{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where state = \"DC\" and year = 2020 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-bass-lead-letter-to-president-elect-biden-on-combating-aircraft", "Norton, Bass Lead Letter to President-Elect Biden  on Combating Aircraft Noise", "2020-12-31", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), co-chair of the Quiet Skies Caucus, and Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) led a letter this week urging President-elect Joe Biden to appoint Federal Aviation Administration officials who will use creative approaches to solve noise problems from aircraft.\nNorton has long led the effort in the House to combat airplane and helicopter noise in the nation's capital and across the country. Norton's community meetings on airplane and helicopter noise and residents' stories of interrupted sleep patterns, homes shaking and difficulty having conversations have guided Norton's efforts to quell airplane and helicopter noise.\nThe disruption to human health and local economies by aircraft noise has long been overlooked or altogether ignored by the FAA, said Congresswoman Bass. I urge the Biden administration to appoint FAA officials who will finally address this issue that has plagued many of my constituents.\nThe letter was also signed by Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA), Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA), Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), Congressman Thomas Suozzi (D-NY), Congressman Ed Case (D-HI), Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA), Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL), Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA).\nThe full text is below.\n\n\nCongress of the United States\nWashington, D.C. 20515\n\nDecember 28, 2020\n\nThe Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr.\nPresident-elect of the United States\nOffice of the Biden-Harris Transition\nWashington, DC 20500\n\nDear President-elect Biden:\nYou will soon name several new appointees to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including the Deputy FAA Administrator, the Chief Operating Officer of the Air Traffic Organization, the Associate Administrator for Airports, and the Assistant Administrator for Policy, International Affairs, and Environment. While the FAA and the aviation industry face many high-profile challenges, as Members of the Quiet Skies Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives, we write to bring to your attention the overlooked problem of the disruption to human health and local economies from aircraft noise. We urge you to appoint officials who will include creative approaches to solving noise problems in the work ahead.\nWe represent Americans from diverse locales across the country, united by grave concern over the toll that noise can take on the people living with a constant drone of aircraft. Planes fly low or late at night, near homes and schools; flights arrive and depart within minutes of each other; and the FAA's NextGen project has concentrated flight paths without consideration of the people below. As a result of these policies, millions of Americans suffer from sleep disruption; exacerbation of high blood pressure and other chronic diseases; learning loss in schools; and economic losses to businesses ranging from tourism to technology to entertainment.\nFor decades the agency has consistently downplayed and overlooked the toll of noise disruption on human lives and communities. The NextGen project to update the technology used to control air traffic has brought foreseeable problems that could have been headed off if the agency, early in its planning stages, had considered what happens on the ground as well as what happens in the skies and included in the process business owners, local elected officials, airport noise roundtables, health advocates, and others likely to be affected.\nAs Members of Congress, we all fly as part of our work. We agree that the FAA's mission to maintain the safety and efficiency of our airspace is paramount. But we also believe that better noise control and full participation from all involved and affected can only enhance that safety and efficiency, not detract from it. The new appointees at the FAA should be committed to inventive problem-solving, to listening and bringing all affected parties into the discussion, and to finding win-win solutions. These leaders should embrace bold ideas, work in good faith with the Quiet Skies Caucus and Congress, and pledge to alleviate noise disruption on the ground, with a renewed focus on inclusiveness.\nWe look forward to learning of your choices for the FAA and to working with your administration in the 117th Congress to combat aircraft noise. Thank you for your leadership, and congratulations on your presidency.\n\nSincerely,\n \nKaren Bass Eleanor Holmes Norton\nMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\n/s/ /s/\nDonald S. Beyer Jr.  Ed Case\nMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\n/s/ /s/\nJudy Chu Ro Khanna\nMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\n/s/ /s/\nTed W. Lieu Alan Lowenthal\nMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\n/s/ /s/\nStephen Lynch Gregory W. Meeks\nMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\n/s/ /s/\nGrace Meng Mike Quigley\nMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\n/s/ /s/\nJamie Raskin Jan Schakowsky\nMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\n/s/ /s/\nAdam Smith Jackie Speier\nMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\n/s/\nThomas R. Suozzi\nMember of Congress\n\nCc: Pete Buttigieg, Nominee for Secretary of Transportation", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-first-member-of-congress-to-introduce-native-american-land", "Norton First Member of Congress to Introduce Native American Land Acknowledgment Resolution", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a resolution to recognize that the land of the United States was originally inhabited by Native Americans and to call on state and local governments to encourage formal land acknowledgments before public or ceremonial events. She appears to be the first member of Congress to introduce such a resolution.\nIt's past time for Congress to acknowledge that the land comprising our country was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples known as Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Alaska Natives, Norton said. This formal statement recognizes that Indigenous peoples are the original