks a persuasive case for its passage. Otherwise, he would not have needed to rely on falsehoods for its justification.\n\n\"D.C. residents are worthy and capable of governing themselves, and I'll continue fighting to ensure this radical, undemocratic, and unworkable bill doesn\u2019t progress further.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-23T07:31:02Z", "2026-07-23T07:32:26Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-releases-remarks-oversight-markup-bill-strip-dcs-authority-over-its-own", "Norton Releases Remarks for Oversight Markup of Bill to Strip D.C.\u2019s Authority Over its Own Tax Code", "2026-07-22", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her remarks, as prepared for delivery, ahead of today\u2019s Committee on Oversight & Government Reform (COGR) markup of a bill introduced by Rep. James Comer (R-KY) that would strip D.C. of the authority to make changes to its own tax code without congressional approval. Comer has claimed that the intention behind the bill was to prevent D.C. from raising taxes. As drafted, however, the bill would also prevent D.C. from cutting or eliminating taxes, the opposite of his stated goal.\n\n\u201cIf enacted, this bill would be the most consequential reduction in D.C.\u2019s authority to govern itself since the D.C. Home Rule Act was passed in 1973 \u2013 the entire modern history of D.C. home rule,\u201d Norton said.\n\n\"Further, Congress already has the authority to block tax increases passed by the D.C. Council by passing a disapproval resolution during the congressional review period. Requiring Congress to proactively approve changes to D.C.'s tax code would prevent D.C. from taking fiscally responsible measures to address abrupt cash flow shortages of the type Congress itself is known to cause. Just last year, House Republicans omitted a provision in the Continuing Resolution that, in effect, caused a projected $1.1 billion shortfall in D.C.'s budget.\n\n\"It does not escape me that Rep. Comer's press release announcing the bill disingenuously blamed that billion-dollar shortfall on fictional overspending by D.C. This is false. D.C.'s budget has been balanced for the last 29 years. Republicans in Congress intentionally caused last year's shortfall by forcing the District to revert to the prior year's spending levels. Falsely blaming D.C. for a congressional action that D.C. vehemently opposed demonstrates that Rep. Comer's bill lacks a persuasive case for its passage. Otherwise, he would not have needed to rely on falsehoods for its justification.\n\n\"D.C. residents are worthy and capable of governing themselves, and I'll continue fighting for D.C.'s right to self-government.\"\n\nNorton\u2019s remarks follow, as prepared for delivery.\n\nOversight will mark up a bill today that would strip DC of authority over its own tax code, preventing the District from cutting taxes.\n\nThis bill would be the most consequential reduction in DC's authority to govern itself in the entire modern history of DC home rule.\n\nI released my remarks ahead of the markup.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\nCommittee on Oversight and Government Reform\n\nMarkup of the D.C. Taxing Authority Review Act (H.R. 9720)\n\nJuly 22, 2026\n\nI strongly oppose this radical, undemocratic, paternalistic and unworkable bill. This bill would be the biggest reduction in the District of Columbia\u2019s authority to govern itself since Congress passed the D.C. Home Rule Act in 1973.\n\nThis bill takes away D.C.\u2019s authority over its tax code, turning the D.C. Council into an advisory body for taxation. D.C. could not impose or increase a tax or cut or eliminate a tax without congressional approval. I will repeat that for my Republican colleagues: D.C. could not cut or eliminate a tax without congressional approval.\n\nIn fact, the scope of this bill is much broader than Republicans have claimed. This bill applies not only to taxation but to all of title 47 of the D.C. code. That title has more than 50 chapters and encompasses not only taxation but also licensing, permits, assessments and fees, among other things.\n\nThis bill flips the current congressional review process for a D.C. law on its head. Currently, a D.C. law takes effect after a review period unless a disapproval resolution is enacted into law during that period. This bill prohibits a D.C. law that imposes or increases a tax or fee or amends title 47 of the D.C. code from taking effect after a 60-day review period unless an approval resolution is enacted into law during that period. The only exception is that this bill does not apply to a D.C. law that imposes or increases a fee if the fee is less than $500 and the law does not impose or increase any other tax or fee.\n\nThis Congress, Republicans have introduced more than 130 bills, amendments and riders that interfere in local D.C. matters, including a bill to repeal the Home Rule Act. The 700,000 D.C. residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are capable and worthy of governing themselves. If D.C. residents do not like how members of the D.C. Council vote, residents can vote them out of office. That is democracy. If D.C. residents do not like how members of Congress vote on local D.C. matters, residents cannot vote them out of office. That is the antithesis of democracy.\n\nD.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying all federal taxes, serving on juries and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self-government and voting representation in Congress. The only solution to this undemocratic treatment is to grant D.C. statehood.\n\nCongress has the authority to admit D.C. as a state. The D.C. statehood bill would reduce the size of the federal district from 68 square miles to two square miles, consisting of the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court and the National Mall. The residential and commercial areas of D.C. would be a new state.\n\nI urge members to vote NO on the chairman\u2019s bill.\n\nFree D.C.\n\nI ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from the D.C. Council Chairman opposing this bill.\n\nI also ask unanimous consent to enter into the record the index of title 47 of the D.C. code, so that the committee is on notice that this bill applies to much more than a D.C. law that imposes or increases a tax or fee.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-23T07:31:02Z", "2026-07-23T07:32:26Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-pingree-introduce-bill-require-federal-bureau-prisons-provide-0", "Norton, Pingree Introduce Bill to Require Federal Bureau of Prisons to Provide Eligible Incarcerated Individuals Information on Voting", "2026-07-21", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) introduced a bill today to require the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide incarcerated individuals from jurisdictions that allow those individuals to vote, like the District of Columbia and Maine, information on how to register to vote and request absentee ballots.\n\n\u201cPeople in federal custody who are eligible to vote cannot exercise this fundamental right unless they\u2019re given information on how to cast a ballot,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThis bill would codify some past BOP practices on providing incarcerated individuals with information on voter registration and instructing them on how to request absentee ballots. Thank you to Congresswoman Pingree for co-leading this important legislation.\"\n\n\u201cMaine is one of only four states or territories where incarcerated people retain the right to vote, and our democracy is stronger because of it,\u201d said Pingree. \u201cBut that right means little if eligible voters do not have the information and tools needed to exercise it. I\u2019m proud to join Congresswoman Norton in this effort to ensure eligible voters in federal custody understand how to register and cast an absentee ballot. Removing unnecessary barriers to civic participation brings us closer to a stronger, more inclusive democracy.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Federal Bureau of Prisons Voting Assistance Act of 2026\n\nJuly 21, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Federal Bureau of Prisons Voting Assistance Act of 2026. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree is the co-lead.\n\nThis bill would require the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide individuals in BOP prisons from jurisdictions that allow such individuals to vote, like the District of Columbia and Maine, information on how to register to vote and request an absentee ballot. BOP would be required to provide each BOP prison information on the criteria for voter registration, instructions on voter registration, voter registration forms and prepaid envelopes for voter registration forms, if provided by the state generally. Each BOP prison would be required to post the information and to give it to each individual eligible to vote.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-22T07:34:13Z", "2026-07-22T07:35:16Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-releases-remarks-ahead-shadow-hearing-president-trumps-destruction", "Norton Releases Remarks Ahead of Shadow Hearing on President Trump\u2019s Destruction of Monuments", "2026-07-21", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her remarks, as prepared for delivery, before today\u2019s House Oversight & Government Reform Committee Democrats shadow hearing on President Trump\u2019s wasteful spending that has altered, damaged, or destroyed federal landmarks.\n\n\"D.C. is not a tear-down property for President Trump to renovate as he pleases,\" Norton said. \"Even if his projects were all completed at the highest standards of quality, safety, and efficiency, he should not skip the necessary research and planning or bypass legally required approval processes.\"\n\nThe consequences are on full display at East Potomac Gold Course, where 35,000 cubic yards of contaminated debris from the demolition of the East Wing have been dumped. Testing at the site has identified elevated levels of hazardous contaminants, including arsenic, lead, and mercury, yet the public continues to wait for a clear plan to remove the debris and remediate the site. The administration must immediately find an appropriate location for its disposal.\n\n\"D.C. residents deserve a say in what happens to their city, and they deserve better than expensive, poorly researched, legally dubious alterations to our national landmarks dictated by the president's whims. I'll continue to demand accountability and oversight until this administration treats our nation\u2019s capital and its monuments with the respect they're owed.\"\n\nNorton\u2019s remarks follow, as prepared for delivery.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)\n\nOversight Shadow Hearing\n\nJuly 21, 2026\n\nI strongly oppose President Trump\u2019s attempt to remake the District of Columbia in his image, including his militarization of the streets, takeover of the Kennedy Center, demolition of the East Wing, installation of permanent fencing at Lafayette Park, transformation of West Potomac Park into a statue garden and construction of an arch.\n\nI also strongly oppose his redevelopment of East Potomac Park. While the golf course there needs investment, it must remain affordable and accessible for all golfers. Furthermore, federal law requires the park to \"be forever held and used as a park for the recreation and pleasure of the people.\" The park, which is beloved by residents of the national capital region and visitors, must remain available for public recreation, including walking and running, biking, picnicking and fishing. The administration also must immediately remove the more than 35,000 cubic yards of toxic debris from the East Wing it dumped there.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-22T07:34:13Z", "2026-07-22T07:35:16Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-highlights-dc-provisions-committee-passed-water-resources-development", "Norton Highlights D.C. Provisions in Committee-Passed Water Resources Development Act", "2026-07-14", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 After the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (T&I) marked up and passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (WRDA) today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) celebrated the committee passage of several provisions she got included that are beneficial for D.C., all of which were maintained during the markup.\n\n\"There's an urgent need to protect D.C.'s drinking water and infrastructure from critical vulnerabilities, and I'm pleased that the T&I Committee voted to maintain the important provisions I got included addressing those issues in today's markup,\" Norton said. \"Significantly, the bill addresses the recent failure of the Potomac Interceptor by authorizing an additional $200 million for water and wastewater infrastructure, a critical step to repair and fortify the Interceptor to prevent future failures.\n\n\"Furthermore, our nation\u2019s capital cannot remain the only major metropolitan area in the country wholly dependent on a single source of drinking water. Authorizing the second phase of the study I got included in WRDA in 2022 to find a secondary source of drinking water is an important stride towards securing the long-term safety of D.C. residents and continuity of federal government operations in the event of a disaster.\n\n\"Finally, I'm pleased to have secured a provision shifting the cost burden entirely to the federal government for the Federal Triangle flood study. Previously, local D.C. would have been responsible for paying for 50% of the study to find solutions for flooding in this area, which is federal property.\"\n\nThe bill expands existing WRDA funding eligibility for the Potomac Interceptor and increases the funding levels for water and wastewater infrastructure by $200 million, a critical victory for the National Capital Region after a failure in the Potomac Interceptor pipeline in January resulted in nearly 250 million gallons of sewage spilling into the Potomac River.\n\nThe legislation also authorizes the second phase of the Washington Metropolitan Area secondary drinking water supply study which Norton got included in the 2022 WRDA. Currently D.C. is wholly dependent on the Potomac River for its drinking water, and natural or man-made events could render the river unusable for drinking. The federally-owned and operated Washington Aqueduct produces drinking water from the river for D.C. and parts of Virginia. However, the aqueduct maintains only a single day of backup water supply. Many other highly populated metropolitan areas like New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco have a second source of drinking water, and many are in the planning stages for a third source.\n\nToday\u2019s committee-passed version of WRDA also authorizes a study on flood mitigation in the Federal Triangle area of D.C. and shifts the cost from 50% to 100% federally-funded. Previously, local D.C. would have been responsible for half of the cost of the study. With heavy rain projected to become more frequent due to climate change, the Federal Triangle area is increasingly susceptible to flooding. In June 2006, an intense storm produced flooding in the area, which caused power outages and major disruptions to federal and D.C. operations, forcing closures of local businesses, public transportation hubs and federal buildings. Smaller but still significant storms in the area in 2018, 2019 and 2020 resulted in closures of Constitution Avenue, power and transportation disruptions, and flooding of buildings.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-15T07:12:08Z", "2026-07-15T07:13:45Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-prohibit-new-fencing-white-house-after-trump", "Norton Introduces Bill to Prohibit New Fencing at the White House After Trump Administration Proposes Plan to Fence Pennsylvania Avenue NW", "2026-07-14", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Following the Trump Administration\u2019s proposal to erect new fences at the ends of Pennsylvania Avenue NW outside the White House, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to prohibit new fencing from being installed at the White House, Lafayette Square, the Ellipse, and the Eisenhower and Treasury buildings.\n\n\u201cWhile I understand the importance of protecting the White House, which is already surrounded by a 13-foot fence, we can and must maintain our commitment to security without sacrificing public access. The openness of areas around the White House isn't a vulnerability to be fenced off; it's a visible expression of how our democracy strives to operate when we're at our best,\" Norton said. \u201cWe shouldn't widen the distance between citizens and government by placing additional intimidating barriers between public servants and the people they serve, especially when such barriers are unnecessary.\n\n\u201cSecurity isn\u2019t only about reducing risk. It\u2019s about safeguarding the freedoms and values that define our country, for ourselves and those who come after us. A nation confident in its ideals doesn't wall off the institutions that carry them out from public view. Rather, it puts them in full view and remains open to the people it serves.\u201d\n\nNorton has long advocated for using the least restrictive means necessary to secure public property, introducing one bill to prohibit permanent fencing at the Capitol, another bill to prohibit permanent fencing at the Supreme Court, and a third bill to prohibit permanent fencing specifically around Lafayette Square. She also introduced a bill to authorize a 21-member commission, with the president designating nine members and the House and Senate leadership each designating six members, to investigate and offer recommendations on the balance between public access to and security in federal buildings and other federal property.\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the No New Fencing At the White House Act\n\nJuly 14, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the No New Fencing At the White House Act, which would prohibit the installation of new permanent fencing at the White House complex, including Lafayette Square and the Ellipse. This bill would help ensure that one of our nation\u2019s most important public spaces remains open and accessible to the public. The Trump administration has proposed installing permanent fencing at the ends of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House and around Lafayette Square.\n\nWhile I understand the importance of protecting the White House, which is already surrounded by a 13-foot-high fence, we can and must maintain our commitment to security without sacrificing public access by using the least restrictive means necessary to address security.\n\nThe White House complex has long served as a place where Americans can peacefully assemble. The openness of areas around the White House is a strength of our democracy, not a security weakness that needs to be fenced off. More fencing around this public space would send the wrong message to the nation and the world by continuing to transform our democracy from one that is accessible and of the people to one that is exclusive and fearful of its own citizens.\n\nFencing is an incredibly imprecise security tool. It is more likely to keep out District of Columbia residents, tourists and peaceful demonstrators than those determined to do harm. The areas around the White House complex are used every day by D.C. residents and tourists from across the country and around the world.\n\nThe distance between government and the people has grown, with trust in government at an all-time low. We should not increase that distance by placing intimidating barriers between public servants and the people they serve, especially when such barriers are unnecessary.\n\nSecurity is not only about reducing risk. It is also about safeguarding the freedoms and values that anchor our country, not only for ourselves but for future generations. Public property should be open to the public. Americans should not be peering at their democracy from behind fences.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.", 1, "2026-07-15T07:12:08Z", "2026-07-15T07:13:45Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-address-retirement-issues-certain-public-servants-0", "Norton Introduces Bill to Address Retirement Issues for Certain Public Servants Under D.C. Revitalization Act", "2026-07-13", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to address several retirement issues for several categories of workers who used to be under the District of Columbia retirement system. First, the service of some employees from 1987-1997 who participated in D.C.\u2019s defined contribution plan and were transferred to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) had those 10 years of service not fully counted for their annuity. The bill would allow those employees to buy into the FERS annuity amount from those 10 years, which would give them the full retirement benefit to which they should be entitled.\n\n\u201cD.C.\u2019s dedicated civil servants, including teachers, police, firefighters and judges, should receive the full federal pension benefits they earned,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThese workers should have all of their service recognized and counted in determining the annuity they receive.\u201d\n\nThe bill also addresses two benefit issues for employees in the teachers, police officers, and firefighters pension plans, whose pre-1997 benefits are funded by the federal government. First, the bill would recognize domestic partner benefits for pre-1997 benefits, like D.C. enacted for benefits post-1997. Second, the bill would change the age at which a surviving spouse may remarry without losing survivor benefits to bring them in line with both the post-1997 benefits and the retirement benefits for most federal employees, and also make the analogous change for D.C. judges, whose retirement benefits are funded by the federal government.\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 Technical Corrections Act of 2026\n\nJuly 13, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 Technical Corrections Act of 2026, which would address several retirement issues for current and former District of Columbia employees that resulted from the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 (Revitalization Act). The Revitalization Act, among other things, transferred several categories of employees who were in the D.C. retirement system to the federal retirement system and transferred responsibility from D.C. to the federal government for funding pension benefits earned by D.C. teachers, police officers, firefighters and judges before 1997.\n\nFirst, the Revitalization Act transferred several categories of employees, primarily related to D.C.\u2019s criminal justice system, who participated in D.C.\u2019s defined contribution plan from 1987 to 1997 to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). However, these employees\u2019 service from 1987 to 1997 was not counted for purposes of creditable service or annuity amount in FERS. In 2009, Congress passed legislation counting this service for creditable service, but not annuity amount. This bill would allow these employees to buy into the FERS annuity amount for 1987 to 1997 by paying 1.3 percent of their base pay plus interest, essentially the employee contribution for this time, which would give them the full retirement benefit to which they should be entitled.\n\nSecond, this bill would address two benefit issues for employees in the D.C. teachers, police officers and firefighters pension plans, whose pre-1997 benefits are funded by the federal government. In 2018, D.C. enacted a law to provide domestic partner benefits for the police and firefighters pension plan, which mirrored a law already enacted for teachers. However, these domestic partner benefits apply only to service accrued after 1997, since the federal government funds pre-1997 benefits. This bill would make the domestic partner benefits available for pre-1997 benefits, too.\n\nFinally, in 2012, D.C. enacted a law that reduced from 60 to 55 the age after which a surviving spouse can remarry without losing survivor benefits in the D.C. teachers, police and firefighters pension plans. However, these benefits apply only to service accrued after 1997, since the federal government funds pre-1997 benefits. This bill would bring those pre-1997 benefits in line with both the post-1997 benefits and the retirement benefits for federal employees in the Civil Service Retirement System and FERS and make an analogous change for D.C. judges, whose retirement benefits are funded by the federal government. In general, for federal retirees, 55 is the age after which a surviving spouse can remarry without losing survivor benefits.\n\nThis bill would give these workers the retirement benefits they deserve. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-14T07:08:55Z", "2026-07-14T07:10:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-announces-shell-introduce-bill-prohibit-new-fencing-white-house", "Norton Announces She\u2019ll Introduce a Bill to Prohibit New Fencing at the White House", "2026-07-10", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 After reports that the Trump Administration plans to erect new fences at the ends of Pennsylvania Avenue NW outside the White House, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced she will introduce a bill to prohibit new fencing from being installed at the White House, including Lafayette Square, the Eisenhower and Treasury Buildings, and the Ellipse.\n\n\u201cThe openness of areas around the White House and our democracy is our strength, not a security weakness that needs to be fenced off,\u201d Norton said. \u201cMore fencing around the President\u2019s Park would send the wrong message to the nation and the world by continuing to transform our democracy from one that is accessible and of the people to one that is exclusive and fearful of its own citizens.\n\n\u201cSecurity is not only about reducing risk. It\u2019s also about safeguarding the freedoms and values that anchor our country, not only for ourselves but for future generations. Public property should be open to the public. We should not leave citizens peering at their democracy from behind fences.\u201d\n\nNorton has long advocated for using the least restrictive means necessary for securing public property, introducing a bill to prohibit permanent fencing at the Capitol, a separate bill to prohibit permanent fencing at the Supreme Court, and a third bill to prohibit permanent fencing specifically around Lafayette Square. She also introduced a bill to authorize a 21-member commission, with the president designating nine members and the House and Senate leadership each designating six members, to investigate and offer recommendations on the balance between public access to and security in federal buildings and other federal property.", 1, "2026-07-11T07:10:48Z", "2026-07-11T07:14:29Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-prohibit-permanent-fencing-lafayette-square", "Norton Introduces Bill to Prohibit Permanent Fencing at Lafayette Square", "2026-07-09", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to prohibit permanent fencing at Lafayette Square Park. She became concerned after reading recent reporting indicating that the Trump Administration plans to install permanent fencing around the park located in front of the White House.\n\nLafayette Square has long welcomed First Amendment demonstrations, vigils and public gatherings. It serves as a place where Americans can peacefully assemble within sight of the White House and engage directly in a democratic tradition,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThe openness of Lafayette Square and our democracy is our strength, not a security weakness that needs to be fenced off. Permanent fencing at Lafayette Square would send the wrong message to the nation and the world by continuing to transform our democracy from one that is accessible and of the people to one that is exclusive and fearful of its own citizens.\n\n\"Public property should be open to the public. We should not leave citizens peering at their democracy from behind permanent fences.\"\n\nNorton has long advocated for using the least restrictive means necessary for securing public property, introducing a bill with Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) to prohibit permanent fencing at the Capitol and a separate bill to prohibit permanent fencing at the Supreme Court. She also introduced a bill to authorize a 21-member commission, with the president designating nine members and the House and Senate leadership each designating six members, to investigate and offer recommendations on the balance between public access to and security in federal buildings and other federal property.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the No Fencing at Lafayette Square Act\n\nJuly 6, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the No Fencing at Lafayette Square Act, which would prohibit the installation of permanent fencing around Lafayette Square. This bill would help ensure that one of our nation\u2019s most important public spaces remains open and accessible to the public.\n\nAccording to press reports, the Trump administration plans to install permanent fencing around Lafayette Square, a federal park next to the White House.\n\nWhile I understand the importance of protecting the White House, which is already surrounded by a 13-foot-high fence, we can and must maintain our commitment to security without sacrificing public access by using the least restrictive means necessary to address security.\n\nLafayette Square has long welcomed First Amendment demonstrations, vigils and public gatherings. It serves as a place where Americans can peacefully assemble within sight of the White House and engage directly in a democratic tradition. The openness of Lafayette Square and our democracy is our strength, not a security weakness that needs to be fenced off. Permanent fencing at Lafayette Square would send the wrong message to the nation and the world by continuing to transform our democracy from one that is accessible and of the people to one that is exclusive and fearful of its own citizens.\n\nFencing is an incredibly imprecise security tool. It is more likely to keep out tourists, residents, students and peaceful demonstrators than those determined to do harm. In many respects, it is another form of security theater, where it makes a place look secure while masking the need for more effective and modern security measures.\n\nFurthermore, Lafayette Square is in a mixed-use neighborhood. The park is used every day by D.C. residents and visitors from across the country and around the world.\n\nThe distance between government and the people has grown, with trust in government at an all-time low. We should not increase that distance by placing intimidating barriers between public servants and the people they serve, especially when such barriers are not necessary.\n\nSecurity is not only about reducing risk. It is also about safeguarding the freedoms and values that anchor our country, not only for ourselves but for future generations. Public property should be open to the public. We should not leave citizens peering at their democracy from behind permanent fences.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.", 1, "2026-07-10T08:20:04Z", "2026-07-10T08:21:18Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-preserve-dc-region-civil-war-defenses", "Norton Introduces Bill to Preserve D.C. Region Civil War Defenses", "2026-07-08", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to recognize and preserve the Civil War Defenses of Washington, located in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland, by redesignating them as a national historic park.\n\n\u201cThis bill would redesignate the 22 Defenses of Washington currently under National Park Service jurisdiction as a national historical park, and allow other sites associated with the Defenses of Washington that are owned by D.C. or a unit of a state government to be affiliated with the national historical park through cooperative agreements,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThis bill would also require the Secretary of the Interior to facilitate the history of the Civil War, including the history of the Defenses of Washington and the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864, being assembled, arrayed and conveyed for the benefit of the public for the knowledge, education and inspiration of this and future generations.\u201d\n\nNorton's introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Civil War Defenses of Washington National Historical Park Act\n\nJuly 6, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Civil War Defenses of Washington National Historical Park Act, which would recognize and preserve the Civil War Defenses of Washington located in the District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland. The Defenses of Washington, including forts, unarmed batteries and rifle trenches, created a ring of protection for the nation\u2019s capital during the Civil War.\n\nThis bill would redesignate the 22 Defenses of Washington currently under National Park Service jurisdiction as a national historical park, and allow other sites associated with the Defenses of Washington that are owned by D.C. or a unit of a state government to be affiliated with the national historical park through cooperative agreements. This bill would also require the Secretary of the Interior to facilitate the history of the Civil War, including the history of the Defenses of Washington and the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864, being assembled, arrayed and conveyed for the benefit of the public for the knowledge, education and inspiration of this and future generations.\n\nThe Defenses of Washington were constructed at the beginning of the war as a ring of protection for the nation\u2019s capital and for President Abraham Lincoln. By the end of the war, the Defenses of Washington included 68 forts, 93 unarmed batteries, 807 mounted cannons, 13 miles of rifle trenches and 32 miles of military roads. The major test of the Defenses of Washington was the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864, when Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Early, directed by Confederate General Robert E. Lee, sought to attack the nation\u2019s capital from the north, causing Union forces threatening to attack Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, to be withdrawn. General Early was delayed by Union Major General Lew Wallace at the Battle of Monocacy on July 9, 1864, and was stopped at the northern edge of Washington at the Battle of Fort Stevens on July 11-12, 1864. The Shenandoah Valley Campaign ended when Union Lieutenant General Philip Sheridan defeated General Early at the Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia on October 19, 1864.\n\nNearly all the individual forts in the Defenses of Washington\u2014on both sides of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers\u2014were involved in stopping General Early\u2019s attack, and the Battle of Fort Stevens was the second and last attempt by the Confederate Army to attack Washington.\n\nTaken together, these battles were pivotal to the outcome of the war and the freedom and democracy that the war represented for this country. It is therefore fitting to recognize the Defenses of Washington by redesignating them as a national historical park.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.", 1, "2026-07-09T08:24:13Z", "2026-07-09T08:26:05Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-says-250-years-taxation-without-representation-dc-residents-enough", "Norton Says 250 Years of Taxation Without Representation for D.C. Residents is Enough", "2026-07-04", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that, as the nation today celebrates its milestone 250th anniversary of declaring independence from Great Britain in part because of taxation without representation, Congress must take the nation's founding slogan to heart and pass her D.C. statehood bill.\n\n\"Forcing the nearly 700,000 Americans who live in the nation's capital to continue to live as second-class citizens doesn't just violate a main pillar of the revolution that sent our Founders to war, it betrays the very spirit of July 4th itself,\u201d Norton said. \u201cOn no other holiday is our nation\u2019s inequitable treatment of D.C. residents more deeply felt or more at odds with the nation's democratic values than on July 4th. District residents not only pay federal taxes without voting representation in Congress, they pay more federal taxes per capita than the residents of any state in the nation.\n\n\u201cJuly 4th doesn't allow us to look away. It summons our moral outrage to continue our fight for statehood, for equality, and for the full benefits of citizenship that these 700,000 Americans have always deserved.\n\n\"As my time representing D.C. comes to a close, I carry both frustration and hope. Statehood will not come on my watch; not under this Congress and not under this White House. But I know the fight I've waged for the last three decades has not been in vain. Every injustice I've named and every wrong I've brought to light related to statehood is a stone laid in the foundation for those who come after me. My hope is that the next generation of D.C.'s leaders will finish what we started, finally delivering the full measure of American citizenship to the 700,000 people who live in our nation's capital.\"\n\nUnder Norton\u2019s leadership the House passed the D.C. statehood bill twice, for the first two times in history. D.C. pays more federal taxes than 26 states and more federal taxes per capita than any state.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-05T07:55:27Z", "2026-07-05T07:56:42Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduce-bill-prohibit-permanent-fencing-lafayette-square", "Norton to Introduce Bill to Prohibit Permanent Fencing at Lafayette Square", "2026-07-01", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 After reading recent reporting indicating that the Trump Administration plans to install permanent fencing around Lafayette Square, the public park in front of the White House, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced her intention to introduce a bill to prohibit permanent fencing at the park.\n\n\"Lafayette Square belongs to the people, not to the president. This bill is about keeping faith in the idea that democracy works best in the open, where the First Amendment protects citizens' rights to assemble, speak, and be seen and heard by their government,\" Norton said. \"While I understand the importance of protecting the White House, it's already surrounded by a 13-foot-high fence. We can and must maintain our commitment to security without sacrificing public access by using the least restrictive means necessary to address security concerns. Just as I oppose permanent fencing at the Capitol and the Supreme Court, I oppose turning Lafayette Square into another restricted zone separated from the public by intimidating barriers.\n\n\"Public property should be open to the public. We should not leave citizens peering at their democracy from behind permanent fences.\"\n\nNorton has long advocated for using the least restrictive means necessary for securing public property, introducing a bill with Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) to prohibit permanent fencing at the Capitol and a separate bill to prohibit permanent fencing at the Supreme Court. She also introduced a bill to authorize a 21-member commission, with the president designating nine members and the House and Senate leadership each designating six members, to investigate and offer recommendations on the balance between public access to and security in federal buildings and other federal property.\n\nLafayette Square has long been one of the country\u2019s most visible stages for civic participation, hosting civil rights and anti-war demonstrations and vigils. Protecting the square\u2019s historical position as a place for the public is essential to maintaining open and accessible democracy.", 1, "2026-07-02T06:20:02Z", "2026-07-02T06:21:32Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-prohibit-bop-charging-copays-health-care-visits", "Norton Introduces Bill to Prohibit BOP from Charging Copays for Health Care Visits", "2026-06-29", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill today to prohibit the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) from charging individuals in its custody copays for health care visits. People serving sentences for D.C. Code felonies are in BOP custody.\n\n\"People incarcerated in BOP facilities need to be empowered to address health concerns early, rather than waiting until problems become severe. Catching issues before they escalate is not only more medically sound, it also spares the federal government significant costs, which ultimately benefits taxpayers,\" Norton said. \"We want people leaving prison to be stable, productive members of their communities, and that outcome is impossible if we've neglected their physical and mental health while they were incarcerated. Placing financial barriers between inmates and the medical attention they need works directly against the mission of rehabilitation.\"\n\nBOP inmates are currently required to pay a fee of $2.00 per health care visit. Inmates earn only $0.12 to $0.40 per hour from work assignments.\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Fairness in Federal Bureau of Prisons Medical Care Act of 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Fairness in Federal Bureau of Prisons Medical Care Act of 2026. This bill would eliminate the copay the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) imposes on individuals in its custody when they visit a health care provider.\n\nUnder BOP rules, individuals in its custody are required to \u201cpay a fee for health services of $2.00 per health care visit.\u201d While $2 may seem insignificant, individuals in BOP custody earn only twelve to forty cents per hour on their work assignments. Moreover, while copays can reduce unnecessary visits, we should be encouraging individuals in BOP custody to seek medical care before their conditions worsen and become more expensive for taxpayers. Preventive and early care are better for patients and taxpayers than costly treatments.\n\nUnder BOP rules, if an individual in BOP custody is found responsible through the disciplinary hearing process of having caused an injury to another person in BOP custody that required a visit to a health care provider, the offending individual is required to pay the $2 copay for the injured individual\u2019s visit. That rule would not change under this bill.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-30T06:29:10Z", "2026-06-30T06:30:42Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-files-pro-dc-amendments-national-defense-authorization-act-0", "Norton Files Pro-D.C. Amendments to National Defense Authorization Act", "2026-06-23", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) filed several D.C.-related amendments to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) at the Rules Committee, including amendments to:\n\nGive the Mayor of D.C. the same authority over the D.C. National Guard that the governors of states and territories have over their National Guards. Currently the president controls the D.C. National Guard. This amendment is based on the District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act (H.R. 5093).\n\nRequire the Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard to reside in D.C. This amendment is based on the District of Columbia National Guard Commanding General Residency Act (H.R. 4815).\n\nRequire members of the Armed Forces performing active service in D.C. in response to an order of the president relating to crime or civil disturbance in D.C. to participate in a body-worn camera program similar to the D.C. police department\u2019s program. This amendment is based on H.R. 5051.\n\nGive D.C. the same number of appointments and nominations to the U.S. service academies as states receive. Without senators to nominate qualified students, D.C. residents currently receive only a third of the total slots available to residents of the states. This amendment is based on the Service Academies District of Columbia Equality Act (H.R. 5971).\n\nRequire the consent of the chief executive officer of a state (including D.C. and a territory) for the deployment of an out-of-state National Guard to the state or territory under Title 32. This amendment is based on a bill introduced by former Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), H.R. 590.\n\n\u201cFrom giving D.C. students the same access to our nation\u2019s prestigious service academies that residents of the states receive to requiring the Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard to reside in the District, these common-sense amendments will bring us closer to equality with the states and expand D.C.\u2019s power to decide how to use its own resources,\u201d Norton said.\n\n\u201cThe mayor of D.C. should have control of D.C.\u2019s National Guard, as governors of the states do for their National Guard units. However, since the president currently controls the D.C. National Guard and he prioritizes posting armed and camo-clad National Guard troops in our Metro stations and parks, they should comply with the same body-worn camera requirements that MPD does. The fact that MPD already does this without issue demonstrates that it wouldn\u2019t be overly burdensome for National Guard troops to do the same.\n\n\u201cFinally, former representative \u2013 and current governor of New Jersey \u2013 Mikie Sherrill\u2019s bill to require consent before out-of-state National Guard units can be deployed to a state or territory is perhaps the most obvious of all. Without that consent, the troops are working against the local authorities they're ostensibly sent to assist.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:11:26Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-ensure-public-access-public-buildings-and-grounds-0", "Norton Introduces Bill to Ensure Public Access to Public Buildings and Grounds", "2026-06-22", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reintroduced her United States Commission on an Open Society with Security Act to establish a national commission of experts from a broad spectrum of disciplines to investigate how to maintain our democratic traditions of openness and access while responding to the security threats posed by terrorism. The bill authorizes a 21-member commission, with the President designating nine members and the House and Senate leadership each designating six members, to investigate and offer recommendations on the balance between public access to and security in Federal buildings and other Federal property. Members of the commission must come from diverse fields, including security, architecture, technology, sociology, psychology, military, city planning, business, engineering and history. Norton began working on the bill after Pennsylvania Avenue was closed and security barriers were erected in D.C. following the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. The events of 9/11 and the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol have underscored the bill\u2019s urgency.\n\nNorton has previously introduced the No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act, which would prohibit the installation of permanent fencing at the Capitol complex, and introduced a bill to prohibit permanent fencing at the Supreme Court in May of 2026. Her consistent calls to remove the temporary fencing installed at the Capitol complex after the January 6th attack, which gained congressional and national support, led to the removal of the fencing.\n\n\"We cannot allow security protocols to proliferate without informed civilian oversight and a thorough analysis of alternatives that might better safeguard freedom and commerce,\" Norton said. \"Thus far, we've often relied on imprecise, medieval approaches like crude barriers or on intrusive new technologies that treat privacy like a privilege instead of a right. We can, and must, do better.\"\n\nNorton's introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the United States Commission on an Open Society with Security Act of 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the United States Commission on an Open Society with Security Act of 2026, which would create a commission to investigate how we can maintain our democratic traditions while actively responding to the real and substantial threats posed by foreign and domestic terrorism.\n\nThe impetus for this bill was the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Its importance grew after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. The tragic attacks endured by our nation have led to a series of sweeping security measures that are deemed both necessary and temporary in the moment, but create lasting security infrastructure that is difficult to dismantle and infringes on our open, democratic society.\n\nWe must acknowledge and accept that we have entered an era of constant internal and external threats, requiring ever-higher levels of security for our people and public spaces. What we thought would be a temporary infringement on our open society has turned into a permanent restriction on how our citizens interact with each other and our democratic institutions. Because emergencies typically dictate security decisions, essential discussions on the proper balance between security, individual rights and the freedoms enjoyed in an open society have been repeatedly deferred.\n\nThis bill would ensure that these long overdue discussions take place in a public forum with experts from across the spectrum. To date, security planning has been delegated almost exclusively to security, intelligence and military experts. Although their input is indispensable, they cannot be expected to consider matters outside of their expertise. To strike a better balance with our democratic traditions, we need to invite experts from diverse fields to the same table to work together. Therefore, the commission would be composed not only of security, intelligence and military experts, but also experts from such fields as business, architecture, technology, law, city planning, art, engineering, philosophy, history, sociology and psychology.\n\nWe have used commissions before to deeply investigate and address unprecedented challenges, such as the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (also known as the 9/11 Commission), the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction (also known as the Silberman Robb Commission) and the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (also known as the Kerner Commission).\n\nThe commission created by this bill would seek to avert a crisis in basic freedoms before their infringement becomes entrenched. We cannot allow security protocols to proliferate without informed civilian oversight and a thorough analysis of alternatives that might better safeguard freedom and commerce.\n\nFurthermore, we have had decades to develop security strategies and technologies that do not deprive our citizens of access to institutions and personal liberty. Thus far, we have either relied on imprecise, medieval approaches like crude barriers or on intrusive new technologies that treat privacy like a privilege instead of a right. We can, and must, do better.\n\nAs the home of the federal government, the District of Columbia and its residents have suffered disproportionate infringement on public spaces, personal rights and freedoms in the name of security. Public spaces that serve as the heart of our local communities have become restricted zones characterized by a heavy security presence, with individuals liable to be reprimanded for walking on the wrong side of the street or marveling too long at the architecture. Barriers such as walls and fences are touted as essential security features while our citizens are left peering at their democracy from a distance.\n\nSecurity is not only about reducing lives lost and costs. It is also about safeguarding the institutions, freedoms and values that anchor our country, not only for ourselves but for future generations. The social compact between government and the people should not be the result of a series of hostage negotiations. We must resume reasoned and deliberative decision-making, beginning with a high-level commission composed of experts from diverse disciplines charged with developing a new course that will protect both our people and our precious democratic institutions and traditions.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:11:26Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-van-hollen-introduce-bill-reduce-vacancies-dc-courts", "Norton, Van Hollen Introduce Bill to Reduce Vacancies in D.C. Courts", "2026-06-18", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) today introduced the District of Columbia Courts Vacancy Reduction Act, which would allow nominees to the local District of Columbia courts to be seated after a 30-day congressional review period, unless a disapproval resolution is enacted into law during that period. Currently, nominees to the local D.C. courts cannot be seated without affirmative Senate confirmation. The bill would make the congressional review process for nominees the same as the one currently used for legislation passed by the D.C. Council. This bill is cosponsored by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).\n\n\u201cD.C.'s local courts have faced chronic judicial vacancies for far too long, delaying justice for residents and placing an unnecessary strain on the administration of our local court system,\u201d Congresswoman Norton said. \u201cUnlike state and local courts elsewhere in the country, the D.C.'s courts are subject to a unique confirmation process that requires Senate action before nominees can take their seats. As a result, highly qualified nominees can languish for months or even years while the Senate prioritizes federal judicial and executive branch nominations.\n\n\u201cThis bill would establish a commonsense process to ensure that qualified nominees are not indefinitely delayed by Senate inaction. By allowing nominees to be seated after the same 30-day congressional review period that applies to D.C. legislation, this bill would help reduce vacancies, improve the efficiency of the courts, and ensure that D.C. residents have timely access to justice.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe District of Columbia deserves a fully functional justice system as is afforded to each of our states. The current system has hamstrung the District\u2019s local courts \u2014 leaving the city with judicial vacancies that often take years to fill due to congressional inaction. This shortage of judges has led to slower judicial proceeding and a serious backlog of criminal and civil cases. This legislation would limit congressional interference in D.C.\u2019s court system, helping to better ensure the District\u2019s residents have a justice system that works for them,\u201d said Senator Van Hollen.\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the District of Columbia Courts Judicial Vacancy Reduction Act\n\nJune 18, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the District of Columbia Courts Judicial Vacancy Reduction Act, which would expedite the appointment of local D.C. judges. Senator Chris Van Hollen is introducing the companion bill.\n\nThe longstanding judicial vacancy crisis in the local D.C. courts has existed regardless of which party controls the presidency and the Senate because the president and the Senate are, understandably, more focused on nominees to the federal courts and the executive branch than to the local D.C. courts. The sole purpose of this bill is to protect public safety and promote justice by ending the judicial vacancy crisis in the local D.C. courts, which delays the resolution of criminal and civil cases. This bill has nothing to do with D.C. statehood or home rule. Although D.C. will control the local D.C. courts when it becomes a state and Congress can\u2014and should\u2014give D.C. control over the local D.C. courts now, this bill would not give D.C. any new authority over the local D.C. courts.\n\nUnder the D.C. Home Rule Act, D.C. has no control over the organization or jurisdiction of the local D.C. courts, including the nomination and appointment of judges. A seven-member commission, which is comprised of federal, D.C. and private-sector appointees, submits to the president a list of three persons for each vacancy on the local D.C. courts. The president must nominate, and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint one person from the list. If the president fails to nominate one of the persons from the list within 60 days, the commission must nominate, and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint one of the persons from the list.\n\nThis bill would not change the role of the president or the commission in the appointment of local D.C. judges. Instead, it would apply the current congressional review process for bills enacted by D.C. to the appointment of local D.C. judges. Upon nomination, local D.C. judges would be appointed after the expiration of a 30-day congressional review period, unless a resolution disapproving of the appointment was enacted into law during the period.\n\nLocal D.C. judges are non-Article III judges. The Constitution only requires Senate approval of Article III judges\u2014that is, judges on the federal district courts, the federal appeals courts and the U.S. Supreme Court. Congress has the discretion to decide how non-Article III judges will be appointed, and it has chosen to subject some non-Article III judges to Senate approval, but not others. For example, Congress has not given itself any role in the appointment of bankruptcy or administrative law judges. This bill would strike a middle ground. Congress would retain authority to block the appointment of local D.C. judges, but it would only have a limited period to do so.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:11:26Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-demands-answers-joint-task-force-national-guard-bureau-and-dc-national", "Norton Demands Answers from Joint Task Force, National Guard Bureau and D.C. National Guard Over Reports of Mistreatment of D.C. Flag, Voter Intimidation, and Resident Detentions", "2026-06-11", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today said she was determined to get answers from the Joint Task Force-D.C., National Guard Bureau and D.C. National Guard (DCNG) about reports she\u2019d received and videos she\u2019d reviewed depicting troubling conduct, including the apparent mistreatment of the D.C. flag, the appearance of voter intimidation by National Guard personnel congregating near ballot boxes, and aggressive detention of D.C. residents. The president controls the DCNG, unlike state National Guard units which are controlled by governors. Norton has introduced legislation to give the D.C. mayor the same authority over the DCNG that governors have over their states\u2019 National Guard units, which the House passed in 2021 as part of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.\n\nYesterday morning, Norton requested a call to discuss the videos with Interim Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard, Brigadier General Leland Blanchard, and representatives from the National Guard Bureau and the Joint Task Force-D.C., the multi-agency federal and military command coordinating the deployment of thousands of National Guard personnel deployed in D.C. Norton also requested information regarding guidance and instructions being provided to National Guard units concerning their presence near D.C. ballot boxes. Norton has yet to receive a response.\n\nOne video shows a room full of National Guard members with the D.C. flag spread on the ground with what appear to be Sharpie markers placed on top of it, suggesting that the soldiers intended to sign the flag. Throughout U.S. history, soldiers have signed captured flags from enemy territories as war trophies, a practice dating back to the Civil War and most commonly associated with World War II. The video was posted on a National Guard website but was removed on Tuesday or Wednesday, following criticism on social media.\n\nA second video and accompanying image shows a group of National Guard personnel gathered around a ballot drop box, with one individual stating that they had not received instructions to avoid the vicinity of drop boxes. A third video depicts three National Guard members aggressively detaining a woman who was seated on a bench outside a private residence.\n\n\u201cI gave the Joint Task Force and the D.C. National Guard 24 hours to respond to my urgent request to discuss these deeply troubling videos, and their silence underscores the fundamental problem with deploying a military force that is not accountable to D.C. residents or its elected leaders to perform policing functions in the nation\u2019s capital,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThe footage appears to show Guard personnel treating the D.C. flag as though it were the flag of a conquered territory. If that is what occurred, it reflects a profound disrespect for the more than 700,000 D.C. residents who have been forced to endure the militarization of their city.\n\n\u201cEqually concerning are videos showing armed National Guard personnel stationed around ballot drop boxes. At a minimum, such conduct creates the appearance of voter intimidation and risks discouraging residents from exercising their fundamental right to vote. The fact that Guard personnel reportedly had not been instructed to avoid ballot drop boxes suggests a troubling lack of awareness by leadership of the impact these deployments are having on the District and its residents.\n\n\u201cFinally, the video showing National Guard personnel detaining a woman outside a private residence highlights the dangers of using military personnel to carry out civilian law enforcement functions. National Guard units are not trained to perform routine policing duties. Deploying them in this manner risks undermining public trust, escalating tensions, and making the work of D.C.\u2019s professional law enforcement officers more difficult.\n\n\u201cThese videos are a stark reminder that D.C. residents are forced to endure a level of federal interference that Americans elsewhere would never tolerate. The deployment of military personnel into the District without the consent of our local government is an affront to home rule and democratic self-government. Whether Congress is overturning D.C. laws, restricting how the District spends its own locally raised funds, or imposing federal control over local affairs, D.C. residents are repeatedly denied the rights that citizens in the 50 states take for granted. This latest episode demonstrates once again why D.C. must have full self-government and statehood.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:11:26Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-create-national-commission-combat-sexual-harassment-0", "Norton Introduces Bill to Create National Commission to Combat Sexual Harassment", "2026-06-08", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a bill to create a national commission to combat sexual harassment in the nation's major industries and workplaces. The commission would report to Congress on recommended changes in law or regulations and is modeled on legislation Congress enacted to combat other national problems. Norton, the first woman to chair the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), issued the first federal guidelines holding sexual harassment to be a violation of equal employment laws, which were later upheld by the Supreme Court.\n\n\u201cSexual harassment remains a pervasive problem in workplaces across the country, affecting workers in every industry and at every level,\u201d Norton said. \u201cIn recent years, survivors have helped bring long-overdue attention to this issue, and our nation has made important progress in holding individual perpetrators accountable. But sexual harassment is not merely the result of isolated bad actors. It\u2019s often enabled by workplace cultures and power imbalances that allow misconduct to go unchecked.\n\n\u201cA national commission would help shine a light on the systemic factors that contribute to sexual harassment and identify meaningful solutions to prevent it. Unlike investigations that depend on individual workers coming forward, often at great personal and professional risk, a commission would take a proactive approach, examining workplace practices, policies and structures that permit harassment to persist. Workers should not bear the burden of exposing these failures alone.\u201d\n\nCongress has created similar national commissions on other issues such as gambling, preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and terrorism.\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Nortonon the Introduction ofthe National Commission to Combat Workplace Sexual Harassment Act\n\nToday, I introduce the National Commission to Combat Workplace Sexual Harassment Act, which would establish a national commission to combat sexual harassment in the workplace. This bill is modeled on bills Congress has passed to establish commissions to address other national problems. Specifically, this bill would establish a commission to carry out a comprehensive investigation and study of sexual harassment in the workplace, including recommending changes in laws and best practices to prevent, investigate, respond to and penalize sexual harassment.\n\nOur constituents expect Congress to address the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace. The commission would hear from a cross section of workers\u2014from office and factory workers to retail and food service workers. A national commission could help reduce sexual harassment in the workplace.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:11:26Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-question-gao-witness-progress-implementing-recommendations-helicopter", "Norton to Question GAO Witness on Progress Implementing Recommendations from Helicopter Noise Report", "2026-06-04", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will use today\u2019s Aviation Subcommittee hearing to question Derrick Collins, Physical Infrastructure Director of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), about the progress made by the Department of Defense (DoD) in implementing GAO recommendations that came out of the helicopter noise study that Norton got enacted in the 2024 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization law. Press and the public can live stream the hearing, which is expected to begin at 10:15 a.m.\n\nThe report examined FAA data on helicopter flights in the region from 2020-2024, a five-year period, and found that the largest percentage of flights, 35%, were military. It found that \u201cmilitary operators have not engaged in continuous awareness and outreach programs to communities affected by helicopter noise, as required by DOD\u2019s Operational Noise Program.\u201d GAO recommended that the Army, Air Force, Navy & Marine Corps, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) develop and implement a plan to engage in ongoing and continuous community awareness and outreach programs to communities affected by their helicopter noise in the D.C. area. Additionally, GAO recommended that the outreach include information about military helicopter flights and efforts to reduce noise from their flights in the region.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve worked for years to combat aviation noise in D.C., which my constituents frequently contact my office about. The noise can be damaging to health and quality of life, and helicopters can even harm the structural integrity of homes.\n\n\u201cThe 2024 Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization law included my provision requiring GAO to conduct a study of helicopter noise in the National Capital Region. The study, which was published in March of this year, recommended that the Army, Navy, Air Force and the DHS develop and implement awareness and outreach programs for communities affected by helicopter noise in the region. Today I\u2019ll follow up on this work and press Director Collins to share details on what progress, if any, has been made to implement GAO\u2019s recommendations.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:11:26Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-rename-rock-creek-park-rock-creek-national-park-0", "Norton Introduces Bill to Rename Rock Creek Park as \u201cRock Creek National Park\u201d", "2026-06-02", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced her bill to rename Rock Creek Park as \"Rock Creek National Park,\" which would acknowledge the importance of the park for the nation, visitors, tourists, and its central place for District of Columbia residents. Norton said this name would highlight Rock Creek Park as one of the nation's great historic parks, along with national parks such as Yosemite and Sequoia National Park. Rock Creek is the nation's oldest federally managed urban park and the third oldest federal park in the country.\n\n\u201cRock Creek Park is one of our nation\u2019s great public treasures. Established by Congress in 1890, it was the first federally managed urban park and remains a remarkable refuge of natural beauty, recreation, and history in the heart of our nation\u2019s capital,\" Norton said. \"Redesignating Rock Creek Park as Rock Creek National Park would appropriately recognize its national significance and elevate awareness of a resource that serves not only D.C. residents, but visitors from across the country. This designation reflects what Congress intended when it created the park for the benefit and enjoyment of all Americans, and it honors more than a century of conservation, stewardship, and public access.\u201d\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the\n\nRock Creek National Park Act of 2026\n\nJune 1, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Rock Creek National Park Act of 2026, which would redesignate the United States-owned Rock Creek Park in the District of Columbia as \u2018\u2018Rock Creek National Park.\u2019\u2019 Redesignating this park will highlight its significance to the nation. Rock Creek Park is already a \u2018\u2018national\u2019\u2019 park, as it was established by Congress in 1890 \u2018\u2018for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the United States.\u2019\u2019\n\nRock Creek Park was the first federally managed urban park and the third federal park ever created, after Yellowstone and Sequoia. Rock Creek Park was designed to preserve animals, timber, forestry and other interests in the park, and to ensure that its natural state is maintained as much as possible, not only for D.C. residents, but for all Americans. The park also preserves the ancient history of the land, as it was used for temporary settlements and as a quarry for weapons and tools by Native Americans from 7000 BCE until the 1600s.\n\nRock Creek Park offers residents of D.C., Maryland and Virginia, as well as tourists, an escape from our increasingly urban environment. Residents and tourists alike enjoy many activities in the park\u2019s 2,000 acres, including hiking and biking, horseback riding, picnicking, tennis and other recreational activities in some of the open fields. Our residents have expressed their appreciation by volunteering to clean up and maintain the park.\n\nIn 1918, landscape architects John Charles Olmstead and Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. wrote of Rock Creek Park, \u2018\u2018No matter how perfect the scenery of the park may be or may become, no matter how high its potential value, that value remains potential except insofar as it is enjoyed by large and ever larger numbers of people, poor and rich alike.\u2019\u2019 Redesignating Rock Creek Park as Rock Creek National Park will help recognize the national status of this remarkable resource in our nation\u2019s capital.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:11:26Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-prohibit-permanent-fencing-supreme-court", "Norton Introduces Bill to Prohibit Permanent Fencing at Supreme Court", "2026-05-26", "2026", "2026-05", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a bill to prohibit permanent fencing from being installed on the grounds of the Supreme Court. Temporary anti-climb fencing was installed in May of 2022 when the Dobbs v. Jackson Women\u2019s Health decision overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked and remained in place for approximately four months.\n\n\"Public property should be open to the public,\" Norton said. \"The distance between government and the people has grown, with trust in government, including the Supreme Court, low. We should not entrench that distance further by placing intimidating barriers between ourselves as public servants and the people we serve. Permanent fencing would send an un-American message to the nation and the world by transforming our democracy from one that is accessible and of the people to one that is exclusive and fearful of its own citizens. There are more effective, less obtrusive security solutions than archaic fencing. Moreover, the Supreme Court is in a residential neighborhood, and its grounds are widely used by both D.C. residents and visitors.\n\n\"While I am not aware of any plans to install permanent fencing at the Supreme Court, temporary security measures often become permanent, and this bill will signal congressional opposition to any such effort.\"\n\nNorton has previously also introduced a bill to prohibit the installation of permanent fencing at the U.S. Capitol complex.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the No Fencing at the United States Supreme Court Act\n\nMay 26, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the No Fencing at the United States Supreme Court Act, which would prohibit the installation of permanent fencing at the U.S. Supreme Court. Since 2021, I have also introduced a bill that would prohibit the installation of permanent fencing at the U.S. Capitol complex.\n\nAfter the Supreme Court\u2019s draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women\u2019s Health was leaked in May 2022, the Supreme Court installed temporary anti-climb fencing around its grounds, which remained in place until late August 2022. While the Supreme Court has not announced plans to install permanent fencing, temporary security measures often become permanent.\n\nWhile I understand the importance of protecting the Supreme Court building, Supreme Court Justices and Supreme Court employees, we can and must maintain our commitment to security without sacrificing public access by using the least restrictive means necessary to address security.\n\nPermanent fencing would send an un-American message to the nation and the world by transforming our democracy from one that is accessible and of the people to one that is exclusive and fearful of its own citizens. The Supreme Court has long welcomed First Amendment demonstrations without becoming a fortress.\n\nPublic property should be open to the public. The distance between government and the people has grown, with trust in government, including the Supreme Court, at an all-time low. We should not increase that distance by placing intimidating barriers between public servants and the people they serve. There are more effective, less obtrusive security solutions than archaic fencing.\n\nMoreover, the Supreme Court is in a residential neighborhood in the District of Columbia. The Supreme Court grounds are widely used by both D.C. residents and visitors. Permanent fencing would block that use.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:21:02Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-resolution-recognizing-dc-servicemembers-and-veterans-2", "Norton Introduces Resolution Recognizing D.C. Servicemembers and Veterans in Advance of Memorial Day", "2026-05-22", "2026", "2026-05", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a resolution in advance of Memorial Day recognizing District of Columbia servicemembers and veterans. The resolution calls for statehood for the District of Columbia to ensure these servicemembers and veterans \u2013 and all District residents \u2013 enjoy the full rights of American democracy. D.C. residents have served in every war since the Revolutionary War, all without the full and equal rights that can come only with statehood.\n\n\"Every Memorial Day, our nation pauses to honor the brave servicemembers who made the ultimate sacrifice for American democracy, yet D.C. residents have fought and died in every American war without enjoying those very rights at home,\" Norton said. \"It is a profound injustice that our veterans and servicemembers endure the hazards of war, only to return to a hometown that is denied voting representation in Congress and full self-government.\n\n\"Granting D.C. statehood is the only way to truly honor the patriotism of our residents and ensure they finally receive the equal rights they deserve as American citizens.\"\n\nThe House passed Norton's D.C. statehood bill twice in two recent Congresses. When it first passed in 2020, it was the first time in history either the House or the Senate had passed the D.C. statehood bill. This Congress, there are 207 House cosponsors and 43 Senate cosponsors.\n\nThe text of the resolution follows.\n\nRESOLUTION\n\nRecognizing on Memorial Day, May 25, 2026, the denial of voting representation in Congress and full local self-government through statehood for active duty servicemembers, National Guard members, reservists, veterans, and their families who are residents of the District of Columbia.\n\nWhereas, on the last Monday of May, the Nation observes Memorial Day, a Federal holiday commemorating the members of the Armed Forces who died in the service of their country;\n\nWhereas the service and sacrifice of active duty servicemembers, National Guard members, reservists, veterans, and their families are unparalleled;\n\nWhereas active duty servicemembers, National Guard members, reservists, and veterans have risked life and limb to protect the American people and uphold the rights and freedoms of the people of the United States;\n\nWhereas, approximately 30,000 veterans are residents of the District of Columbia and do not have voting representation in Congress or full local self-government in the District of Columbia;\n\nWhereas residents of the District of Columbia fought in the Revolutionary War, which resulted in the creation of the United States and was fought under the slogan of \u201cno taxation without representation\u201d, and have served in every war since;\n\nWhereas 635 District of Columbia residents were casualties of World War I, a casualty figure greater than that observed by 3 different States during that war;\n\nWhereas 3,575 District of Columbia residents were casualties of World War II, a casualty figure greater than that observed by 4 different States during that war;\n\nWhereas 547 District of Columbia residents were casualties of the Korean war, a casualty figure greater than that observed by 8 different States during that war;\n\nWhereas 243 District of Columbia residents were casualties of the Vietnam war, a casualty figure greater than that observed by 10 different States during that war;\n\nWhereas almost 200,000 District of Columbia residents have served in the military since World War I; and\n\nWhereas the District of Columbia statehood bill (H.R. 51 and S. 51), the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, has 207 cosponsors in the House of Representatives and 43 cosponsors in the Senate: Now, therefore, be it\n\nResolved, That\u2014\n\n(1) District of Columbia residents have earned voting representation in the House of Representatives and Senate and full local self-government; and\n\n(2) on Memorial Day, the House of Representatives recognizes that active duty servicemembers, National Guard members, reservists, veterans, and their families who are residents of the District of Columbia deserve passage of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:21:02Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-secures-victories-dc-surface-transportation-bill-defeats-perry", "Norton Secures Victories for D.C. In Surface Transportation Bill, Defeats Perry Amendment to Eliminate Grant Funding for WMATA", "2026-05-22", "2026", "2026-05", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 After the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (T&I) marked up and passed the surface transportation reauthorization bill, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said she was pleased with the victories she was able to secure for D.C. in the bill, particularly the defeat of an amendment by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) that would have struck a provision extending authorization of grant funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Perry\u2019s amendment to eliminate this extension of grant funding for WMATA was soundly defeated by nearly 40 votes with every Democrat present voting against it in addition to more than half of the Republicans.\n\nThe grant funding Perry\u2019s amendment would have eliminated was first authorized for fiscal year 2009 and has since been reauthorized in subsequent surface transportation bills, most recently in President Biden\u2019s Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA), passed in 2021. The bill the Committee passed early this morning would extend the authorization to fiscal year 2031, when the Committee is expected to begin developing the next surface transportation reauthorization bill.\n\nThe surface transportation bill is reauthorized every five years and sets the funding, policies, and priorities for the nation's highways, public transit, and rail programs. The last reauthorization was included in the 2021 IIJA.\n\n\"I\u2019m pleased to have secured critical victories for the District in the surface transportation reauthorization bill, most notably the resounding defeat of Rep. Perry\u2019s partisan attempt to eliminate essential federal grant funding for WMATA,\" Norton said. \"By a nearly 40-vote margin, a bipartisan majority of the Committee rejected this reckless amendment, ensuring that Metro can continue to safely and reliably move D.C. residents, the federal workforce, and millions of visitors across our region. This bill extends WMATA\u2019s grant authorization through fiscal year 2031, providing the long-term stability our transit system needs to remain the backbone of the nation's capital.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m also pleased that, despite the increasingly polarized and partisan state of our politics, this bipartisan bill managed to contain so many victories for the nation and its capital, including four of my bills. It enables critical investments in passenger rail, including making the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation eligible for five significant federal grant programs. It equips the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration with the tools needed to protect consumers from predatory household moving company fraud, and it makes 'blue envelope' programs, which improve interactions between police officers and drivers with difficulty communicating through speech during traffic stops, eligible for federal transportation grants for the first time. Significantly \u2013 and unusually, for the current Congress \u2013 the bill passed out of committee contains no riders targeting D.C.\n\n\"The bill delivers broad investments in our nation's roads, bridges, transit, and bike infrastructure, which will boost our economy by increasing the country's capacity to safely transport goods and people. I'm proud of the scope of critical issues this legislation addresses and look forward to its House passage.\u201d\n\nNorton secured the following victories in the bill:\n\nProvides $1.596 billion for D.C. in federal-aid highway funding over the five-year life of the bill, compared to $1.342 billion over the five-year life of IIJA. The amounts for all core transit formulas go up, and D.C. is added to several new transit formulas it was excluded from in the IIJA.\n\nIncludes the full text of the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act, a Norton bill to equip the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) with the necessary tools to protect consumers from a growing type of fraud perpetrated by scammers in the interstate transportation of household goods and also establishes a household goods consumer protection working group (Sec. 5301-5305).\n\nExtends section 601(f) of the Passenger Rail Improvement Act of 2008 to provide federal funding for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority capital projects and preventive maintenance through 2031 (Sec. 3109).\n\nIncludes the full text of the District of Columbia Transportation Funding Equality Act, a Norton bill that would treat D.C. the same as the states within the Bus and Bus Facilities formula program (Sec. 3024) and the Growing States and High-Density formula program (Sec. 3025) and would make D.C. eligible for grants under the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program (Sec. 1119) and the National Culvert Removal, Replacement and Restoration Grant Program (Sec. 7107).\n\nIncludes provisions from Norton\u2019s Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) Funding Eligibility Act, making USRC eligible for grants under the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program, Mega, Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program, and National Intercity Passenger Rail Partnership program (NIPRP, formerly Federal-State Partnership), as well as the new Surface Transportation Accelerator Grant program (BUILD\u2014Sec. 7506; Mega\u2014Section 7505; CRISI\u2014Sec. 10104; NIPRP\u2014Sec. 10106; STAG\u2014Sec. 1124).\n\nIncludes Norton\u2019s Blue Envelope Act of 2025, making blue envelope programs eligible for funds under NHTSA\u2019s 402 grant program (Sec. 4002).\n\nClarifies the Secretary has the power to remove a commercial driver training provider from the official Training Provider Registry for failure to maintain and enforce policies against sexual assault (Sec. 5204).\n\nCodifies the Transit Workforce Center to train frontline transit workers and funds the Center at the same levels as the National Transit Institute with dedicated Highway Trust Fund dollars (Sec. 3010).\n\nDoes not include any riders targeting the District of Columbia.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:21:02Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-statement-ahead-surface-transportation-reauthorization-markup", "Norton Statement Ahead of Surface Transportation Reauthorization Markup", "2026-05-21", "2026", "2026-05", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Ahead of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (T&I) markup of the surface transportation reauthorization bill, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said she was pleased with the victories she was able to secure for D.C. in the bill. The surface transportation bill is reauthorized every five years and sets the funding, policies, and priorities for the nation's highways, public transit and rail programs. The last reauthorization was included in the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA), passed in 2021.\n\n\"At a time when polarization and partisanship are causing legislative gridlock, I'm pleased that this bipartisan bill includes many victories for the nation and its capital,\" Norton said. \"The bill enables critical investments in passenger rail, including making the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation eligible for five significant federal grant programs. It equips the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration with the tools needed to protect consumers from predatory household moving company fraud and it makes 'blue envelope' programs, which improve interactions between police officers and drivers with difficulty communicating through speech during traffic stops, eligible for federal transportation grants for the first time. Significantly \u2013 and unusually, for the current Congress \u2013 the bill contains no riders targeting D.C.\n\n\"The bill delivers broad investments in our nation's roads, bridges, transit and bike infrastructure, which will boost our economy by increasing the country's capacity to safely transport goods and people. I'm proud of the scope of critical issues this legislation addresses and look forward to voting for its passage out of Committee.\"\n\nNorton secured the following victories in the bill:\n\nProvides $1.596 billion for D.C. in federal-aid highway funding over the five-year life of the bill, compared to $1.342 billion over the five-year life of IIJA. The amounts for all core transit formulas go up, and D.C. is added to several new transit formulas it was excluded from in the IIJA.\n\nIncludes the full text of the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act, a Norton bill to equip the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) with the necessary tools to protect consumers from a growing type of fraud perpetrated by scammers in the interstate transportation of household goods and also establishes a household goods consumer protection working group (Sec. 5301-5305).\n\nExtends section 601(f) of the Passenger Rail Improvement Act of 2008 to provide federal funding for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority capital projects and preventive maintenance through 2031 (Sec. 3109).\n\nTreats D.C. the same as the states within the Bus and Bus Facilities formula program (Sec. 3024).\n\nTreats D.C. the same as the states within the Growing States and High-Density formula program (Sec. 3025).\n\nMakes D.C. eligible for grants under the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program (Sec. 1119).\n\nMakes D.C. eligible for grants under the National Culvert Removal, Replacement and Restoration Grant Program (Sec. 7107).\n\nMakes the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation eligible for grants under the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program, Mega, Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program, and National Intercity Passenger Rail Partnership program (NIPRP, formerly Federal-State Partnership), as well as the new Surface Transportation Accelerator Grant program (BUILD\u2014Sec. 7506; Mega\u2014Section 7505; CRISI\u2014Sec. 10104; NIPRP\u2014Sec. 10106; STAG\u2014Sec. 1124).\n\nMakes blue envelope programs eligible for funds under NHTSA\u2019s 402 grant program (Sec. 4002).\n\nClarifies the Secretary has the power to remove a commercial driver training provider from the official Training Provider Registry for failure to maintain and enforce policies against sexual assault (Sec. 5204).\n\nCodifies the Transit Workforce Center to train frontline transit workers and funds the Center at the same levels as the National Transit Institute with dedicated Highway Trust Fund dollars (Sec. 3010).\n\nDoes not include any riders targeting the District of Columbia.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-24T06:25:30Z", "2026-06-24T06:26:49Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-releases-statement-ahead-markup-anti-home-rule-bill-prohibit-dc", "Norton Releases Statement Ahead of Markup of Anti-Home Rule Bill to Prohibit D.C. from Enacting Congestion Pricing", "2026-05-20", "2026", "2026-05", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her remarks ahead of today\u2019s Oversight & Government Reform (OGR) Committee markup of a bill introduced by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) that would amend the Home Rule Act to permanently prohibit the District from enacting congestion pricing, or any charge to enter or pass through D.C.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s markup is the fifth time this Congress that Republicans have wasted this Committee's time on paternalistic, anti-home rule bills designed to interfere with D.C. traffic policies, a petty fixation Rep. Perry spends much of his time on, to the detriment of his constituents in Pennsylvania,\u201d Norton said. \u201cRep. Perry has repeatedly used standalone bills, amendments, and riders to block or repeal D.C.'s traffic safety laws, yet not a single one has been enacted. This bill is a particularly vexing one to waste the Committee\u2019s time on, considering that no congestion charge exists in D.C. and no bills or regulations are pending to impose one.\n\n\u201cMore importantly, this bill was introduced by a member who wasn\u2019t elected by D.C. residents and who D.C. residents cannot hold accountable by voting out of office. D.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying federal taxes, serving on juries and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self-government and voting representation in Congress. The only solution to this undemocratic treatment is to grant D.C. statehood.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s remarks follow, as prepared for delivery.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\nCommittee on Oversight and Government Reform\n\nMarkup of H.R. 8801, DC ROADS Act\n\nMay 20, 2026\n\nI strongly oppose this undemocratic and paternalistic bill, which is intended to prohibit congestion pricing in the District of Columbia. Specifically, this bill would prohibit D.C. from imposing any charge to enter or pass through D.C. No such charge exists in D.C., and no bills or regulations are pending in D.C. to impose any.\n\nToday\u2019s markup is the fifth this Congress of a bill that would interfere with D.C. traffic policies. Over the last five years, the sponsor of this bill has tried to repeal or block four D.C. traffic policies through standalone bills, amendments and riders. None have been enacted.\n\nThe 700,000 D.C. residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are capable and worthy of governing themselves. If D.C. residents do not like how members of the D.C. Council vote, residents can vote them out of office. That is democracy. If D.C. residents do not like how members of Congress vote on local D.C. matters, residents cannot vote them out of office. That is the antithesis of democracy.\n\nI ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter opposing this bill from D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson.\n\nThe substance of this bill should be irrelevant, since there is never justification for Congress to legislate on local D.C. matters, but I will discuss it.\n\nCongestion pricing is based on the economic theory of externalities and is used in New York City and several cities outside the United States. Earlier this year, on the one-year anniversary of congestion pricing in New York City, the governor of New York said \u201cThe results are in and it is clear that in just one year, congestion pricing has been an unprecedented success in New York. By every measure, this program has met or exceeded expectations: traffic and gridlock are down substantially, people are moving faster, air quality is improved, streets are safer and our economy is stronger. New Yorkers are benefitting from congestion pricing every day\u2026. And there are even more benefits to come: $15 billion in transit upgrades with major projects already underway, improving the commutes of millions of New Yorkers.\u201d\n\nD.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying federal taxes, serving on juries and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self-government and voting representation in Congress. The only solution to this undemocratic treatment is to grant D.C. statehood.\n\nCongress has the authority to admit D.C. as a state. The D.C. statehood bill, H.R. 51, would reduce the size of the federal district from 68 square miles to two square miles, consisting of the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court and the National Mall. The residential and commercial areas of D.C. would be a new state.\n\nI urge members to vote NO on H.R. 8801. Free D.C.\n\nI ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter opposing this bill from the Sierra Club and 19 other groups.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-23T06:27:52Z", "2026-06-23T06:29:20Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-offer-short-term-disability-insurance-federal-employees", "Norton Introduces Bill to Offer Short-Term Disability Insurance to Federal Employees", "2026-05-11", "2026", "2026-05", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today reintroduced her Federal Employee Short-Term Disability Insurance Act, which would allow federal employees to purchase short-term disability insurance at group rates to replace a portion of their income lost due to a short-term injury or disability, pregnancy, or pregnancy-related illness.\n\n\u201cAccording to the Social Security Administration, a 20-year-old worker has a one-in-four chance of becoming disabled by retirement age. Most disabilities are not caused by major accidents, but by injuries or illnesses, such as back injuries or cancer, according to the Council for Disability Awareness,\u201d Norton said. \u201cAt a time when Americans are already struggling to afford necessities, there is every reason to allow our federal employees to take advantage of the federal government\u2019s purchasing power to obtain the most reasonable price for short-term disability coverage, at no cost to the federal government.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Federal Employee Short-Term Disability Insurance Act of 2026\n\nMay 11, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Federal Employee Short-Term Disability Insurance Act of 2026, which would make short-term disability insurance available to federal employees. Employees would be responsible for 100 percent of the premiums and would receive benefits for up to one year. Insurance companies would be prohibited from excluding federal employees, or charging them higher premiums, based on preexisting conditions. Many private-sector employers make available disability insurance to their employees.\n\nI began examining how we could provide federal employees with short-term disability insurance at group rates and with guaranteed coverage after learning that many of them buy such insurance in the individual market, which can have high premiums and exclude those with preexisting conditions. Although federal employees have good health insurance, health insurance benefits do not replace lost income. Moreover, while federal employees may have available sick or annual leave, they may not have enough such leave to pay the bills if they cannot work for an extended period, such as following surgery. Although the federal government provides disability benefits to federal employees who become permanently disabled, federal employees do not qualify for these benefits until they have worked for the federal government for at least 18 months. The Office of Personnel Management would contract with insurance companies to provide short-term disability insurance.\n\nAccording to the Social Security Administration, a 20-year-old worker has a one-in-four chance of becoming disabled by retirement age. The majority of disabilities are not caused by major accidents, but by injuries or illnesses, according to the Council for Disability Awareness.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.", 1, "2026-06-19T06:50:32Z", "2026-06-19T06:53:40Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-first-woman-chair-eeoc-introduces-fair-pay-act", "Norton, First Woman to Chair EEOC, Introduces Fair Pay Act", "2026-05-04", "2026", "2026-05", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who was appointed by President Jimmy Carter as the first woman to chair the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), today introduced the Fair Pay Act, which builds on her work enforcing the 1963 Equal Pay Act. The Fair Pay Act would help eliminate the gender wage gap by requiring men and women doing comparable work to be paid comparable wages and builds on the Equal Pay Act of 1963 by allowing women to prove that some or all of a wage disparity is based on gender-segregated comparable jobs.\n\n\"As the first woman to chair the EEOC, where enforced the Equal Pay Act, I have spent my career working to ensure equality for women, but it is clear that more must be done to address the structural disparities that persist in our workforce,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThe Fair Pay Act is essential legislation that moves beyond identical roles to ensure men and women performing comparable work receive comparable wages. We can no longer allow gender-based wage gaps to exist unchallenged simply because a profession is traditionally dominated by one sex. This bill is a moral and economic necessity that finally challenges the historic devaluation of work historically performed by women.\n\n\u201cUnequal pay has been built into the way women have been treated since Adam and Eve. To dislodge such deep-seated and pervasive treatment, we must go to the source, the traditionally female occupations, where pay is linked with gender and always has been.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s full introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\nOn the Introduction of the Fair Pay Act of 2026\n\nMay 4, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Fair Pay Act of 2026. This bill would require that if men and women are doing comparable work, they must be paid comparable wages. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA), the first of the great civil rights statutes of the 1960s, has grown creaky with age and needs updating to reflect the new workforce, in which women work as much as men.\n\nAs the first woman to chair the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where I enforced the EPA, I introduce this bill on behalf of the average female worker, who is often first steered to, and then locked into, jobs with wages that are deeply influenced by the gender of individuals who have traditionally held such jobs. The pay disparity most women face today stems mainly from the segregation of women and men in different jobs and women in female-dominated jobs being paid systematically less. For example, if a woman is an emergency services operator, a female-dominated profession, she should not be paid less than a fire dispatcher, a male- dominated profession, simply because each of these jobs has been dominated by one gender. We need more aggressive strategies to break through the societal barriers present throughout history, as well as employer-steering based on gender, which is as old as paid employment itself.\n\nWhat may be the best case for a stronger and updated EPA occurred in Congress in 2003, when female custodians in the House and Senate won an EPA case after showing that female employees were paid a dollar less per hour for doing the same or similar work as male employees. Had those women not been represented by their union, they would have had an almost impossible task in using the rules for bringing and sustaining an EPA class action lawsuit.\n\nThis bill would not change the legal burden. Under this bill, as under the EPA, the burden would be on the plaintiff to prove discrimination. The plaintiff must show that the reason for the disparate treatment is gender discrimination, not legitimate market factors. Remedies to achieve comparable pay for men and women are not radical or unprecedented. State governments, in red and blue states alike, have shown that it is possible to eliminate the part of the pay gap that is due to job-steering. Many state governments have adjusted wages for female-dominated professions, raising pay for teachers, nurses, clerical workers, librarians and other female-dominated jobs that paid less than comparable male-dominated jobs. Minnesota, for example, implemented a pay equity plan when it found that traditionally female jobs paid 20 percent less than comparable traditionally male jobs. There may well be some portion of the gender wage gap that is traceable to market factors, but states have shown that you can tackle the gender discrimination-based wage gap without interfering in the market system. States generally have closed the wage gap over a period of four to five years at a one-time cost of no more than three to four percent of payroll.\n\nUnequal pay has been built into the way women have been treated since Adam and Eve. To dislodge such deep-seated and pervasive treatment, we must go to the source, the traditionally female occupations, where pay is linked with gender and always has been.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-12T06:37:16Z", "2026-06-12T06:39:00Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-resolution-designate-may-1-2026-dc-statehood-day", "Norton Introduces Resolution to Designate May 1, 2026, as \u201cD.C. Statehood Day\u201d", "2026-05-01", "2026", "2026-05", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a resolution to designate today, May 1, 2026, as \u201cD.C. Statehood Day\u201d and calling for statehood for the nation\u2019s capital through enactment of her Washington, D.C. Admission Act.\n\n\"This week King Charles addressed a joint session of Congress, highlighting that historically, \u2018no taxation without representation\u2019 has been a shared democratic value between our two countries. But taxation without representation is still alive and well for 700,000 residents of the nation\u2019s capital,\u201d Norton said. \"D.C. residents pay more in federal taxes per capita than any state, and more federal taxes overall than 26 states. D.C. residents have fought and died in every war since the Revolution, and they deserve the benefits of voting representation in Congress and full local self-government.\n\n\u201cD.C. deserves to become the 51st state, and I introduce this resolution to name May 1st, or 5/1 \u2018Statehood Day\u2019 for this very reason.\u201d\n\nThe text of the resolution follows.\n\nH. RES. __\n\nRecognizing the disenfranchisement of District of Columbia residents, calling for statehood for the District of Columbia through the enactment of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, and expressing support for the designation of May 1, 2026, as \u201cD.C. Statehood Day\u201d.\n\nIN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES\n\nMs. Norton submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform\n\nRESOLUTION\n\nRecognizing the disenfranchisement of District of Columbia residents, calling for statehood for the District of Columbia through the enactment of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, and expressing support for the designation of May 1, 2026, as \u201cD.C. Statehood Day\u201d.\n\nWhereas the United States was founded on the principles of consent of the governed and no taxation without representation;\n\nWhereas District of Columbia residents are denied voting representation in Congress and full local self-government;\n\nWhereas the District of Columbia pays more per capita Federal taxes than any State and pays more Federal taxes than 26 States;\n\nWhereas statehood would give District of Columbia residents voting representation in Congress and full local self-government;\n\nWhereas Congress has the constitutional authority to pass the District of Columbia statehood bill, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51 and S. 51), which would admit the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, and reduce the size of the Federal district;\n\nWhereas the Admissions Clause of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to admit new States, and all 37 new States were admitted by Congress;\n\nWhereas no State would have to consent to the admission of the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth;\n\nWhereas the District Clause of the Constitution gives Congress plenary authority over the Federal district and establishes a maximum size of the Federal district, but not a minimum size nor a location of the Federal district;\n\nWhereas the 23d Amendment to the Constitution allows the Federal district to participate in the electoral college, while not establishing a minimum size nor a location of the Federal district;\n\nWhereas the Constitution does not establish any prerequisites for new States, but Congress has generally considered 3 factors\u2014\n\n(1) population and resources;\n\n(2) support for statehood; and\n\n(3) commitment to democracy;\n\nWhereas the District of Columbia has a larger population than 2 States;\n\nWhereas the District of Columbia has a larger gross domestic product than 15 States and a higher per capita gross domestic product than any State;\n\nWhereas the District of Columbia has a higher per capita personal income than any State;\n\nWhereas 86 percent of District of Columbia residents voted for statehood in 2016; and\n\nWhereas District of Columbia residents have been fighting for voting representation in Congress and full local self-government for more than 200 years: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives\u2014\n\n(1) supports the designation of \u201cD.C. Statehood Day\u201d; and\n\n(2) calls on Congress to pass the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51 and S. 51).\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-09T06:27:37Z", "2026-06-09T06:30:10Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-statement-markup-committee-passage-dc-appropriations-bill", "Norton Statement on Markup & Committee Passage of D.C. Appropriations Bill", "2026-04-23", "2026", "2026-04", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 After the House Committee on Appropriations yesterday marked up and passed the Financial Services and General Government (FSSG) bill, which includes the D.C. appropriations bill, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that although she was pleased no new riders were attached to the bill, she was still outraged at the number and scope of anti-home rule riders included in the base text that still remain in the bill. Republicans attempt to attach the riders to the annual D.C. spending bill to exert control over local D.C. matters, despite their positions as federal officials who do not represent D.C. residents.\n\nSignificantly, the bill would cut funding for D.C. Tuition and Grant Assistance (DCTAG), a program established by a bill Norton got passed in 1999, by 50%. DCTAG makes up the difference for D.C. residents between in-state and out-of-state tuition up to $15,000 a year at public institutions of higher education in the U.S.\n\n\"Although I am unsurprised at the number and scope of anti-D.C. home rule riders in the D.C. appropriations bill as passed out of Committee, I continue to be outraged at the entitlement shown by members of Congress who represent far-away districts yet think it\u2019s appropriate to impose their policy preferences on 700,000 D.C. residents,\u201d Norton said. \"By loading this legislation with anti-home-rule riders, from stripping away reproductive healthcare access to meddling in our local public safety and education laws, Republican members are dictating how D.C. residents live, spend their own local tax dollars, and govern themselves.\n\n\"These members were not elected by D.C. residents, yet they continue to treat the District like their own playground to rule as they please. This bill should serve as a stark reminder of why D.C. statehood is not just a political goal, but a moral imperative to end this ongoing cycle of paternalism and disenfranchisement.\n\n\u201cD.C. residents are worthy and capable of governing themselves. Congress must pass my D.C. statehood bill.\"\n\nAs passed out of Committee, the bill would:\n\nPermit anyone with a concealed carry permit from any state or territory to carry a concealed handgun in D.C. and on WMATA.\n\nProvide $20 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), a 50% decrease from the current funding level.\n\nProhibit D.C. from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women.\n\nProhibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act of 2014.\n\nRepeal D.C.\u2019s Death with Dignity Act, and prohibit enacting any similar law.\n\nRequire D.C. to submit a report on its enforcement of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.\n\nProhibit D.C. from spending its own local funds to enforce its vehicle emission standards.\n\nProhibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its automated traffic enforcement law.\n\nProhibit D.C. from using its local funds to enact or carry out any law which prohibits motorists from making right turns on red.\n\nRepeal the provision of D.C.\u2019s Anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation law, or Anti-SLAPP law, that exempts from that law any claim brought by the D.C. government.\n\nProhibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections or on activities related to enrolling or registering noncitizens into voter rolls for local elections.\n\nProhibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.\n\nRepeal parts of the Youth Rehabilitation Amendment Act of 2018 that allows courts to use sentencing alternatives for a person who was sentenced as an adult but was under the age of 24 at the time the person committed a crime, changing that age back to 22.\n\nProhibit the use of funds to implement, administer, or enforce any COVID\u201319 mask or vaccine mandate.\n\nProhibit the use of D.C.\u2019s local funds to commercialize recreational marijuana.\n\nProhibit the use of D.C.\u2019s local funds to implement the Insurance Regulation Amendment Act of 2024, which relates to reproductive health care and gender-affirming care.\n\nProhibit D.C. from using its own funds to implement or enforce provisions of the Consumer Protection Act against oil and gas companies for environmental claims.\n\nProviding $50 million for the Emergency Planning and Security Fund. The fund pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation's capital, and is designed to cover the District's costs upfront so D.C. does not need to expend local funds and then seek an appropriation to be reimbursed for such costs after the fact. This is a decrease of $40 million.\n\nAmid the anti-home rule riders are several victories secured by Norton, despite Republican control of the House. The bill maintains the provision to exempt the D.C. government from a federal government shutdown in FY 2027, a provision she has gotten enacted every year since FY 2015. It also approves D.C. to spend under its FY 2027 local budget in the event of a federal government shutdown, avoiding the problem caused when House Republicans left the provision out of last year\u2019s continuing resolution, which caused an initially projected $1.1 billion hole in D.C.\u2019s budget in the middle of the fiscal year.\n\nNorton secured the following victories in the bill:\n\nExempting D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2027.\n\nProviding $10 million for D.C. Water Clean Rivers Project, a $2 million increase.\n\nProviding $600,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program.\n\nProviding $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-05T06:35:23Z", "2026-06-05T06:36:42Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-provide-funding-law-school-clinics-providing-pro-bono", "Norton Introduces Bill to Provide Funding to Law School Clinics Providing Pro Bono Services to Veterans", "2026-04-21", "2026", "2026-04", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced the Veterans Legal Support Act, which would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide funding to law school clinical programs that provide pro bono legal services to veterans, including assistance with disability claims and foreclosures. Currently, there are more than 20 law schools nationwide that have clinics focusing on the legal needs of veterans, including the William & Mary Law School Veterans Benefit Clinic, which was the first recipient of a \u201cbest practice\u201d certification from the VA. Allowing the VA to provide funding to these clinics would allow other law schools, like the University of the District of Columbia\u2019s David A. Clarke School of Law, to start their own VA-certified clinics.\n\n\"Countless veterans are currently stuck in limbo, waiting for the VA to process their claims. The clinical programs at certain law schools provide these veterans with the free, expert legal assistance they need to navigate a complex system and secure their hard-earned benefits. This bill builds on the proven success of existing law school clinics across the country, ensuring we sustain and expand the vital legal resources our veterans deserve.\"\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows:\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\nOn the Introduction of the Veterans Legal Support Act of 2026\n\nApril 21, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Veterans Legal Support Act of 2026, which would allow the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide support to law school clinical programs that provide pro bono legal and support services to veterans, including assistance with disability claims and foreclosures. There are at least 22 law schools that have clinics devoted to veterans\u2019 legal needs, including the William & Mary Law School Veterans Benefits Clinic, which was the first recipient of a \u201cbest practice\u201d certification from the VA. There are many other law schools, such as the University of the District of Columbia\u2019s David A. Clarke School of Law, that are interested in starting their own VA-certified clinics. More needs to be done to sustain and increase the number of these programs.\n\nI was a tenured professor at the Georgetown University Law Center and continued to teach a seminar there after being elected to Congress. I saw the expert assistance that clinical programs provide their clients.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill, a concrete measure that would assist our veterans, who put their lives on the line for this country.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-03T06:40:39Z", "2026-06-03T06:42:22Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-highlights-cruel-irony-dc-appropriations-bill-including-many-anti-home", "Norton Highlights the Cruel Irony of D.C. Appropriations Bill, Including Many Anti-Home Rule Riders, Released on Emancipation Day", "2026-04-16", "2026", "2026-04", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The House Committee on Appropriations today released the text of its fiscal year 2027 (FY 27) Financial Services and General Government (FSSG) Appropriations bill, which Norton said includes an egregious number of anti-home rule riders. Republicans attempt to attach the riders to the annual D.C. spending bill to exert control over local D.C. matters, despite their positions as federal officials who do not represent D.C. residents.\n\nSignificantly, the bill would halve funding for D.C. Tuition and Grant Assistance (DCTAG), a program established by a bill Norton got passed in 1999. DCTAG makes up the difference for D.C. residents between in-state and out-of-state tuition up to $15,000 at public institutions of higher education in the U.S.\n\n\"The release of the FY 27 D.C. appropriations bill today, as D.C. celebrates Emancipation Day, is a cruel irony that will not be lost on the 700,000 D.C. residents,\" Norton said. \"On the very day we celebrate Emancipation Day, marking the day President Lincoln freed 3,100 enslaved people in D.C., the first in the country, House Republicans have chosen to remind us that Congress can still impose its own policy priorities on D.C. without the consent of those who live in the nation's capital.\n\n\"By loading this legislation with anti-home-rule riders, from stripping away reproductive healthcare access to meddling in our local public safety and education laws, Republican members are attempting to dictate how D.C. residents live, spend their own local tax dollars, and govern themselves.\n\n\"These members were not elected by D.C. residents, yet they continue to treat our city like a federal colony. On this Emancipation Day, let this bill serve as a stark reminder of why D.C. statehood is not just a political goal, but a moral imperative to end this ongoing cycle of paternalism and disenfranchisement. Congress must pass my D.C. statehood bill.\"\n\nThe text released today would:\n\nPermit anyone with a concealed carry permit from any state or territory to carry a concealed handgun in D.C. and on WMATA.\n\nProvide $20 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), a 50% decrease from the current funding level.\n\nProhibit D.C. from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women.\n\nProhibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act of 2014.\n\nRepeal D.C.\u2019s Death with Dignity Act, and prohibit enacting any similar law.\n\nRequire D.C. to submit a report on its enforcement of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.\n\nProhibit D.C. from spending its own local funds to enforce its vehicle emission standards.\n\nProhibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its automated traffic enforcement law.\n\nProhibit D.C. from using its local funds to enact or carry out any law which prohibits motorists from making right turns on red.\n\nRepeal the provision of D.C.\u2019s Anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation law, or Anti-SLAPP law, that exempts from that law any claim brought by the D.C. government.\n\nProhibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections or on activities related to enrolling or registering noncitizens into voter rolls for local elections.\n\nProhibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.\n\nRepeal parts of the Youth Rehabilitation Amendment Act of 2018 that allows courts to use sentencing alternatives for a person who was sentenced as an adult but was under the age of 24 at the time the person committed a crime, changing that age back to 22.\n\nProhibit the use of funds to implement, administer, or enforce any COVID\u201319 mask or vaccine mandate.\n\nProhibit the use of D.C.\u2019s local funds to commercialize recreational marijuana.\n\nProhibit the use of D.C.\u2019s local funds to implement the Insurance Regulation Amendment Act of 2024, which relates to reproductive health care and gender-affirming care.\n\nProhibit D.C. from using its own funds to implement or enforce provisions of the Consumer Protection Act against oil and gas companies for environmental claims.\n\nProviding $50 million for the Emergency Planning and Security Fund. The fund pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation's capital, and is designed to cover the District's costs upfront so D.C. does not need to expend local funds and then seek an appropriation to be reimbursed for such costs after the fact. This is a decrease of $40 million.\n\nAmid the anti-home rule riders are several victories secured by Norton, despite Republican control of the House. The bill maintains the provision to exempt the D.C. government from a federal government shutdown in FY 2027, a provision she has gotten enacted every year since FY 2015.\n\nNorton also secured the following victories in the bill:\n\nExempting D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2027.\n\nProviding $10 million for D.C. Water Clean Rivers Project, a $2 million increase.\n\nProviding $600,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program.\n\nProviding $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-27T06:38:34Z", "2026-05-27T06:40:17Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-resolution-commemorating-emancipation-day-which-falls-day", "Norton Introduces Resolution Commemorating Emancipation Day, Which Falls the Day After 2026 Federal Tax Filing Deadline", "2026-04-15", "2026", "2026-04", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced her resolution commemorating Emancipation Day, an official holiday in D.C., honoring the date in 1862 when President Abraham Lincoln freed 3,100 enslaved people in the District, nine months ahead of the Emancipation Proclamation. This year D.C. will observe the holiday one day after the filing deadline for federal taxes.\n\n\u201cEmancipation Day is all the more powerful for its timing this year, coming the day after the annual deadline for filing federal taxes,\u201d Norton said. \u201cD.C. residents were the first to be freed from slavery but are the last to enjoy full rights and freedoms as American citizens, paying more in overall federal taxes than 26 states while still being denied voting representation in Congress and fiscal autonomy, as we\u2019ve seen several damaging examples of this Congress. Most outrageously, last year Congress passed a continuing resolution to fund the federal government that restricted D.C.\u2019s 2025 spending to 2024 levels in the middle of the fiscal year, creating an initially projected $1.1 billion shortfall in D.C.\u2019s budget. Those funds were the District\u2019s, collected from D.C.\u2019s local taxes, not federal dollars.\n\n\u201cLiberty is an empty promise without the power of the purse. Fiscal autonomy is central to liberty and self-determination, and true freedom requires the ability to make choices about how D.C. spends its own local funds.\u201d\n\nThe text of the resolution follows.\n\nRESOLUTION\n\nRecognizing the enduring cultural and historical significance of emancipation in the Nation\u2019s capital on the anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln\u2019s signing of the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, which established the \u201cfirst freed\u201d on April 16, 1862, and celebrating passage of the District of Columbia statehood bill in the House of Representatives.\n\nWhereas the District of Columbia has been a focal point of the Nation\u2019s complex racial history, which has included slavery, the Civil War, killings, segregation, and disenfranchisement, among other violations of civil and human rights;\n\nWhereas, on April 16, 1862, in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, which freed the approximately 3,100 enslaved individuals in the District of Columbia and authorized compensation to their former enslavers;\n\nWhereas, on January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which established a \u201cnew birth of freedom\u201d by legally emancipating millions of enslaved individuals in the 10 States of the Confederacy not under Union control, freeing the majority of the Nation\u2019s enslaved individuals;\n\nWhereas the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which reads \u201cNeither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation\u201d, was adopted on December 6, 1865, and effectively outlawed slavery in the United States;\n\nWhereas the enslavement of persons of African descent endured for more than two centuries in what is now the United States, including the District of Columbia;\n\nWhereas, in 2005, District of Columbia Emancipation Day, commemorating April 16, the date of the signing of the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, was made a legal public holiday in the District of Columbia to be celebrated annually on April 16;\n\nWhereas the residents of the District of Columbia pay more per capita in Federal taxes than the residents of any State;\n\nWhereas the residents of the District of Columbia, who pay the full freight of Federal taxes, serve in the United States Armed Forces, are subject to all of the requirements of citizenship, and otherwise have long made contributions to the life, culture, and leadership of the United States, still are denied voting representation in the Congress and independence from congressional interference in local matters in violation of the Nation\u2019s founding principles of no taxation without representation and consent of the governed;\n\nWhereas, on June 26, 2020, and April 22, 2021, the House of Representatives passed the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, the first and the second times in history, respectively, the D.C. statehood bill had been passed by either chamber of Congress;\n\nWhereas H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, has 206 cosponsors; and\n\nWhereas S. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, has 43 cosponsors: Now, therefore, be it\n\nResolved, That the House of Representatives\u2014\n\n(1) recognizes District of Columbia Emancipation Day, marking the anniversary of the end of slavery in the District of Columbia and symbolizing the aspirations of the residents of the District of Columbia for the same rights and freedoms afforded to residents of States; and\n\n(2) calls on Congress to pass the Washington, D.C. Admission Act.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-23T06:08:46Z", "2026-05-23T06:10:20Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/deadline-approaches-norton-says-federal-tax-filing-season-reminder-dc", "As Deadline Approaches, Norton Says Federal Tax Filing Season is a Reminder that D.C. Residents Remain Under Taxation Without Representation", "2026-04-10", "2026", "2026-04", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 As the federal tax filing season kicks off, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) issued a statement reminding the public that the District of Columbia pays more federal taxes per capita than any state and more federal taxes overall than 26 states, while being denied the same voting representation in Congress or full local self-government accorded to residents of the states. Norton said that the remedy is for Congress to pass her D.C. statehood bill.\n\n\"As the deadline for filing federal taxes approaches, I remind the public that D.C. still does not have voting representation in Congress nor full local self-government \u2013 rights accorded to residents of the states,\" Norton said. \"\u2019No taxation without representation' was the slogan that gave birth to our nation itself. The principle should particularly apply to the citizens of the nation's capital today, who have all the obligations of citizenship and pay more federal taxes per capita than residents of any state.\n\n\u201cI introduced my D.C. statehood bill in the House on the first day bills were allowed to be introduced this Congress. The residents of our nation\u2019s capital are owed the same rights afforded to residents of the states.\u201d\n\nThe D.C. statehood bill has passed the House twice, most recently in April of 2021.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-23T06:08:46Z", "2026-05-23T06:10:20Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-reintroduces-bill-create-paul-laurence-dunbar-commemorative-coin", "Norton Reintroduces Bill to Create Paul Laurence Dunbar Commemorative Coin", "2026-04-06", "2026", "2026-04", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reintroduced the Paul Laurence Dunbar Commemorative Coin Act to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue 50,000 five-dollar coins, 400,000 one-dollar coins and 750,000 half-dollar coins in honor of Paul Laurence Dunbar. The surcharge from each coin sold would benefit scholarships and other activities of the Dunbar Alumni Federation, the alumni association for Paul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School. Congresswoman Norton is a proud Dunbar Senior High School alumna.\n\n\u201cPaul Laurence Dunbar holds a special place in my life as the namesake of my high school, the Paul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School, which was the first preparatory high school in the nation for African American students,\u201d Norton said. \u201cPaul Laurence Dunbar is recognized as one of the greatest African American poets in United States. Minting a coin in his honor would be a fitting tribute to such a historic figure, while also helping to continue raising funds for important causes undertaken by the Dunbar Alumni Federation.\u201d\n\nPaul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School was established in D.C. in 1870 as the Preparatory High School for Colored Youth. The school was renamed for Dunbar in 1916. Notable alumni include Edward Brooke, the first popularly elected African American to the U.S. Senate; Wesley A. Brown, the first African American to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy; and Robert C. Weaver, the first-ever Secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Dunbar Alumni Federation was organized in 2002 to provide scholarships and other financial support to students and graduates of Paul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School.\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Paul Laurence Dunbar Commemorative Coin Act of 2026\n\nApril 6, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Paul Laurence Dunbar Commemorative Coin Act, which would direct the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue coins in honor of Paul Laurence Dunbar. This bill would recognize one of the first influential African American poets in American literature and benefit the Dunbar Alumni Federation, the alumni association for the Paul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School in the District of Columbia, which was the first public high school for African Americans in the United States. I am a proud graduate of Dunbar, a storied African American high school.\n\nPaul Laurence Dunbar was born on June 27, 1872, to formerly enslaved parents, and went on to pen such classics as Majors and Minors and Lyrics of Lowly Life. He also wrote the lyrics for In Dahomey, the first all-African American musical produced on Broadway. By the late 1890s, Dunbar had become a prominent author, having had his poems published in major national newspapers, including The New York Times. Dunbar died on February 9, 1906, at age 33.\n\nPaul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School was established in 1870 as the Preparatory High School for Colored Youth. It was the first college preparatory high school for African Americans in the United States. The school was renamed for Dunbar in 1916. The Dunbar Alumni Federation was organized in 2002 to provide scholarships and other financial support to students and graduates of Paul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School. The Dunbar Alumni Federation has alumni from more than 35 graduating classes, and supports the school through its scholarship efforts, community activities and other endeavors. This bill would authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to mint 50,000 five-dollar coins, 400,000 one-dollar coins and 750,000 half-dollar coins, with a surcharge on each coin. The surcharges would benefit the scholarships and similar activities of the Dunbar Alumni Federation.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-22T06:27:39Z", "2026-05-22T06:29:18Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-requiring-health-insurers-directly-reimburse-divorced-0", "Norton Introduces Bill Requiring Health Insurers to Directly Reimburse Divorced Parents for Children\u2019s Medical Expenses", "2026-03-30", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced the Ensuring Child Health Coverage Compensation in Divorce Act of 2026, which would require all health insurers to directly reimburse a divorced parent who pays for reimbursable out-of-pocket medical expenses. In a divorce, one parent typically is court-ordered to provide health insurance for a child, but the other parent may pay for reimbursable out-of-pocket medical expenses. Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, group health insurers are required to directly reimburse the parent who pays for reimbursable out-of-pocket medical expenses. However, other health insurers are not required to do so. This issue was raised by one of Norton's constituents.\n\n\"Families facing divorce are experiencing significant hardship,\" Norton said. \"My bill would ensure that children are getting necessary medical care while easing administrative burdens on families.\"\n\nNorton's introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Ensuring Child Health Coverage Compensation in Divorce Act of 2026\n\nMarch 30, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Ensuring Child Health Coverage Compensation in Divorce Act of 2026. This bill would require all health insurers to directly reimburse a custodial parent for any out-of-pocket medical expenses for a child incurred by such parent if a court directs a non-custodial parent (including a stepparent) to provide health insurance for the child.\n\nIn a divorce, one parent is typically court-ordered to provide health insurance for a child. However, the other parent may pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses for the child that are reimbursable by the insurer. Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, group health insurers are required to directly reimburse a parent who pays for reimbursable out-of-pocket medical expenses when the other parent has been court-ordered to provide health insurance for a child. However, other health insurers are not required to do so. This bill would require all health insurers to do so.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-21T06:28:16Z", "2026-05-21T06:29:43Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-releases-remarks-ahead-speaking-house-floor-opposing-bill-codify", "Norton Releases Remarks Ahead of Speaking on House Floor Opposing Bill to Codify President Trump\u2019s Efforts to Control D.C.", "2026-03-25", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her remarks, as prepared for delivery, ahead of speaking on the House floor opposing the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act, introduced by Rep. John McGuire (R-VA). The bill would undermine D.C.\u2019s autonomy by codifying parts of President Trump\u2019s executive order of the same name into law. Norton will speak on the House floor this afternoon at approximately 2:00 p.m.\n\n\u201cD.C. is a world-class city, yet this bill seeks to codify and encourage President Trump\u2019s efforts to control and transform D.C., as well as to demonize D.C. and its 700,000 residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown. President Trump has already called for the repeal of D.C. home rule, federalized the D.C. police department, deployed troops and masked federal agents on D.C.\u2019s streets, terrorized immigrants in D.C., demolished the East Wing of the White House, removed the nonprofit managing the public golf courses in D.C. and announced the closure of the Kennedy Center,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThis bill will only embolden him.\u201d\n\nMcGuire\u2019s bill would establish the \u201cD.C. Safe and Beautiful Commission.\u201d As originally introduced, the Commission included only federal officials as members of the Commission and excluded any representation from the D.C. government, despite the power to make consequential changes affecting the District. The bill has since been amended to allow a representative from the D.C. Mayor\u2019s Office as one of its 10 members.\n\nFloor Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\nMake the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2026 (H.R. 5103)\n\nMarch 25, 2026\n\nI strongly oppose this bill. I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record letters opposing this bill from the District of Columbia Mayor and every member of the D.C. Council.\n\nD.C. is a world-class city, yet this bill seeks to codify and encourage President Trump\u2019s efforts to control and transform D.C., as well as to demonize D.C. and its 700,000 residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown. President Trump has already called for the repeal of D.C. home rule, federalized the D.C. police department, deployed troops and masked federal agents on D.C.\u2019s streets, terrorized immigrants in D.C., demolished the East Wing of the White House, removed the nonprofit managing the public golf courses in D.C. and announced the closure of the Kennedy Center. This bill will only embolden him.\n\nThis bill would establish in the executive branch the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Commission. The Commission\u2019s responsibilities include increasing civil immigration enforcement in D.C., deploying more federal law enforcement officers in D.C. and increasing the number of people carrying guns in D.C.\n\nThe Commission\u2019s top priority is to increase civil immigration enforcement in D.C. Specifically, the Commission is required to ensure the \u201cmaximum enforcement of Federal immigration law within the District of Columbia, including policies to encourage the redirection of available Federal, State, or local law enforcement resources to apprehend and deport illegal aliens,\u201d and to monitor D.C.\u2019s \u201ccompliance with the enforcement of Federal immigration law.\u201d The Commission is also required to facilitate the \u201cdeployment of a more robust Federal law enforcement presence\u201d in D.C. and to \u201cincrease the speed and lower the costs of processing concealed carry\u201d permits in D.C.\n\nHowever, D.C. does not want masked federal agents terrorizing communities, separating families and destroying the community trust needed for effective local policing, or more guns on the streets.\n\nThis bill would also require the Secretary of the Interior to \u201cdevelop a program to beautify\u201d D.C., even though D.C. is already one of the most beautiful cities in the world.\n\nThis Congress, Republicans have filed over 100 bills, amendments and riders to repeal, amend or block D.C. from carrying out local laws and policies. The House has already passed 10 of those bills.\n\nD.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying federal taxes, serving on juries and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self-government and voting representation in Congress. The only solution to this undemocratic treatment is to grant D.C. statehood.\n\nCongress has the authority to admit D.C. as a state. The D.C. statehood bill, H.R. 51, would reduce the size of the federal district from 68 square miles to two square miles, consisting of the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court and the National Mall. The residential and commercial areas of D.C. would be a new state.\n\nI urge my colleagues to vote NO on H.R. 5103.\n\nFree D.C.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-05T05:58:12Z", "2026-05-05T05:59:44Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-statement-after-house-passage-bill-codify-president-trumps-efforts", "Norton Statement After House Passage of Bill to Codify President Trump\u2019s Efforts to Control D.C.", "2026-03-25", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 After the House passed the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act, introduced by Rep. John McGuire (R-VA), which would codify parts of President Trump\u2019s March, 2025 executive order, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that she was disappointed by the passage of yet another condescending, paternalistic bill towards D.C. Republicans have filed more than 100 bills, amendments and riders to repeal, amend or block D.C. from carrying out its own local laws and policies this Congress. McGuire\u2019s bill is the 11th that the House has passed this Congress.\n\n\u201cToday the House passed yet another condescending bill that treats the more than 700,000 residents of the District of Columbia as though they are incapable of governing themselves,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThis so-called \u2018Safe and Beautiful\u2019 bill is paternalistic and undemocratic, creating a federal Commission to dictate policies in a District whose residents have no voting representation in Congress and are already subject to Congress repealing its local laws. The bill\u2019s token inclusion of one representative from the D.C. Mayor\u2019s Office among 10 members does nothing to disguise its fundamental disrespect for D.C.\u2019s local self-government.\n\n\u201cMembers of Congress who do not represent the District should stop interfering in the local affairs of the District. D.C. residents are both worthy and fully capable of choosing their own local laws and policies through the democratic process, the same way other local jurisdictions throughout the country do. If Congress truly respected democracy, it would grant the District the full rights of statehood instead of repeatedly undermining home rule.\u201d\n\nMcGuire\u2019s bill would establish the \u201cD.C. Safe and Beautiful Commission.\u201d As originally introduced, the Commission included only federal officials as members and excluded any representation from the D.C. government, despite the power to make consequential changes affecting the District. The bill has since been amended to allow a representative from the D.C. Mayor\u2019s Office as one of its 10 members.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-12T06:07:57Z", "2026-05-12T06:09:10Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/ahead-rules-committee-consideration-anti-dc-bill-norton-says-bill-will-only", "Ahead of Rules Committee Consideration of Anti-D.C. Bill, Norton Says Bill Will Only Embolden President Trump", "2026-03-24", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released a statement ahead of Rules Committee consideration of the anti-D.C. bill, the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act (H.R. 5103), introduced by Rep. John McGuire (R-VA). The bill would undermine D.C.\u2019s autonomy by codifying parts of President Trump\u2019s executive order of the same name into law. The Rules Committee will consider the bill at 4:00 p.m. and the full House is expected to debate the bill on Wednesday. The live stream of today\u2019s hearing will be available on rules.house.gov.\n\nMcGuire\u2019s bill would establish the \u201cD.C. Safe and Beautiful Commission.\u201d As originally introduced, the Commission included only federal officials as members of the Commission and excluded any representation from the D.C. government, despite the power to make consequential changes affecting the District. The bill has since been amended to allow a representative from the D.C. Mayor\u2019s Office as one of its 10 members.\n\nThe Commission\u2019s first two listed responsibilities are aimed at increasing immigration enforcement in D.C. Specifically, the Commission is required to ensure the \u201cmaximum enforcement of Federal immigration law within the District of Columbia, including\u2026 the redirection of available Federal, State, or local law enforcement resources to apprehend and deport illegal aliens,\u201d and to monitor D.C.\u2019s \u201csanctuary-city status and compliance with the enforcement of Federal immigration law.\u201d The Commission is also required to facilitate the \u201cdeployment of a more robust Federal law enforcement presence\u201d in D.C. and \u201cincrease the speed and lower the costs of processing concealed carry\u201d gun permits in D.C.\n\n\u201cThis bill seeks to further President Trump\u2019s efforts to control and demonize D.C. and its residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown,\u201d Norton said. \u201cPresident Trump has already called for the repeal of D.C. home rule, federalized the D.C. Police, deployed troops and masked federal agents on D.C.\u2019s streets, terrorized immigrants in D.C., demolished the East Wing of the White House and closed the Kennedy Center. This bill will only further embolden him.\n\n\u201cThe arrogance of President Trump\u2019s patronizing efforts is evident in his executive order issued in March of 2025 and in the original bill\u2019s exclusion of any representative from the D.C. government from sitting on a Commission which has \u2018D.C.\u2019 in its very title. Although the bill now includes one slot for a member from the D.C. Mayor\u2019s Office, designating one out of 10 members to represent the interests of D.C. residents is an insultingly insufficient adjustment.\n\n\u201cAt a time when 60% of Americans disapprove of ICE\u2019s actions terrorizing communities all over the country, it strikes me as politically unwise for Republicans to pass legislation expanding ICE\u2019s ability to terrorize the nation\u2019s capital, where residents are well informed on their rights and where thousands of journalists live, work, and store their cameras.\n\n\u201cLet me be clear: Republican members of Congress who are not accountable to D.C. have no business dictating the local laws of a city where 700,000 people live permanently and have chosen their own leaders through the democratic process. If Republicans truly cared about making D.C. safe and beautiful, they wouldn\u2019t work to increase the number of deadly firearms in the District; they\u2019d fully fund the National Park Service, which maintains over 90% of D.C.\u2019s parkland and has lost a quarter of its staff since President Trump took office.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-24T05:51:25Z", "2026-04-24T05:53:00Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-reintroduces-bill-prohibit-questions-citizenship-nationality-and", "Norton Reintroduces Bill to Prohibit Questions on Citizenship, Nationality, and Immigration Status on the Census", "2026-03-24", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reintroduced a bill today that would prohibit questions on the decennial census related to citizenship, nationality, and immigration status.\n\n\u201cThe decennial census determines issues such as congressional apportionment and distribution of federal funding to over 350 programs, and questions about one\u2019s status can lead to less accurate data,\u201d Norton said. \u201cWe owe it to all our constituents that these unnecessary and harmful questions never be allowed.\u201d\n\nThe American Community Survey, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, already includes a question on citizenship.\n\nNorton\u2019 introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Ensuring Full Participation in the Census Act of 2026\n\nMarch 24, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Ensuring Full Participation in the Census Act of 2026, which would prohibit the U.S. Census Bureau (Bureau) from including questions on the decennial census about citizenship, nationality or immigration status.\n\nPrior to the 2020 census, the Department of Justice wrote to the Bureau requesting that it \u201creinstate on the 2020 census questionnaire a question regarding citizenship.\u201d From 1970 to 2000, this question was sent to approximately 16 percent of the population in the decennial census through the so-called \u201clongform.\u201d However, the longform was dropped from the census and replaced with the current American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is sent to approximately three million people annually, which allows the Bureau to get the necessary information on citizenship. Asking questions about citizenship status to every person in the decennial census has not been done in almost 70 years because it would discourage people, largely minorities, who are already undercounted in the census, from participating in the census. The ACS was created to make the decennial census simpler for people to complete, which facilitates higher participation rates and preserves privacy.\n\nFortunately, after a protracted legal and political process, the citizenship question was not included on the 2020 census. However, this bill is necessary to ensure it cannot be asked on a future decennial census. The representative sample provided by the ACS is more than sufficient to determine citizenship statistics in the U.S. All individuals must be counted in the decennial census to ensure an accurate allocation of federal funds and representation in Congress.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-02T05:53:08Z", "2026-05-02T05:54:44Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-releases-markup-statement-ahead-third-markup-congress-bills-repeal", "Norton Releases Markup Statement Ahead of Third Markup This Congress of Bills to Repeal Local D.C. Traffic Laws", "2026-03-18", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her remarks ahead of today\u2019s Committee on Oversight & Government Reform (COGR) markup of a bill, introduced by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), that would repeal two D.C. laws that authorize automated traffic enforcement and limit turning right on red.\n\n\u201cYet again, Republicans are wasting time they should be using to solve significant problems facing the American people to instead address their pet peeves, and while doing so, undemocratically repeal the duly enacted laws of the District of Columbia,\u201d Norton said. \u201cToday\u2019s markup is the third this Congress of a bill that would interfere with these same two local D.C. laws, meaning today\u2019s markup is redundant. Republicans are wasting our time for the third time this Congress to accomplish the same purpose.\n\n\u201cRep. Perry has spent the last five years trying to end D.C.\u2019s use of the same automated traffic enforcement measures his own home state of Pennsylvania employs, to the benefit of his own constituents. Perhaps he should focus on banning his own state\u2019s use of the technology that has sparked such sustained animus before attacking the use of it in D.C., a district he does not represent.\n\n\u201cRegardless of the implications of this Committee\u2019s actions, 700,000 D.C. residents, a majority of whom are Black and Brown, are worthy and capable of governing themselves without input from members of Congress who do not represent D.C.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s markup statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\nCommittee on Oversight and Government Reform\n\nMarkup of the Stop DC CAMERA Act (H.R. 5525)\n\nMarch 18, 2026\n\nI strongly oppose this undemocratic and paternalistic bill, which would repeal two traffic laws enacted by the District of Columbia. Today\u2019s markup is the third markup this Congress of a bill that would interfere with these two laws. Last year, this committee passed a bill that would, among other things, repeal these two laws, and the House Committee on Appropriations passed a bill that would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out these two laws.\n\nOver the last five years, the sponsor of this bill has tried repeatedly to repeal or block these two laws, as well as another D.C. traffic law. But he is not the first Republican to try to repeal D.C.\u2019s automated traffic enforcement law. Republicans have been trying to repeal that law since 2014.\n\nThe 700,000 D.C. residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are capable and worthy of governing themselves. If residents do not like how the members of the D.C. Council vote, residents can vote them out of office. That is democracy. If D.C. residents do not like how the members of Congress vote on local D.C. matters, residents cannot vote them out of office. That is the antithesis of democracy.\n\nI ask unanimous consent to enter into the record statements opposing this bill from the D.C. Mayor and twelve members of the D.C. Council.\n\nThe substance of this bill should be irrelevant, since there is never justification for Congress to legislate on local D.C. matters, but I will discuss it.\n\nD.C. is not unique in either using automated traffic enforcement or prohibiting turning right on a red light. For example, automated traffic enforcement is used by hundreds of jurisdictions in about half the states\u2014both red and blue\u2014including in the home states of both the chairman and the sponsor of this bill. According to an automated enforcement program checklist issued by the Governors Highway Safety Association, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Triple A and the National Safety Council, \u201cAutomated enforcement is an effective tool to make roads safer.\u201d\n\nD.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying federal taxes, serving on juries and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self-government and voting representation in Congress. The only solution to this undemocratic treatment is to grant D.C. statehood.\n\nCongress has the authority to admit D.C. as a state. The D.C. statehood bill, H.R. 51, would reduce the size of the federal district from 68 square miles to two square miles, consisting of the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court and the National Mall. The residential and commercial areas of D.C. would be a new state.\n\nI urge members to vote NO on H.R. 5525. Free D.C.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-17T05:47:03Z", "2026-04-17T05:48:33Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-statement-after-committee-passage-bill-repeal-local-dc-traffic-laws", "Norton Statement After Committee Passage of Bill to Repeal Local D.C. Traffic Laws", "2026-03-18", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 After the Committee on Oversight & Government Reform (COGR) marked up and passed a bill introduced by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) to repeal two D.C. traffic laws, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) highlighted the hypocrisy of Rep. Perry\u2019s five year long quest to end D.C.\u2019s use of the same traffic safety measures his home state uses extensively and vowed to fight to prevent the bill from advancing further.\n\n\u201cToday the Oversight Committee, for the second time this Congress, advanced a paternalistic, undemocratic, and frankly petty bill to overturn two traffic safety laws enacted by D.C.,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThe hypocrisy behind this legislation is astounding. The bill\u2019s sponsor represents a district in Pennsylvania, a state that uses automated traffic enforcement extensively to improve roadway safety for its own residents. Yet he has spent years attempting to deny the District the same tool his own constituents benefit from.\n\n\u201cD.C.\u2019s elected officials enacted these measures to protect pedestrians, cyclists and drivers in our city. If D.C. residents disagree with those decisions, they can vote their local leaders out of office. That is how democracy works. What is undemocratic is members of Congress from distant states repeatedly trying to override local D.C. laws.\n\n\u201cCongress should focus on the many pressing challenges facing the nation, not continue this pattern of unnecessary and unjustified interference in the District\u2019s local affairs. I\u2019ll work to stop this bill from advancing further.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-22T05:46:42Z", "2026-04-22T05:48:06Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-allow-breastfeeding-individuals-be-excused-jury-duty", "Norton Introduces Bill to Allow Breastfeeding Individuals to be Excused from Jury Duty", "2026-03-16", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced the Jury Duty Exemption for Breastfeeding Act of 2026, which would allow people called for jury duty who are breastfeeding to be excused from jury service in federal court and in the federally controlled D.C. Superior Court upon their request. Norton says a constituent raised this issue in a letter to her office. The health benefits of breastfeeding are so well-documented that Norton wanted to bring jury service in line with existing federal policy that encourages breastfeeding.\n\n\u201cBreastfeeding has well-documented health benefits for infants and families,\u201d Norton said. \u201cRequiring nursing parents to serve on jury duty can create an unnecessary barrier to breastfeeding and place added strain on families during a critical time for a child\u2019s development. My bill would allow people who are breastfeeding to be excused from jury service so they\u2019re not forced to choose between fulfilling a civic duty and caring for their child. This legislation builds on my efforts to support breastfeeding nationwide, including my bill requiring federal facilities to provide lactation spaces, which was signed into law in 2019.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Jury Duty Exemption for Breastfeeding Act of 2026\n\nMarch 16, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Jury Duty Exemption for Breastfeeding Act of 2026, which would allow breastfeeding individuals summoned for jury service in the federal courts or the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to be excused from service upon the individual\u2019s request. The benefits of breastfeeding are well-documented, and individuals should not be deterred from breastfeeding by jury service.\n\nThis bill would apply to the D.C. Superior Court because Congress is the only legislative body that can mandate this exemption for the D.C. Superior Court. The D.C. Home Rule Act prohibits the D.C. Council from enacting any law relating to Title 11 of the D.C. Code, which governs jury service in the D.C. Superior Court.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-16T05:48:36Z", "2026-04-16T05:50:08Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-says-creation-new-dc-national-guard-brigade-underscores-need-congress", "Norton Says Creation of New D.C. National Guard Brigade Underscores Need for Congress to Pass Her Bill Giving the D.C. Mayor Control of the Guard", "2026-03-16", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Upon learning that a new brigade has been activated in the D.C. National Guard (DCNG) to coordinate military support for civil authorities, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that the major structural change imposed without D.C.\u2019s consent yet again underscores the need for Congress to pass her bill to give the D.C. mayor control of the DCNG. Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) is co-leading the bill in the House and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) leads the bill in the Senate.\n\n\u201cThe D.C. National Guard should not be subject to major structural changes imposed without the input of the people it exists to protect,\u201d Norton said. \u201cUnlike every state in the nation, where the governor controls the National Guard, the president has authority over the D.C. National Guard. As we saw on January 6th, 2021, when deployment of the DCNG was delayed for hours while District officials tried to contact the president, D.C.\u2019s forced reliance on federal officials to deploy its own National Guard has real consequences for the safety of more than 700,000 people who call the District home. My bill to place the D.C. National Guard under the authority of the D.C. mayor would correct this inequity and align the District with the longstanding practice in every state. The people of the nation\u2019s capital deserve the same control over their Guard that Americans elsewhere have.\n\n\"After inciting a mob to attack the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, which also resulted in millions of dollars of property damage in D.C. neighborhoods, the irony of President Trump repeatedly citing his purported concern about public safety in the District is not lost on me.\n\n\u201cThe creation of this new brigade and the activation of the D.C. National Guard without D.C.'s consent last fall underscore the necessity of D.C. statehood. Until D.C. gets the full protections that statehood would provide, my bill to give D.C.'s mayor control over the D.C. National Guard, like governors of states have over theirs, would place D.C. closer to having control over some of its most vital affairs and achieving equality with the states.\u201d\n\nThe District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act would name the mayor of Washington, D.C. as Commander-in-Chief of the D.C. National Guard, giving the mayor the same control over the D.C. National Guard that the governors of the states and the three territories with National Guards have over their respective National Guards. Under current law, the president is commander-in-chief of the D.C. National Guard.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-14T05:46:13Z", "2026-04-14T05:48:07Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-reintroduces-bill-raise-pay-dc-superior-court-jurors-match-pay-federal", "Norton Reintroduces Bill to Raise Pay of D.C. Superior Court Jurors to Match Pay of Federal Jurors", "2026-03-09", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reintroduced her District of Columbia Juror Pay Parity Act, which would raise the pay of D.C. Superior Court jurors to match that of federal jurors.\n\n\u201cThe District of Columbia\u2019s local courts oversee crucial matters that impact our residents and the city,\u201d Norton said. \u201cOur jurors deserve equal compensation for this important civic duty that our federal counterparts receive.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows:\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the District of Columbia Juror Pay Parity Act\n\nMarch 9, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the District of Columbia Juror Pay Parity Act, which would require D.C.\u2019s local trial court, the Superior Court, to pay jurors the same amount federal courts pay jurors. Currently, the Superior Court pays jurors the same amount federal courts pay jurors, but the Superior Court has sometimes paid less.\n\nUnder the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997, Congress assumed responsibility for funding the local D.C. courts. The local D.C. courts, however, have always been under the direct control of Congress, even when they were funded by D.C. The D.C. Home Rule Act prohibits the D.C. Council from enacting any law with respect to any provision of Title 11 of the D.C. Code (relating to the organization and jurisdiction of the local D.C. courts). Under Title 11, the Board of Judges of the Superior Court sets juror pay.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-07T15:46:19Z", "2026-04-07T20:08:42Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-calls-trump-administration-most-corrupt-history-oversight-hearing", "Norton Calls Trump Administration \u201cMost Corrupt in History\u201d in Oversight Hearing", "2026-03-04", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her remarks from today\u2019s Committee on Oversight & Government Reform (COGR) hearing on fraud and misuse of government funds in Minnesota.\n\n\u201cMy Republican colleagues have now held two hearings to talk about fraud in one single state. But they have completely ignored the fact that the Trump administration is the most corrupt administration in history,\u201d Norton said. \u201cIf Republicans really cared about fraud, abuse and holding criminals accountable, they would call out Donald Trump for firing 17 inspectors general. These internal watchdogs are the frontline of rooting out waste, fraud and abuse at federal agencies.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s full remarks follow.\n\nRemarks of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Hearing of the Committee on Oversight & Government Reform\n\nMarch 4, 2026\n\nIt is critical that the federal government support people who need assistance with food, housing and health care. Unfortunately, as long as the government provides these services, there will be bad actors trying to take advantage of them.\n\nWe need to prevent and identify these fraudsters so that social services can reach those who need them. However, we cannot recklessly deny help to the many people who need these services because of a few bad actors.\n\nMy Republican colleagues have now held two hearings to talk about fraud in one single state. But they have completely ignored the fact that the Trump administration is the most corrupt administration in history.\n\nIf Republicans really cared about fraud, abuse and holding criminals accountable, they would call out Donald Trump for firing 17 inspectors general. These internal watchdogs are the frontline of rooting out waste, fraud and abuse at federal agencies.\n\nThe Trump administration has also retaliated against whistleblowers, and allowed administration officials to engage in serious conflicts of interest that often cross the line into outright corruption.\n\nWe need inspectors general, whistleblower protections and rules prohibiting conflicts of interest to protect federal programs and make sure that people can get the services they need.\n\nAcross the country, Americans are struggling to afford their health care premiums and their groceries. The Trump administration should be strengthening the social safety net, not cutting the safeguards that catch fraudsters taking advantage of it.", 1, "2026-04-03T05:34:17Z", "2026-04-03T05:35:48Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-reintroduces-resolution-calling-senate-ratify-convention-elimination", "Norton Reintroduces Resolution Calling on Senate to Ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women", "2026-03-02", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 At the start of Women\u2019s History Month, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a resolution calling on the Senate to ratify the United Nations\u2019 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The Convention establishes an agenda for national action to end discrimination against women and ensure the advancement of women in political, social, economic and cultural fields through legislative action and legal protections. It was adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 1979 and signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1980 but has never been brought before the full Senate for a vote.\n\nCurrently, 189 U.N. member states have ratified the Convention. The United States joins Iran, Palau, Somalia, Sudan and Tonga as the only members of the United Nations who have yet to ratify the Convention. In light of the Senate\u2019s inaction, dozens of U.S. cities, counties and states have passed resolutions in support of the Convention\u2019s ratification. D.C. enacted the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women Act in accordance with the principles of the Convention.\n\n\u201cAs the first woman to chair the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, I understand firsthand the profound impact ratifying the Convention would have,\u201d Norton said. \u201cDuring my tenure, I issued the first federal guidelines recognizing sexual harassment as a violation of equal employment laws. Ratification would strengthen the legal foundation for combating gender discrimination in our courts and demonstrate to the world that the United States is fully committed to ending gender discrimination.\n\n\u201cI urge my colleagues in the Senate to finally ratify this important Convention. It is long overdue.\u201d\n\nRep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) are original cosponsors of the resolution.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-announces-community-project-funding-application-process-2", "Norton Announces Community Project Funding Application Process", "2026-02-25", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced the process for applying to her office for Community Project Funding, formerly known as earmarks, for fiscal year 2027 (FY27). For a Community Project Funding request to be considered, eligible entities must submit an application 5:00 p.m. on March 6, 2026. Applications must be sent to NortonCommunityProjectFunding@mail.house.gov.\n\nLate or incomplete applications, including applications that do not provide the information required by the relevant subcommittee, will not be considered. The project must be located in the District of Columbia. The subcommittees\u2019 requirements can be found here.\n\nAn application consists of all the information about the entity and project required by the applicable subcommittee, as well as the following:\n\nName of the recipient\n\nAddress of the recipient\n\nAmount of the request\n\nExplanation of the request, including purpose, and a justification for why it is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds\n\nEvidence of community support\n\nIf on behalf of a non-profit, evidence the entity is a non-profit organization as described under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and evidence non-profit\u2019s work is primarily focused on D.C.\n\nThe Appropriations Committee is only permitting certain programs within specific subcommittees, listed below, that are going to participate in the Community Project Funding process.\n\nHouse Appropriations Committee\n\nFiscal Year 2027 Community Project Funding \u2013 Eligible Accounts\n\nAgriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies\n\nDepartment of Agriculture \u2013 Farm Production and Conservation Programs\n\nNatural Resources Conservation Service (Conservation Operations)\n\nDepartment of Agriculture \u2013 Research, Education, and Economics\n\nAgricultural Research Service (Buildings and Facilities)\n\nDepartment of Agriculture \u2013 Rural Development\n\nRural Housing Service (Community Facilities)\n\nRural Utilities Service (Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants)\n\nRural Utilities Service (Rural Water and Waste Disposal Grants)\n\nCommerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies\n\nDepartment of Commerce\n\nNIST \u2013 Scientific and Technical Research\n\nNOAA \u2013 Coastal Zone Management\n\nDepartment of Justice\n\nCOPS Technology and Equipment\n\nByrne Justice Assistance Grants (Byrne)\n\nNational Aeronautics and Space Administration\n\nSafety, Security, and Mission Services\n\nEnergy and Water Development\n\nArmy Corps of Engineers (Civil Works)\n\nInvestigations\n\nConstruction\n\nMississippi River and Tributaries\n\nOperation and Maintenance\n\nDepartment of the Interior/Bureau of Reclamation\n\nWater and Related Resources\n\nHomeland Security\n\nFederal Emergency Management Agency\n\nFederal Assistance \u2013 Emergency Ops. Centers\n\nFederal Assistance \u2013 Pre-Disaster Mitigation\n\nInterior, Environment, and Related Agencies\n\nEnvironmental Protection Agency\n\nSTAG \u2013 Clean Water State Revolving Fund\n\nSTAG \u2013 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund\n\nLabor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies\n\nDepartment of Health and Human Services\n\nHealth Resources and Services Administration\n\nMilitary Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies\n\nArmy\n\nArmy National Guard Army Reserve\n\nNavy & Marine Corps Navy Reserve\n\nAir Force and Space Force Air National Guard\n\nAir Force Reserve\n\nDoD, Defense-Wide\n\nTransportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies\n\nDepartment of Housing and Urban Development\n\nCommunity Development Fund \u2013 Economic Development Initiatives\n\nDepartment of Transportation\n\nAirport Improvement Program\n\nHighway Infrastructure Projects\n\nTransit Infrastructure Projects\n\nConsolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements\n\nPort Infrastructure Development Program\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-question-witnesses-potomac-river-sewage-spill-and-study-secondary", "Norton to Question Witnesses on Potomac River Sewage Spill and Study on Secondary Drinking Water Source for D.C.", "2026-02-24", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her question line ahead of today\u2019s Transportation & Infrastructure hearing on the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), where she\u2019ll question Lt. Gen. William H. Graham, Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, about the study she got authorized to identify a secondary drinking water source for D.C. Norton will also address the recent sewage spill in the Potomac River, which underscores the need for the District to have a secondary drinking water source. The Potomac River is the sole source of drinking water for the District.\n\n\u201cThe recent wastewater spill into the Potomac River is a stark reminder that our capital\u2019s water infrastructure remains dangerously vulnerable. Clean water is not optional; it is fundamental to public health and safety. This incident underscores the urgent need for a secondary drinking water source for the District so that residents are not left at the mercy of a single, aging system. We must act to protect our environment and the health of every family in our city.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s question line follows, as prepared for delivery.\n\nQuestion Line of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)\n\nTransportation & Infrastructure Committee Hearing\n\nFebruary 24, 2026\n\nThe Army Corps supplies the District of Columbia\u2019s drinking water, and the Potomac River is the only source of that drinking water. With only one day of backup water supply, man-made or natural events that make the river unusable for drinking water would put residents, the federal government and the regional economy at risk.\n\nIn 2022, at my request, Congress authorized the Corps to conduct a feasibility study of a \u201cproject for water supply, including the identification of a secondary water source and additional water storage capability for the Washington Metropolitan Area.\u201d Congress has since appropriated $2,300,000 for the study.\n\nTwo weeks ago, the Corps informed me that it will likely limit the scope of the study to an expansion of the existing primary storage basin. That violates both the study\u2019s authorization and appropriation. Expansion of the reservoir is not a secondary water source.\n\nLieutenant General Graham, why has the Corps decided to limit the study to the expansion of the reservoir?\n\nWill you commit to expanding the scope of the study to identifying a secondary water source and additional water storage capability, as required by federal law?\n\nWhat is the federal government\u2019s plan to provide emergency drinking water to D.C. in the event the Potomac River becomes unusable for drinking water, as could have happened had a different portion of the Potomac Interceptor collapsed last month?\n\nLast month, a section of the Potomac Interceptor collapsed, causing hundreds of millions of gallons of wastewater to flow into the Potomac River. Not only is this an environmental disaster, but it also underscored the urgency of a secondary drinking water source.\n\nLieutenant General Graham, will the Corps provide D.C. Water financial assistance for the long-term rehabilitation of the Potomac Interceptor?\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-calls-rubio-expel-and-bar-reentry-azerbaijani-officials-involved", "Norton Calls on Rubio to Expel and Bar Reentry of Azerbaijani Officials Involved in Violent Attacks on Peaceful Protestors in D.C.", "2026-02-23", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to take immediate action to hold accountable Azerbaijani officials who attacked peaceful protestors gathered outside the Waldorf Astoria in the District of Columbia last week. The media has reported that at least six protesters were injured.\n\nNorton said the violent attack \"was also an assault on basic American values and the First Amendment protections for free speech and peaceful assembly,\" and was particularly an affront to the District of Columbia, as freedom to protest in the nation\u2019s capital is paramount.\n\n\u201cThe violent attack on the protestors was also an attack on the First Amendment protections for freedom of speech and peaceful assembly,\u201d Norton wrote. \u201cI urge you to bar any Azerbaijani official who attacked or ordered the attack of the protestors from reentering the United States if they have already left the country and to expel any that remain in the country.\u201d\n\nNorton requested a response by March 9, 2026. The full letter follows.\n\nFebruary 23, 2026\n\nThe Honorable Marco Rubio\n\nSecretary\n\nU.S. Department of State\n\n2201 C Street NW\n\nWashington, DC 20520\n\nDear Secretary Rubio:\n\nI was deeply disturbed by the attack last week on what appeared to be peaceful protestors outside the Waldorf Astoria in the District of Columbia by bodyguards for the Azerbaijani president. The attack on the protestors was also an attack on the First Amendment protections for freedom of speech and peaceful assembly.\n\nI urge you to bar any Azerbaijani official who attacked or ordered the attack of the protestors from reentering the United States if they have already left the country and to expel any that remain in the country. I also urge you to follow traditional State Department practice and request a waiver of immunity from Azerbaijan for those connected to the attack if a prosecutor would otherwise prosecute.\n\nI request a written response to this letter by March 9, 2026.\n\nSincerely,\n\nEleanor Holmes Norton\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-make-dc-eligible-federal-forestry-funding-udc", "Norton Introduces Bill to Make D.C. Eligible for Federal Forestry Funding for UDC", "2026-02-23", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a bill to amend the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act to make the District of Columbia eligible for federal forestry funds. The McIntire-Stennis Act provides U.S. states and territories with formula-based funds to support state-designated institutions' cooperative forestry research programs.\n\nNorton said that the District is treated as a state under most federal programs and that the District's omission from the legislation was likely an oversight. She said her bill would make D.C. eligible for funding that would particularly support research at the University of the District of Columbia's (UDC) College of Agriculture, Urban Stability, and Environmental Science, a program that complements the city's ongoing forestry efforts. UDC is the nation's only urban land-grant university. Norton successfully got her provision to enable UDC to receive federal funding for forestry research under the McIntire-Stennis Act included in the Senate-passed 2013 Farm Bill.\n\n\u201cD.C., whose residents pay the highest federal taxes per capita in the nation, should be eligible for these critical federal forestry funds,\u201d Norton said. \u201cI have worked to ensure the District is treated as a state for purposes of most federal funding, and this legislation continues that effort. The University of the District of Columbia \u2013 the nation\u2019s only urban land-grant university \u2013 would benefit tremendously from these resources.\u201d\n\nNorton's introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\nOn the Introduction of the McIntire-Stennis Act District of Columbia Equality Act\n\nFebruary 23, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the McIntire-Stennis Act District of Columbia Equality Act, which would make the District of Columbia eligible for funding under the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act (Act) in the same manner as states.\n\nThe Act provides funding to states and certain territories for forestry research programs. The funding assists states and territories in carrying out forestry research programs at state forestry schools and colleges and developing a trained pool of forest scientists capable of conducting forestry research.\n\nD.C. residents pay the same federal taxes as residents of states and therefore D.C. is almost always treated as a state under federal programs. The Act defines \u201cState\u201d to include Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam, whose residents do not pay full federal taxes. D.C.\u2019s exclusion from the Act makes it ineligible for funding that would support research at D.C.\u2019s public university, the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). The College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences at UDC, the nation\u2019s only urban land-grant university, offers programs that complement D.C.\u2019s ongoing forestry efforts and serve individuals in D.C. and beyond. Rectifying D.C.\u2019s exclusion from the Act would ensure equal treatment for D.C. and provide UDC a fair share of resources.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-reintroduces-bill-make-dc-eligible-same-federal-funding-under-two", "Norton Reintroduces Bill to Make D.C. Eligible for Same Federal Funding Under Two Wildlife Conservation Laws as States", "2026-02-20", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reintroduced a bill that would make D.C. eligible for federal funding under two federal wildlife conservation laws, the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act.\n\n\u201cExcluding D.C. from access to this federal funding has serious repercussions for the District and its approximately 7,800 acres of parkland,\u201d Norton said. \u201cD.C. should be eligible for all the same federal funding, including conservation funding, as states. I have consistently worked to have D.C. treated as a state for the purposes of federal funding and this legislation is no different.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act District of Columbia Equality Act\n\nFebruary 20, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act District of Columbia Equality Act. This bill would make the District of Columbia eligible for federal funding under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act in the same manner as states. D.C. residents pay the same federal taxes as residents of the states and, therefore, D.C. should be treated as a state under federal programs. D.C. has roughly 7,800 acres of parkland, covering nearly a quarter of the city.\n\nThe Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act provides funding to states for five distinct purposes: program administration, wildlife restoration, basic hunter education and safety, enhanced hunter education and safety grants and multistate conservation grants. In general, D.C. is not eligible for funding under this Act.\n\nThe Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act provides funding for sport fish restoration, aquatic education, wetlands restoration and boat-related activities. Under this Act, each state receives a minimum of one percent of the total amount apportioned, while D.C. is capped at one-third of one percent.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-says-dc-mourns-passing-rev-jesse-jackson-former-dc-shadow-senator-and", "Norton Says D.C. Mourns Passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Former D.C. Shadow Senator and Statehood Supporter", "2026-02-17", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that today she and all of D.C. mourn the passing of her friend, civil rights leader, and former D.C. Shadow Senator Rev. Jesse Jackson.\n\n\u201cThe District of Columbia and our nation mourn the loss of Rev. Jesse Jackson, a pioneer whose leadership reshaped civil rights advocacy and American politics. I was honored to work alongside him during his service as D.C.\u2019s Shadow Senator and throughout his lifelong fight for equality and democracy.\n\n\u201cFrom the front lines of the civil rights movement to national campaigns that expanded the political imagination of this country, Jesse Jackson lifted up the voices of those too often unheard. He turned protest into progress and transformed moral conviction into political action. His work built bridges across race, class, and geography, helping redefine what inclusive democracy could look like in America.\n\n\u201cIn his years representing the District, Rev. Jackson stood firmly for D.C. statehood and full self\u2011governance. He recognized that the denial of representation to D.C. residents was a civil rights issue at the heart of America\u2019s unfinished democratic promise.\n\n\u201cRev. Jackson\u2019s courage, faith, and belief in the power of ordinary citizens to change history will endure. His legacy is a challenge to us all to continue the struggle for equality, for voting rights, and for a democracy that fully lives up to its ideals.\u201d\n\nJackson served as D.C. Shadow Senator from 1991-1997. Norton was first elected to Congress in 1991.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/transportation-infrastructure-committee-adopts-norton-amendment-including-dc", "Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Adopts Norton Amendment Including D.C. in \u201cState\u201d Definition", "2026-02-11", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In today\u2019s Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Full Committee markup, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) offered an amendment to a the Smart Space Act, which the Committee adopted, to define the term \u201cState\u201d to include the District of Columbia. The bill directs the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) to convene consultation meetings with State real estate experts to identify alternative financing solutions that will reduce costs to the federal government for the construction of new public buildings.\n\n\u201cThe amendment in the nature of a substitute to the Smart Space Act of 2026 did not define the term \u2018State,\u2019 which could have been interpreted to exclude the District of Columbia,\u201d Norton said. \u201cD.C. has the highest concentration of federal buildings of any large city in the nation. D.C. real estate experts should be included in the consultation meetings GSA is required to convene to identify alternative financing for the disposal, construction or renovation of federal buildings. I\u2019m pleased the Committee adopted my amendment, which fixed the issue by defining \u2018State\u2019 to include D.C.\u201d\n\nFailing to include D.C. in the definition of \u201cState\u201d creates ambiguity and can lead to disputes over the interpretation of enacted laws.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/during-black-history-month-norton-and-torres-introduce-bill-create-stamp", "During Black History Month, Norton and Torres Introduce Bill to Create Stamp to Commemorate Civil Rights Leader Bayard Rustin", "2026-02-09", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY) introduced a bill today to create a stamp commemorating civil rights leader Bayard Rustin. Norton said the timing of the bill\u2019s introduction is significant, coming during Black History Month.\n\n\u201cBayard Rustin, whose leadership deserves special recognition by our country, was a central figure in the civil rights movement,\u201d Norton said. \u201cI worked for him when he served as the principal organizer of the 1963 March on Washington. Rustin demonstrated how his lifelong commitment to nonviolence could be put into action, orchestrating the largest demonstration in U.S. history at the time in the nation\u2019s capital. My bill would create a commemorative stamp in his honor, a fitting tribute to one of the chief architects of the American civil rights movement during Black History Month.\u201d\n\n\u201cBayard Rustin was one of the great architects of the civil rights movement, a brilliant strategist whose commitment to nonviolence helped shape the course of American history,\u201d Torres said. \u201cAs the chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, he turned moral conviction into collective action and brought hundreds of thousands together in the fight for justice. Honoring his legacy with a commemorative stamp is a meaningful way to recognize a trailblazer whose courage, intellect, and vision helped move our nation closer to its ideals.\u201d\n\nBorn March 17, 1912, Bayard Rustin became one of the most important leaders in the 20th century civil rights movement. Rustin learned the values of nonviolence and peacekeeping from his grandparents\u2019 Quaker faith at a young age, and he would continue to build these values into his life as a civil rights movement leader. Rustin was an advisor in Martin Luther King Jr.\u2019s inner circle as King advocated pacifism and nonviolence for achieving equal treatment for African Americans. Rustin executed aggressive but peaceful action in the civil rights movement and throughout his life as an activist.\n\nHis most important role was as the chief organizer of the historic 1963 March on Washington, the largest demonstration ever organized at the time, in which a quarter of a million people turned out to demand civil rights for African Americans.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-secures-over-10-million-community-project-funding-dc-thud-bill-signed", "Norton Secures over $10 Million in Community Project Funding for D.C. in THUD Bill Signed Into Law and Nearly $15 Million Overall in FY 26", "2026-02-05", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that she secured over $10 million in Community Project Funding (CPF) for D.C. in the final fiscal year 2026 (FY 26) Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill signed into law by the president on Tuesday.\n\n\u201cI am pleased that the president has signed the fiscal year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development bill into law, delivering more than $10 million in Community Project Funding for D.C.,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThese investments will strengthen our parks, improve public safety and transportation infrastructure, expand research and workforce capacity at the University of the District of Columbia, and support sustainable, community-driven projects across the city. This funding reflects the priorities of D.C. residents and will make a tangible difference in neighborhoods throughout the District.\u201d\n\nNorton secured:\n\n$500,000 for Carver Langston Park Upgrades\n\n$850,000 for Duke Ellington Park\n\n$600,000 for Riggs and South Dakota Triangle Park Upgrades\n\n$2,000,000 for Research Infrastructure Upgrades for UDC\n\n$2,000,000 for Food Hub Infrastructure Upgrades for UDC\n\n$1,200,000 for Firebird Farm Infrastructure Upgrades for UDC\n\n$1,000,000 for Aviation Maintenance Infrastructure Upgrades for UDC\n\n$850,000 for Lederer Gardens Facility Improvements\n\n$250,000 for Solar Charging for Capital eBikes\n\n$850,000 for Suitland Parkway Safety Enhancements\n\nNorton previously secured the following funding for the District through other fully enacted FY 26 appropriations bills:\n\n$1,800,000 for Study of Secondary Drinking Water Source for D.C. in the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies appropriations bill.\n\n$1,031,000 for Georgetown University Lab Equipment in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.\n\n$1,000,000 for Kingman Lake Wetlands Restoration and Improvements in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.\n\n$1,000,000 for Rock Creek Park Restoration and Improvements in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-condemns-house-passage-disapproval-resolution-vows-fight-passage-senate", "Norton Condemns House Passage of Disapproval Resolution, Vows to Fight Passage in the Senate", "2026-02-04", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 After House passage of a disapproval resolution repealing a local D.C. law that recently restored D.C.\u2019s child tax credit, increased an existing earned income tax credit, and decoupled D.C.'s tax code from certain provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) called the measure paternalistic, democracy-denying, deliberate administrative and fiscal sabotage of the nation\u2019s capital.\n\nThe resolution was introduced by Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX). The decoupling provisions of the D.C. law are projected to generate approximately $600 million in local revenue over the next four years and decrease child poverty by 20%.\n\nIf passed by the House, Senate, and signed into law by the president, the resolution would repeal a local D.C. law that recently restored D.C.\u2019s child tax credit, increased an existing earned income tax credit, and decoupled D.C.'s tax code from certain provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The D.C. law\u2019s decoupling provisions are projected to generate approximately $600 million in local revenue over the next four years.\n\n\u201cThis resolution is nothing short of unprecedented and deliberate administrative and fiscal sabotage of D.C.,\u201d Norton said. \u201cD.C. is hardly an outlier in decoupling parts of its local tax code from the federal one. Congress has never overturned a revenue-raising law for D.C., and doing so now threatens D.C.\u2019s credit rating and will inject chaos in the middle of tax filing season. The District\u2019s Chief Financial Officer said it will force the District to halt filings while scrambling to rewrite forms and guidance. This is not governance or oversight, it is sabotage, and the damage will be severe and intentional.\n\n\u201cMore than 700,000 residents of Washington, D.C., the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are worthy and capable of governing themselves. If D.C. residents disagree with the decisions of their elected council, D.C. residents can vote them out. That's how democracy works. Members of Congress from distant states, who don\u2019t live or pay taxes in D.C., are not accountable to D.C. voters \u2013 and who often don\u2019t even understand how D.C. functions \u2013 have no business overriding local laws and stripping District residents of their right to self-government.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll continue fighting to stop this resolution\u2019s passage by the Senate.\u201d\n\nThe Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee marked up and passed the Senate version of the bill today. The full Senate could vote on it as early as this week. There have been more attacks on D.C. home rule this Congress than any time since the 1990s.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T17:26:08Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-releases-remarks-dc-vote-press-conference-disapproval-resolution", "Norton Releases Remarks from DC Vote Press Conference on Disapproval Resolution", "2026-02-03", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton released her remarks ahead of this morning\u2019s press conference with Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and DC Vote opposing the disapproval resolution that the House is expected to vote on tomorrow. The live stream will be available for viewing here.\n\n\u201cThe resolution before the House tomorrow, which would overturn a duly enacted local tax law of the District of Columbia, is nothing short of deliberate administrative and fiscal sabotage of the nation\u2019s capital,\u201d Norton said.\n\nNorton\u2019s full remarks follow.\n\nRemarks of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) at DC Vote Virtual Press Conference\n\n2/3/2026\n\nThe resolution before the House this week, which would overturn a duly enacted local tax law of the District of Columbia, is nothing short of deliberate administrative and fiscal sabotage of the nation\u2019s capital.\n\nThe D.C. law at issue did three straightforward things: It restored D.C.\u2019s child tax credit, strengthened an existing earned income tax credit, and decoupled the District\u2019s tax code from selected provisions of the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act. None of this is radical. None of it is unprecedented. Nearly half the states, red and blue alike, have passed laws decoupling their states\u2019 tax codes from portions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Yet Congress has chosen to single out the District for punishment.\n\nThis resolution is not about oversight or fiscal discipline. It\u2019s about power \u2013 who wields it, and who is denied it.\n\nCongress has never overturned a revenue-raising law for D.C. Doing so now would be a reckless escalation with real and lasting consequences. It will threaten D.C.\u2019s credit rating, forcing it to pay higher interest rates and costing taxpayers millions. Last year, when Congress cut D.C.\u2019s local budget by one billion dollars, D.C.\u2019s rating was put on negative watch. This disapproval resolution poses an even greater danger. It will sow chaos in the middle of tax filing season, likely forcing the District to halt tax filings altogether while it scrambles to rewrite forms, systems, and guidance.\n\nThat is not oversight. That is not governance. It is sabotage, and the damage would be severe and intentional.\n\nThe D.C. law targeted by this resolution is projected to generate six hundred million dollars in local revenue over the next four years. If Congress overturns it, the District will be forced to fill that hole by cutting critical programs that residents rely on every day.\n\nThis resolution doesn\u2019t merely target the District\u2019s government or its adult taxpayers. It would wipe out D.C.\u2019s child tax credit, a policy projected to cut child poverty by 20%. Republicans are aware and are proceeding anyway. They\u2019re willing to harm children in the nation\u2019s capital to score political points, and the public should understand that clearly.\n\nMore than 700,000 residents of Washington, D.C., the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are worthy and capable of self-government. If D.C. residents disagree with the decisions of their elected council, they can vote their leaders out. That's how democracy works. Members of Congress from distant states, who don\u2019t live or pay taxes in D.C. and are not accountable to D.C. voters \u2013 and who often don\u2019t even understand how D.C. functions \u2013 have no business overriding local laws and stripping District residents of their right to self-government. Free D.C.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T21:03:58Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/start-black-history-month-norton-introduces-bill-award-congressional-gold", "At Start of Black History Month, Norton Introduces Bill to Award Congressional Gold Medal the First 13 African American Officers in the U.S. Navy", "2026-02-03", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 At the beginning of Black History Month, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reintroduced a bill to award a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to the \u201cGolden Thirteen,\u201d which were the first 13 African American officers in the United States Navy. In 1944, 16 African American men completed the required training course to become officers and passed their exams. Twelve of those men were commissioned as officers and a 13th was made a chief warrant officer, while no reason was given by the Navy as to why the remaining three men did not receive the commissions they had earned.\n\n\u201cThese officers passed their exams with high marks, despite being given half the standard amount of training time,\u201d Norton said. \u201cWhen the group was accused of cheating and were forced to retake their exams, these men passed once again and scored higher on the exam than the first time, ultimately earning the highest average of any class in Navy history at the time. These men served their country honorably, even with the challenges against them. They oversaw all-Black units and the training of Black recruits. It\u2019s time now that we honor these brave men with a Congressional Gold Medal to thank them for their service.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\non the Introduction of the Golden Thirteen Congressional Gold Medal Act\n\nFebruary 2, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the Golden Thirteen Congressional Gold Medal Act. This bill would award a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to the 13 men who became the first African American commissioned and warrant officers in the United States Navy.\n\nIn 1944, the Navy began officer training for 16 African American men. At that time, there were no African American officers in the Navy. These 16 men were expected to complete their officer training in eight weeks, even though officer training was normally 16 weeks.\n\nThese 16 men supported each other, including by placing blankets over their windows and studying as a group by flashlight at night. Each brought to the group his own expertise to help the others.\n\nWhen their officer training was completed, all 16 passed their exams. With some claiming that the group must have cheated, the group was forced to retake certain exams, and the group scored even higher. The average grade for the group was 3.89 out of 4.0, the highest average of any class in Navy history at that time.\n\nEven though all 16 men passed their exams, the Navy commissioned only 12 of the men, and a 13th was made a chief warrant officer. Three returned to the enlisted ranks, with no reason given by the Navy.\n\nDuring the men\u2019s careers, they oversaw all-Black units or the training of Black recruits. One would go on to make his career in the Navy after World War II, with the rest returning to civilian life. In the 1970s, Captain Edward Secrest, a former instructor, gave the group the name the \u201cGolden Thirteen.\u201d\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill to honor the first African American officers in the Navy: Jesse Walter Arbor; Phillip G. Barnes; Samuel Edward Barnes; Dalton Louis Baugh, Sr.; George Clinton Cooper; Reginald Ernest Goodwin; James Edward Hair; Charles Byrd Lear; Graham Edward Martin; Dennis Denmark Nelson; John Walter Reagan; Frank Ellis Sublett, Jr.; and William Sylvester White. The three men who passed their exams but were not made officers were Augustus Alves; J.B. Pinkney; and Lewis \u201cMummy\u201d Williams.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T21:03:58Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/advisory-norton-van-hollen-dc-vote-free-dc-host-virtual-press-conference", "Advisory: Norton, Van Hollen, DC Vote, Free DC to Host Virtual Press Conference Opposing Resolution to Nullify Local D.C. Law", "2026-02-02", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(WASHINGTON, DC) \u2013 On Tuesday, February 3rd at 11:00 a.m., Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), the Senate sponsor of the D.C. statehood bill, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), DC Vote, DC Fiscal Policy Institute, and Free DC will host a press conference to oppose a disapproval resolution that the House is expected to vote on tomorrow. If signed into law by the president, the resolution would repeal a local D.C. law that restores the child tax credit, increased an existing earned income tax credit, and decoupled D.C.'s tax code from certain provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).\n\nD.C. isn't alone in decoupling parts of its tax code from the OBBBA. Nearly half the states, including Virginia and Maryland, have decoupled their state's tax codes from parts of the federal tax code. Enactment of the resolution would be unprecedented, as Congress has never overturned a revenue-raising effort for D.C.\n\nWHEN: Tuesday, February 3rd at 11:00 a.m.\n\nWHO: Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Stasha Rhodes, Senior Director of Public Affairs, DC Vote, Erica Williams, Executive Director, DC Fiscal Policy Institute, and Michelle Chappell, Co-Chair Congress Working Group, Free DC.\n\nWHERE: Zoom. Participant link will be provided upon RSVP. Live stream link will be distributed via Congresswoman Norton\u2019s official social media accounts before the event.\n\nMedia should RSVP to Jeannette O\u2019Connor at JOConnor@DCvote.org.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T21:03:58Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-condemns-disapproval-resolution-overturn-local-dc-law-ahead-rules", "Norton Condemns Disapproval Resolution to Overturn Local D.C. Law Ahead of Rules Committee Consideration", "2026-02-02", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Ahead of today\u2019s Rules Committee consideration of a disapproval resolution, introduced by Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX), that the House is expected to vote on this week, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) condemned the legislation, saying it was nothing short of administrative and fiscal sabotage of the District. The bill will be considered at the Rules Committee tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. Media and the general public will be able to view the live stream on rules.house.gov.\n\nIf passed by the House, Senate, and signed into law by the president, the resolution would repeal a local D.C. law that recently restored D.C.\u2019s child tax credit, increased an existing earned income tax credit, and decoupled D.C.'s tax code from certain provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The D.C. law\u2019s decoupling provisions are projected to generate approximately $600 million in local revenue over the next four years.\n\n\u201cThis resolution is nothing short of unprecedented and deliberate administrative and fiscal sabotage of D.C.,\u201d Norton said. \u201cD.C. is hardly an outlier in decoupling parts of its local tax code from the federal one. Nearly half the states, red and blue alike, have decoupled their states\u2019 tax codes from portions of the federal tax code. Congress has never overturned a revenue-raising law for D.C. Doing so now would threaten D.C.\u2019s credit rating, sow chaos in the middle of tax filing season, and will likely force the District to halt filings while scrambling to rewrite forms and guidance. This is not governance or oversight. It is sabotage, and the damage would be severe and intentional.\n\n\u201cThis resolution doesn\u2019t merely target the District\u2019s government or its adult taxpayers. It would wipe out D.C.\u2019s child tax credit, a policy projected to cut child poverty by 20%. Republicans are fully aware and are proceeding anyway. They\u2019re willing to harm children in the nation\u2019s capital to score political points, and the public should understand that clearly.\n\n\u201cMore than 700,000 residents of Washington, D.C., the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are worthy and capable of governing themselves. If D.C. residents disagree with the decisions of their elected council, D.C. residents can vote them out. That's how democracy works. Members of Congress from distant states, who don\u2019t live or pay taxes in D.C. and are not accountable to D.C. voters \u2013 and who often don\u2019t even understand how D.C. functions \u2013 have no business overriding local laws and stripping District residents of their right to self-government. They need to keep their hands off D.C.\u201d\n\nThere have been more attacks on D.C. home rule this Congress than any time since the 1990s.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T21:03:58Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-walkinshaw-raskin-beyer-mfume-subramanyam-and-vindman-introduce", "Norton, Walkinshaw, Raskin, Beyer, Mfume, Subramanyam and Vindman Introduce Legislation to Protect Federal Workers, Service Members, and Contractors During a Shutdown", "2026-02-02", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rep. James R. Walkinshaw (D-VA), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), and Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA) introduced legislation to pay all federal employees, as well as service members and federal contractors, during any shutdowns in FY2026.\n\nWith Republicans continuing to threaten shutdowns and use federal workers as political leverage, the True Shutdown Fairness Act would ensure that during any FY 2026 shutdown, federal workers, service members, and contractors are paid and protected and that the Trump administration cannot use a shutdown to carry out reductions in force.\n\n\u201cFederal workers and contractors \u2013 and their jobs \u2013 should never be used as leverage in political standoffs,\u201d Congresswoman Norton said. \u201cThe True Shutdown Fairness Act would ensure that employees and contractors are paid during a shutdown in FY 2026 and would prohibit reductions in force, which can permanently damage the public's access to services they have a right to receive from the federal government. Federal workers and the American public shouldn\u2019t bear the cost of Congress\u2019s failure to do its job.\u201d\n\n\u201cFederal workers and service members should never be used as leverage in Republicans\u2019 shutdown standoffs, and the Trump administration should never be able to use a shutdown to inflict harm on our federal workforce, as we have seen,\u201d said Rep. Walkinshaw. \u201cThis bill would provide critical protections by ensuring workers get paid during any FY2026 shutdown, contractors can keep paying their staff, and the Trump administration would be blocked from using a shutdown as a smokescreen to purge the federal workforce through reductions in force.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur dedicated federal workers should never be pawns in a government shutdown fight,\u201d said Rep. Raskin. \u201cOur bill provides security to civil servants in MD-08 and across the country by protecting their paychecks and shielding them from any more of Trump\u2019s reckless, unlawful firing sprees during a shutdown in FY26.\u201d\n\n\u201cFederal workers and contractors are never responsible for government shutdowns, but they are always the ones who bear many of the worst consequences. The True Shutdown Fairness Act would ensure all federal workers, contractors, and servicemembers continue to receive their pay throughout a shutdown. These people devote their careers to serving the American people, their efforts are essential for keeping Americans safe and healthy, and they should be paid for their work regardless of political squabbles,\u201d said Rep. Beyer.\n\n\u201cSince the last government shutdown, federal employees and contractors have continued to face uncertainty despite the essential work they perform every day,\u201d said Rep. Kweisi Mfume. \u201cThese workers keep our government functioning, and they deserve stability and fairness when shutdowns occur. The True Shutdown Fairness Act is a common-sense solution that ensures our federal employees are fairly paid and protected for their work during a shutdown. I thank Representative Walkinshaw for his leadership and am proud to support this legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongress' inability to pass budgets shouldn't stop federal workers, contractors, and service members from getting a paycheck,\u201d said Rep. Subramanyam. \u201cThis commonsense legislation ensures that if there is a shutdown in FY2026, personnel and contractors are paid and protected \u2014 and that no administration can use a shutdown as a pretext to carry out reductions in force. It\u2019s a commonsense safeguard for the public servants and their families in our community.\u201d\n\n\"Virginia is home to tens of thousands of federal workers, contractors, and service members who keep our country running. This week, many are once again being forced to wonder if they will get their next paycheck \u2014 not because they failed to do their jobs, but because of the chaos and cruelty coming from the White House,\u201d said Rep. Vindman. \u201cAs their Representative, a 25-year Army officer, and as the husband of a former federal employee, I know the uncertainty and strain shutdowns place on families. My family has lived through it. Nobody should have to. I am proud to support this bill that would change just that.\"\n\n\u201cFederal workers simply want to do their jobs and serve their communities \u2013 yet too often they are treated as bargaining chips by anti-worker politicians,\u201d said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. \u201cThese are dedicated people with families to support \u2013 they shouldn\u2019t have to worry about whether they\u2019ll be able to pay the rent or buy groceries during a shutdown. The True Shutdown Fairness Act will ensure federal workers, contractors, and service members don\u2019t miss a paycheck and protect federal workers from reductions-in-force during shutdowns. Further, the legislation is time-limited to avoid incentivizing more frequent and longer shutdowns that would stop funding for public services and cost our members\u2019 jobs at the state and local level. Our members thank Reps. Walkinshaw, Raskin, Norton, Beyer, Subramanyam, Vindman, and Mfume for introducing this legislation to ensure federal workers have the security of knowing they\u2019ll be paid regardless of the politics in Washington.\u201d\n\nThe Services Employees International Union (SEIU) and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) endorse the bill.\n\nRead the full bill text here.\n\nThe True Shutdown Fairness Act is the House companion to legislation led in the Senate by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T21:03:58Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-announces-retirement-end-term", "Norton Announces Retirement at End of Term", "2026-01-27", "2026", "2026-01", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced today that she will retire at the end of this term.\n\n\"I've had the privilege of representing the District of Columbia in Congress since 1991. Time and again, D.C. residents entrusted me to fight for them at the federal level, and I have not yielded,\u201d Norton said. \u201cWith fire in my soul and the facts on my side, I have raised hell about the injustice of denying 700,000 taxpaying Americans the same rights given to residents of the states for 35 years.\n\n\"The privilege of public service is inseparable from the responsibility to recognize when it's time to lift up the next generation of leaders. For D.C., that time has come. With pride in all we have accomplished together, with the deepest gratitude to the people of D.C., and with great confidence in the next generation, I announced today that I will retire at the end of this term.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s unrelenting advocacy has produced prolific and transformative results for the District. Her major legislative accomplishments include the revitalization of entire sections of the city \u2013 the Wharf, Capitol Riverfront, NOMA, Walter Reed and St. Elizabeths West campus for the Department of Homeland Security, and most recently the transfer of the RFK Stadium site to the District of Columbia. The D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program, or DCTAG, which Norton established, makes up the difference up to $10,000, between in state and out of state tuition at public universities for D.C. residents. The program helps thousands of D.C. students, who lack the type of robust public university system that residents of states enjoy, attend college each year.\n\n\u201cAlthough I\u2019ve decided not to seek reelection, I will never falter in my commitment to the residents I have long championed. I will continue to serve as D.C.\u2019s Warrior on the Hill until the end of my current term.\u201d\n\nA civil rights leader who helped plan the 1963 March on Washington, an accomplished attorney who argued and won at the Supreme Court, the first woman to lead the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and a tenured professor at Georgetown Law before she was elected to Congress, Norton plans to continue to find ways to serve the District of Columbia after her current term ends. Her legacy is one of tireless service marked by an unrelenting focus on the well-being of those she represents. As Norton transitions into this new phase of service, her role as a champion for the people of D.C. will remain as vibrant and vital as ever.\n\nNorton concluded, \u201cThank you to my constituents for choosing and trusting me to fight for you in Congress 18 times. I will leave this institution knowing that I have given you everything I have. And while my service in Congress is ending, my advocacy for your rights, your dignity, and your capacity to govern yourselves is not.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T21:01:44Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-reminds-dc-residents-her-provision-allows-sledding-capitol-hill-0", "Norton Reminds D.C. Residents that Her Provision Allows Sledding on Capitol Hill", "2026-01-23", "2026", "2026-01", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Ahead of a storm that will bring D.C. a projected 5-10 inches or more of snow this weekend, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reminded D.C. residents that her provision in the Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill allows sledding on Capitol Hill. Capitol Police confirmed this morning that the Capitol grounds will be open to sledders of all ages.\n\n\u201cThe West Front of the Capitol is widely known as one of the best sledding hills in D.C.\u2019s high-density urban environment,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThat is why I get a provision included annually in the Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill directing the Capitol Police to allow sledding on Capitol grounds. With a major snowfall projected this weekend, children and their parents should be able to enjoy one of the best hills in D.C.\u201d\n\n\u201cSledding is a simple childhood joy, and in the middle of winter, it is the least we can allow our children.\u201d\n\nNorton got her provision included in the bill after the Capitol Police began prohibiting sledding several years ago.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T21:01:44Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-secures-over-101-million-community-project-funding-dc-house-passed-thud", "Norton Secures over $10.1 Million in Community Project Funding for D.C. in House-Passed THUD Bill", "2026-01-22", "2026", "2026-01", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that she secured over $10 million in Community Project Funding (CPF) for D.C. in the fiscal year 2026 (FY 26) Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill passed by the House today.\n\n\u201cThis $10.1 million in funding will deliver real, on-the-ground improvements for the hundreds of thousands of constituents who live, work and travel through the District of Columbia each day, from safer parks and streets to stronger educational and food infrastructure,\u201d Norton said. \u201cI fought to ensure D.C. receives the federal resources it needs and deserves to strengthen education, infrastructure, and local parks in our community. This funding will make a meaningful difference in communities throughout the city.\u201d\n\nNorton secured:\n\n$500,000 for Carver Langston Park Upgrades\n\n$850,000 for Duke Ellington Park\n\n$600,000 for Riggs and South Dakota Triangle Park Upgrades\n\n$2,000,000 for Research Infrastructure Upgrades for the University of the District of Columbia (UDC)\n\n$2,000,000 for Food Hub Infrastructure Upgrades for UDC\n\n$1,200,000 for Firebird Farm Infrastructure Upgrades for UDC\n\n$1,000,000 for Aviation Maintenance Infrastructure Upgrades for UDC\n\n$850,000 for Lederer Gardens Facility Improvements\n\n$250,000 for Solar Charging for Capital eBikes\n\n$850,000 for Suitland Parkway Safety Enhancements\n\nNorton previously secured the following funding for the District in other House-passed FY 26 appropriations bills:\n\n$1,800,000 for Study of Secondary Drinking Water Source for D.C. in the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies appropriations bill.\n\n$1,031,000 for Georgetown University Lab Equipment in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.\n\n$1,000,000 for Kingman Lake Wetlands Restoration and Improvements in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.\n\n$1,000,000 for Rock Creek Park Restoration and Improvements in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T15:05:35Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-allow-commercial-filming-capitol-when-house-and-senate", "Norton Introduces Bill to Allow Commercial Filming at Capitol When House and Senate are Out of Session", "2026-01-20", "2026", "2026-01", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to permit commercial filmmaking and photography throughout the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Complex when both chambers of Congress are out of session. Currently, such filmmaking and photography is authorized only in Union Square. Norton\u2019s bill would provide an economic and patriotic boost to the nation\u2019s capital by allowing commercial filmmakers and photographers to showcase the Capitol in its fullest authenticity to the nation and the rest of the world.\n\nThe expanded commercial filmmaking and photography would be subject to the same conditions and requirements that exist for commercial filmmaking and photography in Union Square. Norton said her bill addresses any security concerns by giving Capitol Police full discretion on when to issue permits. Norton\u2019s bill is part of her effort to expand public access to public spaces, particularly around the Capitol.\n\n\u201cIt should be unthinkable to deny access to film the Capitol, one of our nation\u2019s most iconic democratic symbols,\u201d Norton said. \u201cPreventing commercial filming at one of the world's most recognizable institutions is inconsistent with our country's values and makes little sense as a policy. Allowing commercial photography and filmmaking throughout the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Complex would promote global understanding of our nation\u2019s democratic institutions, while supporting economic growth for D.C.\"\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton On the Introduction of a Bill to Permit Commercial Filmmaking and Photography on the Grounds of the U.S. Capitol\n\nJanuary 20, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce a bill that would permit commercial filmmaking and photography throughout the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Complex. Currently, such filmmaking and photography is only authorized in Union Square. Film and television productions that involve the Capitol should not have to go to other cities or use a fake building.\n\nThis bill would allow commercial filmmaking and photography outside of the Capitol and congressional office buildings by permit, as long as neither chamber is in session. The policy allowing commercial filmmaking and photography in Union Square shows that the Capitol Police can handle commercial filmmaking and photography at the Capitol Complex, especially when Congress is not in session. However, the Union Square vantage point captures the least familiar view of the Capitol. Preventing commercial filmmakers and photographers from shooting throughout the Capitol Complex is neither business-friendly nor true to the nation\u2019s democratic traditions. Encouraging commercial filmmaking and photography at the Capitol would help spread the story of democracy around the world.\n\nThis bill would give the Capitol Police complete discretion to issue a permit for commercial filmmaking and photography throughout the Capitol Complex under the same terms and conditions as those for commercial filmmaking and photography in Union Square. No policy or security reasons exist to justify limiting commercial filmmaking and photography at the Capitol Complex to Union Square, especially considering that permits are necessary. Visitors are regularly seen taking videos and pictures around the Capitol Complex, demonstrating the arbitrary nature of limiting commercial filmmaking and photography to Union Square.\n\nThis bill would provide the Capitol Police authority to charge fees to cover any costs incurred by the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) for permit approval. The fees would be deposited into the Capitol Trust Account, which was established to accept fees collected from commercial filmmaking and photography permits for Union Square. Amounts in the Capitol Trust Account would be available without fiscal year limitation for maintenance, improvements and projects the AOC considers appropriate, subject to the approval of the Appropriations Committees.\n\nViews of the Capitol are among America\u2019s most iconic. Limiting commercial filmmaking and photography of the Capitol, an important vehicle for telling the nation\u2019s story, does not serve the American people. Commercial films and photographs of the Capitol, the seat of our democracy, are perhaps the best modern vehicles for telling the nation\u2019s story and showcasing its democratic system of government.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T15:05:35Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-statement-house-passage-dc-appropriations-bill", "Norton Statement on House Passage of D.C. Appropriations Bill", "2026-01-15", "2026", "2026-01", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that although she was able to get 17 out of 20 anti-D.C. provisions stripped from the fiscal year 2027 (FY 27) D.C. appropriations bill passed by the House last night, the remaining three provisions that impose policies on D.C. without its consent demonstrate the need for D.C. statehood so the 700,000 D.C. residents have the same decision-making power over their own local policies that residents of the states enjoy.\n\nNorton secured many victories for D.C. in the bill. Importantly, the version passed by the House provides $40 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), increases the DCTAG annual award from $10,000 to $15,000, and increases the lifetime award from $50,000 to $75,000.\n\nNorton secured the following victories:\n\nThe bill provides $40 million for DCTAG, an increase in the annual DCTAG award from $10,000 to $15,000, and an increase in the lifetime DCTAG award from $50,000 to $75,000.\n\nThe bill would provide $90 million for emergency planning and security costs related to the federal presence in D.C.\n\nThe bill exempts D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2027.\n\nThe bill provides $8 million for D.C. Water for ongoing work to control flooding in D.C. and to clean up the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers and Rock Creek Park.\n\nThe bill provides $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C.\n\nThe bill provides $600,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program.\n\nThe bill provides $53 million for the D.C. Public Defender Service, an entity established by Congress to represent indigent defendants in criminal cases in the local D.C. courts.\n\nThe bill provides $46 million for the Defender Service, which pays private lawyers to represent indigent clients in both criminal and civil matters in the local D.C. courts.\n\nNorton expressed disappointment that the bill would prohibit the District from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women and on recreational marijuana commercialization. Norton was also disappointed that the bill devotes substantial funding to the private school voucher program that Congress imposed on the District. The program has failed to improve academic achievement, as measured by math and reading test scores. The D.C. voucher program is the only federally funded voucher program in the U.S.\n\n\u201cWhile I was able to get 17 of the 20 anti-D.C. provisions that were present in the original House version stripped from this bill and secure major investments for District residents, including a historic increase in D.C. Tuition Assistance Grants, the remaining riders once again impose policies on D.C. without its consent.\n\n\u201cAs long as Congress can override the will of 700,000 D.C. residents on matters as personal and local as reproductive health and local governance, the case for D.C. statehood remains as urgent and undeniable as ever.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T15:05:35Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-statement-rules-committee-passage-dc-appropriations-bill", "Norton Statement on Rules Committee Passage of D.C. Appropriations Bill", "2026-01-14", "2026", "2026-01", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) secured many victories for D.C. in the fiscal year 2027 (FY 27) D.C. appropriations bill, which was marked up and passed last night by the House Rules Committee. The House is expected to consider the bill today.\n\nIn addition to other victories for D.C., the bill would secure $40 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG) and increase the DCTAG annual and lifetime awards. The bill does not include 17 of the anti-home rule riders included in the House version of the bill.\n\nNorton secured the following victories:\n\nThe bill provides $40 million for DCTAG, an increase in the annual DCTAG award from $10,000 to $15,000, and an increase in the lifetime DCTAG award from $50,000 to $75,000.\n\nThe bill has two existing legacy riders: a rider prohibiting D.C. from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women and one prohibiting D.C. from spending its own local funds to commercialize adult-use marijuana. The original House version of the bill contained 20 anti-home rule riders.\n\nThe bill would provide $90 million for emergency planning and security costs related to the federal presence in D.C.\n\nThe bill exempts D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2027.\n\nThe bill provides $8 million for D.C. Water for ongoing work to control flooding in D.C. and to clean up the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers and Rock Creek Park.\n\nThe bill provides $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C.\n\nThe bill provides $600,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program.\n\nThe bill provides $53 million for the D.C. Public Defender Service, an entity established by Congress to represent indigent defendants in criminal cases in the local D.C. courts.\n\nThe bill provides $46 million for the Defender Service, which pays private lawyers to represent indigent clients in both criminal and civil matters in the local D.C. courts.\n\nThe bill provides $52.5 million for implementation of the SOAR Act, equally divided among vouchers, charter schools and D.C. Public Schools.\n\nNorton expressed disappointment that the bill would prohibit the District from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women and on recreational marijuana commercialization. Norton was also disappointed that the bill devotes substantial funds to the private school voucher program that Congress imposed on the District. The program has failed to improve academic achievement, as measured by math and reading test scores. The D.C. voucher program is the only federally funded voucher program in the U.S.\n\n\u201cAlthough I\u2019m disappointed that House Republicans continue to exert control over D.C., a district they do not represent, by adding anti-home rule riders, I am pleased that the 17 other riders that were included in the original House version weren\u2019t included in the version passed by the Rules Committee,\u201d Norton said.\n\n\u201cD.C. has a larger population than two states and its residents are equally worthy of making decisions about their own local affairs and the future of their own local government. The 700,000 people who live in the nation\u2019s capital are no less worthy of the benefits of democracy than any other Americans. I\u2019ll use every tool at my disposal to see that they receive as many of those benefits as possible.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T15:05:35Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-protect-employees-dc-courts-and-public-defender-service", "Norton Introduces Bill to Protect Employees of D.C. Courts and Public Defender Service from Discrimination", "2026-01-12", "2026", "2026-01", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), the first woman to chair the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, today introduced a bill to apply the District of Columbia Human Rights Act of 1977 (DCHRA) to employees of the local D.C. courts and the D.C. Public Defender Service (PDS). In 2022, the D.C. Court of Appeals held that the DCHRA, which protects employees of the D.C. government and private employers from discrimination, does not apply to employees of the local D.C. courts. The court has not ruled on the applicability of the DCHRA to PDS employees.\n\n\u201cThe local D.C. courts and the D.C. Public Defender Service are unique entities, and they sometimes fall through the regulatory cracks,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThey are neither federal nor D.C. government entities, though both were created and are funded by Congress, and their employees are treated as federal employees for some employee benefits. I want to ensure that their employees have comprehensive protections from and remedies for employment discrimination.\u201d\n\nWhile employees of the local D.C. courts and PDS are protected by federal anti-discrimination laws, the DCHRA provides much broader protections and remedies for workers than federal employment anti-discrimination laws.\n\nThe D.C. Council may have the authority to pass such a bill itself, but only Congress has the clear authority to do so, given the express limitations in the D.C. Home Rule Act on the Council\u2019s authority to legislate on matters affecting the local D.C. courts and given that Congress has generally served as the legislative body for PDS.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T15:05:35Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-reintroduces-bill-make-dc-eligible-four-federal-transportation-and", "Norton Reintroduces Bill to Make D.C. Eligible for Four Federal Transportation and Infrastructure Grant Programs", "2026-01-07", "2026", "2026-01", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reintroduced the District of Columbia Transportation Funding Equality Act, which would make D.C. eligible for three federal programs that support the development and revitalization of public transportation systems in the same manner that states are currently eligible. The bill would also make D.C. eligible for a program to support the replacement and removal of infrastructure that damages the ecosystems of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers.\n\n\u201cD.C. residents pay the same federal taxes as residents of all 50 states,\u201d Norton said. \u201cD.C. should be treated as a state in federal programs since its residents pay more federal taxes per capita than any state. This bill will give D.C. equitable access to four vital grant programs to improve its public transportation systems and infrastructure.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s full introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the District of Columbia Transportation Funding Equality Act\n\nJanuary 6, 2026\n\nToday, I introduce the District of Columbia Transportation Funding Equality Act. This bill would make the District of Columbia eligible for three federal programs that support the development and revitalization of public transportation systems in the same manner as states are eligible for these programs. It would also make D.C. eligible in the same manner as states are eligible for a transportation program that would support the replacement and removal of infrastructure that damages the ecosystems of the Anacostia and Potomac rivers. D.C. residents pay the same federal taxes as residents of the states and therefore D.C. is almost always treated as a state in federal programs.\n\nFirst, this bill would treat D.C. as a state in the High-Density States Formula for certain grants from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund. Currently, only states are eligible for these grants. Second, this bill would treat D.C. as a state under the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program. Under the formula grants for this program, each state is authorized to receive a minimum of $4 million per year, while D.C. is authorized to receive a minimum of only $1 million per year. Third, this bill would treat D.C. as a state under the National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant Program. Currently, only states and units of local government are eligible for these grants, and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has held that D.C. is ineligible, even though D.C. operates as the functional equivalent of a city, county and state. Fourth, this bill would treat D.C. as a state under the Safe Streets for All Program. Cities, counties and political subdivisions of a state are eligible for this program, but DOT has held that D.C. is ineligible.\n\nThe programs in this bill fund the modernization of bus and rail fleets, the purchase of zero-emission transit vehicles, the improvement of transit station accessibility for all users, the extension of transit services to new communities, the replacement and repair of culverts and the implementation of roadway safety improvements for all road users.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T15:05:35Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-require-security-cameras-all-usps-facilities-0", "Norton Introduces Bill to Require Security Cameras at All USPS Facilities", "2026-01-01", "2026", "2026-01", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill on Tuesday to require the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to install security cameras at all USPS facilities to protect USPS employees, customers and property.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve asked USPS to expand the use of security cameras at postal facilities in the District of Columbia and across the country after learning that a D.C. resident was robbed in the parking lot of a post office in D.C.,\u201d Norton said in the bill\u2019s introductory statement. \u201cThe parking lot was not monitored by a security camera. USPS responded that it was not financially feasible to install and maintain security cameras at every postal facility. This bill authorizes appropriations for security cameras at postal facilities.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s full introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\non the Introduction of the Postal Facilities Security Camera Act\n\nDecember 30, 2025\n\nToday, I introduce the Postal Facilities Security Camera Act. This bill would require, subject to appropriations, the United States Postal Service (USPS) to install security cameras at each postal facility to protect USPS employees, customers and property. This bill would also authorize appropriations to carry out the camera program.\n\nI asked USPS to expand the use of security cameras at postal facilities in the District of Columbia and across the country after learning that a D.C. resident had been robbed in the parking lot of a post office in D.C. The parking lot was not monitored by a security camera. USPS responded that it was not financially feasible to install and maintain security cameras at every postal facility.\n\nUSPS should have security cameras monitoring its facilities\u2014both inside and outside\u2014to protect employees, customers and property. Security cameras can deter crime and assist in arrests and prosecutions.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T15:05:35Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-district-columbia-chief-financial-officer-salary-home-rule", "Norton Introduces the District of Columbia Chief Financial Officer Salary Home Rule Act", "2025-12-24", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced her bill to allow D.C. to set the pay for its Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The salary of the CFO is paid by D.C.\u2019s own local funds. In the 117th Congress, the bill passed the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.\n\nUnder the D.C. Home Rule Act, Congress established a maximum rate of pay of the CFO, and the D.C. Council has no authority to increase that rate. Congress does not cap, or otherwise establish, the pay of any other D.C. employee. Under this bill, the CFO would be paid at the greater of a rate equal to the current maximum rate of pay or a rate established in law by D.C.\n\n\u201cLike every other municipality in the nation, D.C. should have the authority to set the pay for their local officials. They are paid by the people they serve through their tax dollars,\u201d Norton said. \u201cGiving the District the ability to raise the pay for its CFO will make the position more lucrative and incentivize high quality candidates to apply when a vacancy arises.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-allow-penalty-free-withdrawals-thrift-savings-plan", "Norton Introduces Bill to Allow for Penalty-Free Withdrawals from Thrift Savings Plan Accounts in Certain Emergencies", "2025-12-23", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a bill to expand the circumstances in which a recently separated federal employee can withdraw from their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account without being penalized.\n\nThe Thrift Savings Plan Emergency Withdrawal Act of 2025 helps former federal employees pay their bills after leaving the federal workforce by allowing them to make penalty-free withdrawals from their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account to make up the gap between the interim payments a retiree receives during the period the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is calculating the retiree\u2019s final annuity and the estimated final annuity, which is usually 20% to 40% less than the finalized net payment. The bill also allows penalty-free withdrawals if the individual is involuntarily separated from the federal government.\n\n\u201cDuring these troubling times for federal employees, this bill will help those who are separated from the federal government and in need of financial assistance,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThis bill will allow former federal employees avoid financial hardship by allowing them to make penalty-free withdrawals from their TSP account while OPM is calculating their final annuity, or if they are involuntarily separated from federal service.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the\n\nIntroduction of the Thrift Savings Plan Emergency Withdrawal Act of 2025\n\nDecember 23, 2025\n\nToday, I introduce the Thrift Savings Plan Emergency Withdrawal Act of 2025, which would expand the circumstances in which a federal employee recently separated from the federal government can take a penalty-free withdrawal from their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account. This bill would help former federal employees pay their bills after separation.\n\nFirst, this bill would allow a penalty-free withdrawal to make up the gap between the interim payments a retiree receives during the period the Office of Personnel Management is calculating the retiree\u2019s final annuity and the estimated final annuity. A retiree\u2019s interim payment is generally only 60% to 80% of the finalized net payment. Second, this bill would allow a penalty-free withdrawal if an individual is involuntarily separated from the federal government. In both cases, the maximum withdrawal would be $100,000. Individuals would be able to make a withdrawal for up to a year after separation and to repay the withdrawn amount within three years to avoid the existing early withdrawal penalty, which is a 10% additional tax.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-statement-house-committee-natural-resources-passage-make-district", "Norton Statement on House Committee on Natural Resources Passage of the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released a statement after the House Committee on Natural Resources passed the anti-D.C. bill, the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act (H.R. 5103), which would undermine D.C.\u2019s autonomy by codifying parts of President Trump\u2019s executive order of the same name into law, including creating a so-called \u201cDistrict of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission.\u201d The commission would, amongst other things, drastically increase the enforcement of Federal immigration law in the District and review D.C. laws and policies.\n\n\u201cIn a time where agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement are terrorizing communities across the nation with their extreme tactics, this bill would further enhance these tactics in D.C. by redirecting law enforcement resources on all levels to deport individuals and separate families,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThis bill and the executive order that preceded it were born out of flawed data that states that D.C.\u2019s crime rate is at an all-time high, when in reality, violent crime was down 35% in 2024 and overall violent crime in D.C. is at a 30-year low, according to statistics released by the Department of Justice.\n\n\u201cOne of the more insulting aspects of this paternalistic bill is that the proposed \u2018District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission\u2019 would not even be required to have D.C. officials on it. Let me be clear: Republican members of Congress, who are not accountable to D.C., have no business dictating the local laws of a city where 700,000 people live, work, and have chosen their own leaders through the democratic process. If Republicans truly cared about making D.C. safe and beautiful, then they would fully fund the National Park Service, which maintains over 90% of D.C.\u2019s park land, and has lost a quarter of their staff.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-booker-reintroduce-legislation-safeguard-marijuana-rights-federally", "Norton, Booker Reintroduce Legislation to Safeguard Marijuana Rights in Federally Assisted Housing", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Marijuana in Federally Assisted Housing Parity Act today to permit the use of marijuana in federally assisted housing, including public housing and Section 8 housing, in compliance with the marijuana laws of the state (including the District of Columbia) where the property is located. Under current federal law, users of drugs that are illegal, including marijuana, are prohibited from being admitted into federally assisted housing. Federal law also allows landlords to evict residents of federally assisted housing for illegal drug use. Adult-use marijuana, medical marijuana or both are currently legal in D.C., New Jersey and 39 other states, and over 90 percent of Americans support legalized medical marijuana.\n\n\u201cIndividuals living in federally funded housing should not fear eviction simply for treating their medical conditions or for seeking a substance legal in their state,\u201d Congresswoman Norton said. \u201cIncreasingly, Americans are changing their views on marijuana, and it is time that Congress caught up with its own constituents. With so many states improving their laws, this issue should have broad bipartisan appeal because it protects states\u2019 rights.\u201d\n\n\u201cTenants should not be discriminated against, evicted, or denied federally assisted housing for legally using marijuana or treating a medical condition in states where it is permitted,\u201d said Senator Booker. \u201cThe Marijuana in Federally Assisted Housing Parity Act would end these discriminatory practices and ensure tenants are not punished for personal choices made in accordance with state law.\u201d\n\nFor the last several years, Congress has prohibited the Department of Justice from using federal funds to prevent jurisdictions from implementing their medical marijuana laws. This bill would similarly allow individuals to use marijuana in federally assisted housing in compliance with the state\u2019s marijuana laws and would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop regulations that restrict smoking marijuana in federally assisted housing in the same manner and to the same locations as HUD restricts smoking tobacco in federally assisted housing.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-designate-dc-neighborhoods-need-investment-0", "Norton Introduces Bill to Designate D.C. Neighborhoods in Need of Investment as Empowerment Zones", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today reintroduced a bill that would add the District of Columbia to the national empowerment zone program to provide federal tax incentives for businesses to invest in low-income areas in the District. This bill would effectively restore many of the federal tax incentives for investment in low-income D.C. neighborhoods that a Norton bill created in 1997, but that Congress refused to extend in 2011. Norton's previous tax incentives bill produced significant investment in the District of Columbia. Norton said that since Congress continues to extend the national empowerment zone program, D.C. neighborhoods that need the incentives should be able to participate in it.\n\nIn her introductory statement, Norton said \u201cWith the Trump administration\u2019s mass firings of federal employees, budget cuts and proposed relocation of federal agencies, as well as the continued prevalence of remote and hybrid work, this bill is especially important.\u201d\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\nOn the Introduction of a Bill to Designate the District of Columbia\n\nas an Empowerment Zone\n\nDecember 9, 2025\n\nToday, I introduce a bill that would designate certain areas of the District of Columbia as an empowerment zone. This bill effectively would reauthorize many of the unique federal tax incentives for business investment in D.C. that expired in 2011. With the Trump administration\u2019s mass firings of federal employees, budget cuts and proposed relocation of federal agencies, as well as the continued prevalence of remote and hybrid work, this bill is especially important.\n\nIn 1993, Congress created the national empowerment zone program to encourage investment in low-income communities and delegated to federal agencies the authority to designate communities as empowerment zones. D.C. was not so designated. However, in 1997, working primarily with Republicans in Congress, I created federal tax incentives for investment in D.C. by businesses and individuals. The business tax incentives were similar to, but more generous than, those available under the national empowerment zone program. I got the D.C. tax incentives continuously reauthorized until 2011, when Congress refused to extend these tax incentives. At the same time, Congress extended the national empowerment zone program, and the program was last extended through 2025. Under this bill, low-income neighborhoods in D.C. would be treated as an empowerment zone as long as the national empowerment zone program remains in effect.\n\nCongress has long recognized that the benefits of tax incentives for investment in low-income communities outweigh the costs, as it has continuously extended the national empowerment zone program.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-highlights-technology-reduce-aircraft-noise-transportation-subcommittee", "Norton Highlights Technology to Reduce Aircraft Noise in Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation Hearing on Advanced Air Mobility", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her remarks and question line after speaking at today\u2019s Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation hearing on Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), a term that refers to electric aircraft or unmanned aircraft. Norton used the hearing as an opportunity to highlight how AAM produces less aviation noise than a conventional aircraft, particularly through the ability of some electric models to take-off and land virtually.\n\nNorton\u2019s remarks follow, as prepared for delivery.\n\nRemarks of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\nHouse Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation Hearing on \u201cAmerica Builds: The State of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Industry\u201d\n\nDecember 3, 2025\n\nAs a co-chair of the Quiet Skies Caucus and the member who represents the District of Columbia, which is plagued by airplane and helicopter noise, I support advanced air mobility technology that can reduce aviation noise. I am pleased we were able to get advanced aviation mobility provisions included in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. Advanced aviation mobility that allows for electric vertical takeoff and landing would be especially beneficial to airport-adjacent communities like DC, since takeoffs and landings are a source of aviation noise.\n\nQ: Mr. Clark, in your testimony, you mentioned the noise benefits of electric airplanes and helicopters. Could this technology be incorporated into the federal government helicopters that frequently fly over the District of Columbia?\n\nQ: What else can Congress do to facilitate the development of low noise advanced aviation mobility?\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-disappointed-after-oversight-committee-passage-paternalistic-anti-home", "Norton Disappointed After Oversight Committee Passage of \u2018Paternalistic, Anti-Home Rule, and Antidemocratic\u2019 Bill", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released a statement after the House Oversight Committee marked up and passed an anti-home rule bill and pulled Norton\u2019s bill to rename a post office in D.C. after Chuck Brown, the \u201cGodfather of Go-Go,\u201d from the agenda less than an hour before the markup began.\n\nThe bill introduced by Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) would prohibit D.C. from requiring courts and administrative proceedings to defer to the mayor's interpretation of statutes and regulations. Norton\u2019s bill, which the Committee planned to mark up but pulled from consideration, would rename the post office at 3401 12th Street NE after musician and singer Chuck Brown, the \u201cGodfather of Go-Go.\u201d The Committee chose not to mark up the bill at the last minute because Chuck Brown served time in prison.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m disappointed Rep. Hageman\u2019s paternalistic, anti-home rule, and antidemocratic bill was marked up and passed by the Oversight Committee today. If enacted, the bill would radically change how local D.C. laws and regulations are interpreted,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThe local D.C. courts have deferred to the D.C. executive branch\u2019s reasonable interpretations of ambiguous statutes and regulations for decades without incident. The D.C. Council, which was elected by D.C. residents, took the extra step of codifying this deference. That\u2019s the democratic process at work, and it should not be overturned by Republicans in Congress who represent far-away districts.\n\n\"The Committee unceremoniously removed my bill to rename a post office for Chuck Brown from today's agenda because he served time in prison. Chuck Brown was a Washingtonian for most of his life. He created Go-Go, the official music of D.C., and shaped the District's cultural identity,\" Norton said.\n\n\"Chuck Brown is a legend. D.C. loved him and he loved D.C. His impact on our history, our culture, and American music is undeniable, and it is unfortunate that some on the Committee would object to honoring him.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-releases-statement-ahead-todays-markup-two-dc-bills", "Norton Releases Statement Ahead of Today\u2019s Markup of Two D.C. Bills", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her markup statement on a bill introduced by Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY), as prepared for delivery, ahead of today\u2019s House Oversight Committee markup of two D.C.-related bills.\n\nThe first bill, introduced by Rep. Hageman, would prohibit D.C. from requiring courts and administrative proceedings to defer to the mayor's interpretation of statutes and regulations. The second is Norton\u2019s bill to rename the post office at 3401 12th Street NE after musician and singer Chuck Brown, the \u201cGodfather of Go-Go.\u201d\n\n\u201cRep. Hageman\u2019s antidemocratic and paternalistic bill could radically change how local D.C. laws and regulations are interpreted,\u201d Norton said. \u201cFor decades, the local D.C. courts have deferred to the D.C. executive branch\u2019s reasonable interpretations of ambiguous statutes and regulations. The D.C. Council, which was elected by D.C. residents, took the extra step of codifying this deference, which should stand.\u201d\n\n\"I am pleased, however, that the Committee is marking up my bill to rename the post office at 3401 12th Street NE after Chuck Brown. As the \u2018Godfather of Go-Go,\u2019 he gave D.C. a unique hometown sound that was distinctly our own and brought enjoyment to all who heard him here and throughout the nation. Chuck Brown loved the District, and naming post office after him is a way D.C. can honor him in return.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s markup statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\nCommittee on Oversight and Government Reform\n\nMarkup of H.R. 3766\n\nDecember 2, 2025\n\nI strongly oppose this undemocratic and paternalistic bill. This bill would repeal the District of Columbia\u2019s Review of Agency Action Clarification Amendment Act of 2025 and prohibit D.C. from enacting such a law in the future. This bill would further restrict D.C.\u2019s authority to enact and carry out local laws and policies.\n\nD.C. local self-government is under unprecedented attack by Republicans in Congress and President Trump. This Congress, Republicans have introduced nearly 90 bills, amendments and riders to repeal, block or amend local D.C. laws and policies.\n\nThe over 700,000 D.C. residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are capable and worthy of governing themselves. If residents do not like how the members of the D.C. Council vote, residents can vote them out of office or pass a ballot measure. That is democracy. If D.C. residents do not like how the members of Congress vote on local D.C. matters, residents cannot vote them out of office. That is the antithesis of democracy.\n\nI ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a joint letter opposing this bill from the D.C. Mayor, the D.C. Council Chairman and the D.C. Attorney General, all of whom were elected by D.C. residents.\n\nThe substance of this bill should be irrelevant, since there is never justification for Congress to legislate on local D.C. matters, but I will discuss it.\n\nThis bill could radically change how local D.C. laws and regulations are interpreted. For decades, the local D.C. courts have deferred to the D.C. executive branch\u2019s reasonable interpretation of ambiguous statutes and regulations. However, after the U.S. Supreme Court\u2019s Loper Bright decision last year, which overruled Chevron, a question arose about whether the local D.C. courts would overrule their own longstanding deference precedent, which was similar to Chevron deference. In response, the D.C. Council enacted the Review of Agency Action Clarification Amendment Act, which codified that longstanding local precedent.\n\nD.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying federal taxes, serving on juries and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self-government and voting representation in Congress. The only solution to this undemocratic treatment is to grant D.C. statehood.\n\nThe D.C. statehood bill, H.R. 51, grants D.C. residents full local self-government and voting representation in Congress. H.R. 51 reduces the size of the federal district from 68 square miles to two square miles, consisting of the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and the National Mall. The residential and commercial areas of D.C. would be a new state.\n\nI urge members to vote NO on H.R. 3766. Free D.C.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-give-dc-authority-over-dates-special-elections-local-0", "Norton Introduces Bill to Give D.C. Authority Over Dates of Special Elections for Local Offices", "2025-12-01", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced the District of Columbia Special Elections Home Rule Act, which would give the District complete authority to set the date of special elections for local offices, as other jurisdictions already have. The bill would remove a limitation on the District that is not only inconsistent with the self-government authority granted by the Home Rule Act, but is also counterproductive. This bill would strengthen the District's home-rule authority and does not require statehood.\n\n\"Originally, the Home Rule Act required the Board of Elections to hold special elections on the first Tuesday more than 114 days from when the vacancy occurred,\" Norton said. \"This inflexibility led to special elections being held on religious holidays and forced the District to hold a special election separate from an upcoming general election, costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary extra costs. A 2012 law I got enacted requires the Board of Elections to hold a special election on a Tuesday occurring between 70 and 174 days after the vacancy. This bill would provide even greater flexibility for the District.\"\n\nPending passage and enactment of her D.C. statehood bill, Norton introduces legislation to reduce the federal government\u2019s control over local D.C. matters and to expand D.C. equality.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-secures-victories-senate-dc-appropriations-bill", "Norton Secures Victories in Senate D.C. Appropriations Bill", "2025-11-26", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced the victories she secured in the Senate\u2019s fiscal year (FY) 2026 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, which was released yesterday. In addition to other victories for D.C., the bill would secure $40 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG) and increase the DCTAG annual and lifetime awards. Notably, the bill does not contain 18 of the anti-home rule riders included in the House version of the bill.\n\nNorton secured the following victories:\n\nThe bill provides $40 million for DCTAG, an increase in the annual DCTAG award from $10,000 to $15,000, and an increase in the lifetime DCTAG award from $50,000 to $75,000.\n\nThe bill has only the two existing legacy riders, prohibiting D.C. from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women and prohibiting D.C. from spending its own local funds to commercialize adult-use marijuana, whereas the House version of the bill contained 20 anti-home rule riders.\n\nThe bill would provide $50 million for emergency planning and security costs related to the federal presence in D.C.\n\nThe bill exempts D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2027.\n\nThe bill provides $6 million for D.C. Water for ongoing work to control flooding in D.C. and to clean up the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers and Rock Creek Park.\n\nThe bill provides $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C.\n\nThe bill provides $600,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program.\n\nNorton expressed disappointment that the bill would continue to prohibit the District from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women and on recreational marijuana commercialization.\n\n\u201cAlthough I am disappointed that the marijuana and abortion riders are included yet again in the D.C. appropriation bill, I am pleased that the 18 other riders that were included in the House version were not,\u201d Norton said. \u201cD.C. has a larger population than two states, and its residents are equally worthy of deciding their own local affairs. The 700,000 people who live in the nation\u2019s capital are no less worthy of the benefits of democracy than any other American, and I will use every tool at my disposal to see that they receive as many of those benefits as possible.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-place-dc-seal-library-congress-alongside-state-seals-1", "Norton Introduces Bill to Place D.C. Seal in Library of Congress Alongside State Seals", "2025-11-25", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to install the official seal of the District of Columbia alongside seals of the states in the Library of Congress. Currently, the stained-glass windows in the historic building portray the seals of all states and territories that existed when the building was constructed, except for the D.C. seal, even though it was readily available at the time. The bill is part of Norton\u2019s \u201cFree and Equal D.C.\u201d series of bills.\n\n\u201cD.C. and its residents deserve equal representation in all aspects, including in the Library of Congress\u2019 stained-glass windows that portray the history of the United States,\u201d Norton said. \u201cD.C. residents have always had all the obligations of American citizenship, including serving in the military during all our country\u2019s wars since the American Revolution. D.C. residents served in the War of 1812, when the Capitol building, which then housed the Library of Congress, was burned. They should receive the same credit for fulfilling those costly obligations that residents of the states receive, including symbolic representation in the Library of Congress.\u201d\n\nCongress often includes the District, or has corrected the omission of the District of Columbia, when honoring the states. For example, the World War II Memorial includes a column representing the District, and D.C. has two statues in the Capitol alongside two statues from each state. Many examples of D.C.\u2019s current representation in ceremonies and symbols established to honor the states directly result from Norton\u2019s efforts.\n\nIn 2013, after a nearly 13-year legislative fight led by Norton, the District\u2019s first statue, depicting Frederick Douglass, was unveiled in the Capitol. In February of 2022, D.C.\u2019s second statue, depicting Pierre L\u2019Enfant, was unveiled in the Capitol. The enacted National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2013 contained a Norton provision requiring the armed services to display the D.C. flag whenever the flags of the states are displayed. In addition, Norton succeeded in getting legislation enacted to give D.C. a coin after it was omitted from legislation creating coins for the states. D.C.\u2019s Duke Ellington coin is in circulation today. Norton also successfully worked with the U.S. Postal Service to create a D.C. stamp, like the stamps for the states. She also got the National Park Service to fly the D.C. flag alongside the state flags at Union Station.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-releases-remarks-ahead-speaking-house-floor-two-anti-dc-home-rule-0", "Norton Releases Remarks Ahead of Speaking on House Floor on Two Anti-D.C. Home Rule Bills", "2025-11-19", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her remarks, as prepared for delivery, ahead of speaking on the House floor during debate on two anti-D.C. home rule bills. The first bill, introduced by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), would require mandatory pretrial and post-conviction detention for certain crimes. The second bill, introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), would repeal D.C.'s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.\n\n\"Violent crime in D.C. was down 35% last year, reaching an over 30-year low. This year, violent crime in D.C. is down 28% compared to the same period last year. Yet Republicans are hysterical, behaving as if current crime levels justify extraordinary federal overreach. The facts don't support their case,\u201d Norton said.\n\n\"Rep. Stefanik's bill would repeal D.C.'s longstanding pretrial release and detention law \u2013 a law that, inconveniently for her argument, is substantially similar to federal law. Mandatory pretrial detention without an adversary hearing amounts to taking away someone\u2019s freedom based solely on a charge. Her bill isn\u2019t just unconstitutional; it runs directly against one of the bedrock principles of our justice system: The accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.\n\n\"Rep. Clyde's bill would repeal D.C.'s police accountability and transparency law passed in the wake of George Floyd's death. Among other things, the law gave the police chief more authority to discipline officers for serious misconduct and crimes, strengthened civilian oversight of the police department, improved public access to body-worn camera video, and imposed limitations on the purchase of military weapons and the use of force.\n\n\"The D.C. Council was elected by D.C. residents. D.C. Council members are the appropriate elected officials to make D.C. laws, not Republican members of Congress representing the interests of far-away districts.\n\n\"More than 700,000 D.C. residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are worthy and capable of governing themselves. Republicans need to keep their hands off D.C.\"\n\nCongresswoman Norton\u2019s statements follow:\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\nDistrict of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act (H.R. 5214)\n\nNovember 19, 2025\n\nI strongly oppose this bill, which amends the District of Columbia\u2019s pretrial release and detention law.\n\nLast year, violent crime in D.C. was down 35 percent, reaching an over 30-year low. This year, violent crime in D.C. is down 28 percent compared to the same period last year.\n\nI suspect most of my Republican colleagues do not know that D.C.\u2019s longstanding pretrial release and detention law is substantially the same as the longstanding federal pretrial release and detention law, or that the same well-respected federal agency provides pretrial services for both the local and federal trial courts in D.C.\n\nThis bill requires, in the case of certain crimes, pretrial detention based solely on a charge and financial conditions for pretrial release. However, mandatory pretrial detention based solely on a charge is unconstitutional and financial conditions for pretrial release criminalize poverty.\n\nNeither D.C. nor federal law requires pretrial detention or financial conditions for pretrial release, but both laws permit each. Under both D.C. and federal law, pretrial release and detention are based on a judge\u2019s assessment of a defendant\u2019s risk of not appearing in court and danger to the community. In contrast, 18 states, the majority of which are red states, have a constitutional right to bail, meaning, except in capital cases, a defendant cannot be detained pretrial based solely on flight risk or dangerousness.\n\nPretrial detention is a severe restriction on the liberty of an individual who is presumed innocent. This bill requires detention for the period before trial based solely on a charge, with no adversary hearing. That is unconstitutional. The Due Process Clause of the Constitution requires an adversary hearing to detain a defendant for the period before trial.\n\nIn 1987, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the federal pretrial release and detention law. In its ruling, the court stressed the law\u2019s procedural protections for defendants.\n\nChief Justice Rehnquist said: \u201cIn our society liberty is the norm, and detention prior to trial or without trial is the carefully limited exception. We hold that the provisions for pretrial detention in the Bail Reform Act of 1984 fall within that carefully limited exception. The Act authorizes the detention prior to trial of arrestees charged with serious felonies who are found after an adversary hearing to pose a threat to the safety of individuals or to the community which no condition of release can dispel. The numerous procedural safeguards detailed above must attend this adversary hearing.\u201d\n\nStudies show that whether a jurisdiction requires financial conditions for pretrial release has no effect on the crime rates of that jurisdiction. Instead, even small financial conditions for pretrial release often force poor defendants to remain in jail, which can cost them their jobs and housing and leads to more convictions and longer sentences.\n\nThe over 700,000 D.C. residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are capable and worthy of governing themselves. If residents do not like how the members of D.C.\u2019s local legislature vote, residents can vote them out of office or pass a ballot measure. That is called democracy.\n\nIf D.C. residents do not like how the members of Congress vote on local D.C. matters, residents cannot vote them out of office. That is the antithesis of democracy.\n\nI ask unanimous consent to enter into the record letters opposing this bill from the D.C. Mayor, the entire D.C. Council and the D.C. Attorney General, all of whom were elected by D.C. residents.\n\nI urge members to vote NO on this undemocratic and paternalistic bill. It is long past time for Congress to pass the D.C. statehood bill. Free D.C.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\nCommon-Sense Law Enforcement and\n\nAccountability Now in DC Act (H.R. 5107)\n\nNovember 19, 2025\n\nI strongly oppose this bill, which repeals the police accountability and transparency law that the District of Columbia enacted in 2023.\n\nLast year, violent crime in D.C. was down 35 percent, reaching an over 30-year low. This year, violent crime in D.C. is down 28 percent compared to the same period last year.\n\nD.C.\u2019s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act, among other things, gave the police chief more authority to discipline officers for serious misconduct and crimes; strengthened civilian oversight of the police department; improved public access to body-worn camera video; and imposed limitations on the purchase of military weapons and the use of force. D.C. police chiefs had requested more authority to discipline officers for at least 25 years before enactment of this law. This bill would take away this authority from the police chief.\n\nThe difficulty D.C. has had recruiting and retaining police officers is not unique. It is a nationwide issue that predates the police accountability and transparency laws enacted across the country after the murder of George Floyd. In 2019, before the murder of George Floyd, the International Association of Chiefs of Police conducted a survey that found \u201cthe challenge of recruiting law enforcement is widespread and affects agencies of all types, sizes, and locations across the United States.\u201d \u201cThe difficulty in recruiting law enforcement officers and employees is not due to one particular cause. Rather, multiple social, political, and economic forces are all simultaneously at play.\u201d\n\nIn 1973, Congress passed the D.C. Home Rule Act, which established a locally elected chief executive officer and legislature. The purpose of the Home Rule Act is to \u201cgrant to the inhabitants of the District of Columbia powers of local self-government\u201d and \u201crelieve Congress of the burden of legislating upon essentially local District matters.\u201d Yet, the House today is denying D.C. residents local self-government and spending its time on local D.C. matters.\n\nI remind my Republican colleagues what Republican President Richard Nixon said when he signed the Home Rule Act:\n\n\u201cOne of the major goals of this Administration is to place responsibility for local functions under local control and to provide local governments with the authority and resources they need to serve their communities effectively. The measure I sign today represents a significant step in achieving this goal in the city of Washington. It will give the people of the District of Columbia the right to elect their own city officials and to govern themselves in local affairs. As the Nation approaches the 200th anniversary of its founding, it is particularly appropriate to assure those persons who live in our Capital City rights and privileges which have long been enjoyed by most of their countrymen.\u201d\n\nThe over 700,000 D.C. residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are capable and worthy of governing themselves. I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record letters opposing this bill from the D.C. Mayor, the entire D.C. Council and the D.C. Attorney General, all of whom were elected by D.C. residents.\n\nD.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying federal taxes, serving on juries and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self-government and voting representation in Congress. The only solution to this undemocratic treatment is to grant D.C. statehood. I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from leading constitutional scholars explaining why the D.C. statehood bill is constitutional.\n\nI urge my colleagues to vote NO on H.R. 5107, an undemocratic and paternalistic bill. Free D.C.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-statement-after-house-passage-two-anti-dc-home-rule-bills", "Norton Statement After House Passage of Two Anti-D.C. Home Rule Bills", "2025-11-19", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u2013 After the House passed two anti-D.C. home rule bills tonight, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said she was disappointed but unsurprised. The first bill, introduced by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), would require mandatory pretrial and post-conviction detention for certain crimes. The second bill, introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), would repeal D.C.'s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.\n\n\"Tonight's votes are yet another example demonstrating that House Republicans, elected to represent far-away districts, are more interested in forcing their will on D.C. residents than in representing the interests of their own constituents,\" Norton said. \"Rep. Stefanik's bill forces mandatory detention without due process protections that the Constitution requires and Americans rightly expect, and Rep. Clyde's bill would overturn a carefully negotiated, locally supported police reform law.\n\n\"The bills passed by the House tonight don't make D.C. safer. They simply substitute the judgment of politicians from New York and Georgia for the judgment of the 700,000 people who actually live here. I will continue to fight these outrageous intrusions into D.C.'s right to self-government and working towards the only permanent solution: D.C. statehood.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-establish-grant-program-mitigate-harmful-effects-0", "Norton Introduces Bill to Establish Grant Program to Mitigate Harmful Effects of Train Noise, Vibrations and Derailments on Homes", "2025-11-17", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, introduced a bill today to establish a grant program for the design and construction of barriers to mitigate rail activity that may harm homes and their occupants, including derailments, noise and vibrations.\n\n\"Constituents routinely contact me concerning the negative impact trains, including train noise and vibrations, have on their health, quality of life, and the structural integrity of their homes,\" Norton said. \"While trains are a critical mode of transportation, the 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine demonstrated the need for increased safety measures to protect the residents who live near train tracks. Physical barriers, like the kind my bill would provide for, have proven effective in mitigating the harmful effects of both train noise, vibrations and derailments.\u201d\n\nNorton has also introduced a bill to require the Department of Transportation to submit recommendations, including cost estimates, to Congress on how to reduce train noise and vibrations near homes.\n\nNorton\u2019s introductory statement follows.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\non the Introduction of the Protecting Homes from Trains Act of 2025\n\nNovember 17, 2025\n\nToday, I introduce the Protecting Homes from Trains Act of 2025, which would establish a grant program for the design and construction of barriers to mitigate rail activity that can harm homes and their occupants, including derailments, noise and vibrations. District of Columbia residents frequently tell me about the negative impact of train noise and vibrations on their lives. Train noise and vibrations can harm health and quality of life and can even harm the structural integrity of homes.\n\nAs a member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, I have been working to reduce train noise and vibrations. I have convened community meetings with the Federal Railroad Administration, the District of Columbia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. I established the Congressional Quiet Rails Caucus. I introduced a bill directing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on how to reduce train noise and vibrations near homes. I separately requested GAO conduct that study, which it has agreed to do.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-statement-ahead-weeks-house-votes-two-anti-dc-home-rule-bills", "Norton Statement Ahead of This Week\u2019s House Votes on Two Anti-D.C. Home Rule Bills", "2025-11-17", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released a statement ahead of expected House votes on two anti-D.C. home rule bills this week. The first bill, introduced by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), would require mandatory pretrial and post-conviction detention for certain crimes. The second bill, introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), would repeal D.C.'s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. The Rules Committee will consider the legislation today at 3:00 p.m. and will live stream its hearing.\n\n\"D.C.'s local legislature, the D.C. Council, was elected by D.C. residents. Its members are accountable to D.C. and they are the appropriate elected officials to dictate D.C. laws, not Republican members of Congress representing the interests of far-away districts,\" Norton said. \"It is paternalistic and condescending for Republican members of Congress to substitute their own judgment for that of D.C.'s local legislature. D.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying federal taxes, serving on juries and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self-government and voting representation in Congress. They deserve full control of their own local affairs.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-resolution-honoring-dc-veterans-who-served-their-nation-1", "Norton Introduces Resolution Honoring D.C. Veterans Who Served Their Nation Despite Being Denied Full Voting Representation in Congress", "2025-11-10", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Ahead of Veterans Day, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced her annual resolution honoring D.C.\u2019s veterans and current service members and their families, all who served their country and continue to serve without voting representation in Congress or complete home rule. The resolution condemns the denial of voting rights in Congress and full home rule for D.C. veterans and their families and calls for statehood for the District.\n\n\u201cD.C. residents have fought and died for their country in every American war, including the Revolutionary War, yet they\u2019re still denied full voting representation in Congress and control over their own local affairs,\u201d Norton said. \u201cThis resolution honors their sacrifices and calls for statehood so more than 700,000 Americans can finally have equality under the law with residents of the states.\u201d\n\nNorton\u2019s resolution follows.\n\nH. RES. __\n\nRecognizing the service of all District of Columbia veterans, condemning the denial of voting representation in Congress and full local self-government for veterans and their families who are District of Columbia residents, and calling for statehood for the District of Columbia through the enactment of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51 and S. 51), particularly in light of the service of District of Columbia veterans in every American war.\n\nIN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES\n\nMs. Norton submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on _______________\n\nRESOLUTION\n\nRecognizing the service of all District of Columbia veterans, condemning the denial of voting representation in Congress and full local self-government for veterans and their families who are District of Columbia residents, and calling for statehood for the District of Columbia through the enactment of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51 and S. 51), particularly in light of the service of District of Columbia veterans in every American war.\n\nWhereas, on November 11, our Nation observes Veterans Day, a Federal holiday commemorating the men and women who served in the military;\n\nWhereas the service and sacrifice of all American veterans must be recognized;\n\nWhereas the service of the approximately 30,000 veterans who are District of Columbia residents is unparalleled because they served without voting representation in Congress and full local self-government;\n\nWhereas residents of the District of Columbia fought to create the United States, fighting for the Revolutionary War slogan of \u201cno taxation without representation\u201d, and have served in every war fought by the United States since;\n\nWhereas 635 District of Columbia residents were casualties of World War I, a casualty figure greater than that of 3 different States during that war;\n\nWhereas 3,575 District of Columbia residents were casualties of World War II, a casualty figure greater than that of 4 different States during that war;\n\nWhereas 547 District of Columbia residents were casualties of the Korean war, a casualty figure greater than that of 8 different States during that war;\n\nWhereas 243 District of Columbia residents were casualties of the Vietnam war, a casualty figure greater than that of 10 different States during that war;\n\nWhereas almost 200,000 District of Columbia residents have served in the military since World War I;\n\nWhereas residents of the District of Columbia, including active duty servicemembers, National Guard members, reservists, and veterans, continue to be denied voting representation in the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as full local self-government;\n\nWhereas the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51 and S. 51) would grant full and equal voting rights in Congress as well as unimpeded democratic control over local affairs to the District of Columbia by making it the 51st State; and\n\nWhereas, on June 26, 2020, and April 22, 2021, the House of Representatives passed the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, the only two times in history the D.C. statehood bill has been passed by either chamber of Congress: Now, therefore, be it\n\nResolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the service of all District of Columbia veterans, condemns the denial of voting representation in Congress and full local self-government for veterans and their families who are District of Columbia residents, and calls for statehood for the District of Columbia through the enactment of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51 and S. 51), particularly in light of the service of District of Columbia veterans in every American war.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-kaine-introduce-bill-give-dc-equal-number-service-academy-nominations-0", "Norton, Kaine Introduce Bill to Give D.C. Equal Number of Service Academy Nominations and Appointments as States", "2025-11-06", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced their bill to give the District of Columbia the same number of U.S. service academy nominations and appointments as states. Currently, each member of the House and Senate is allocated five appointments to each of the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy, and is allowed to nominate 15 people for each appointment. However, because D.C. has no senators, the District is deprived of 10 appointments to each of these service academies.\n\n\u201cThis bill would bring equality to the residents of the District who choose to serve their country by applying to a service academy,\u201d said Norton. \u201cIt is remarkable that D.C. residents volunteer to serve a country that denies them statehood, congressional voting rights and full home rule. Yet, District residents have fought in every American war, and our residents, who pay all federal taxes, including paying more federal taxes per capita than the residents of any state, deserve to have the same access to our prestigious service academies as residents of the states.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery young person, regardless of their zip code, should have the opportunity to compete for a nomination to be considered for admittance to one of our nation\u2019s service academies,\u201d said Kaine. \u201cI\u2019m proud to join Congresswoman Norton to introduce this bill that will ensure all residents of D.C. who hope to pursue military service through attending a military academy have the same access to do so.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-make-dc-eligible-coastal-zone-management-federal", "Norton Introduces Bill to Make D.C. Eligible for Coastal Zone Management Federal Funding", "2025-11-04", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill that would make D.C. eligible for federal funding under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 and give D.C. oversight of federal agency actions that affect its coastal waters.\n\n\"D.C. urgently needs the protections of the CZMA \u2014 a federal law that provides planning and technical services to help states protect, restore and develop their coastal communities and resources. Scientists predict that the tides on the Atlantic Coast could rise 2-4 feet by the year 2100, causing as much as $7 billion in D.C. property to be threatened by floodwaters,\" Norton said. \"This includes private homes, businesses, the National Mall, federal buildings and three military bases.\n\n\"Additionally, it appears that D.C.'s initial omission from the bill was a mistake. It's past time to correct this error.\"\n\nThe House passed this bill as part of the Coastal and Great Lakes Communities Enhancement Act in the 116th Congress.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the District of Columbia Flood Prevention Act of 2025\n\nNovember 4, 2025\n\nToday, I introduce the District of Columbia Flood Prevention Act of 2025. This bill would amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA) to make the District of Columbia an eligible entity. The House passed this bill as part of the Coastal and Great Lakes Communities Enhancement Act in the 116th Congress.\n\nThis bill would make D.C. eligible for federal funding for coastal zone management and give D.C. oversight of federal agency actions that affect its coastal waters. D.C. urgently needs the protection of the CZMA because of serious flood risks that affect federal assets, residents and businesses in D.C., including the National Mall and federal buildings in the Federal Triangle area.\n\nThe CZMA provides planning and technical services to assist states in protecting, restoring and developing coastal communities and resources. Once the federal government approves a state\u2019s coastal management plan, the state becomes eligible for federal funding and federal agency actions must be consistent with the state plan.\n\nEven though D.C. is located on two rivers and has suffered substantial coastal floods, it was omitted from the list of eligible entities in the CZMA. It is notable that under the CZMA, the term \u2018\u2018coastal state\u2019\u2019 includes the states and territories. D.C. residents pay full federal taxes and therefore D.C. is usually treated as a state for federal programs. It appears D.C.\u2019s omission was a mistake. This oversight likely occurred because the CZMA was passed in 1972, which was before D.C. achieved home rule.\n\nScientists have predicted that the tides on the Atlantic Coast could rise two to four feet by 2100, causing property worth as much as $7 billion in D.C. to be routinely under threat by floodwaters. This includes private homes and businesses, the National Mall, federal buildings and three military bases. The Anacostia and Potomac rivers, which surround D.C., are tidally influenced. In addition, the Maryland and Virginia coastal zones each include the tidal Potomac River, with Maryland\u2019s zone ending at the D.C. line.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-introduces-dc-government-title-equality-act-highlight-dc-prepared", "Norton Introduces D.C. Government Title Equality Act to Highlight that D.C. is Prepared to Transition from District to State", "2025-10-28", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Holmes Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", "norton", "https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a bill to redesignate the D.C. Mayor as Governor, the D.C. Council as the Legislative Assembly, the D.C. Councilmembers as Representatives and the Chair of the D.C. Council as Speaker. These are the titles used in the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth constitution, which the District adopted in 2016 in anticipation of passage of a bill to make D.C. the 51st state. Norton introduced the bill to highlight that D.C. is prepared to make the transition from district to state. D.C. residents pay full federal taxes and D.C. operates as the functional equivalent of a state, providing state-, county- and city-level services, despite being denied voting representation in the House and Senate and full local self-government.\n\n\"While members of Congress from distant states have always tried to interfere in D.C.'s local laws and regulations, this bill is particularly important at a time when attacks on D.C. home rule are more happening more frequently than at any time since the 1990s,\u201d Norton said. \"Changing the titles of key governmental figures highlights the fact that D.C. already operates as the functional equivalent of a state, despite being denied voting representation in Congress and full local self-government.\"\n\nThis bill would not change any legal authorities.\n\nIn addition to introducing her bill to grant D.C. statehood, Norton has introduced bills to reduce the federal government's control over local D.C. matters and to expand D.C. equality.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 2508, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"state\" = :p0 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "DC"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=DC", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 2508, "toggle_url": 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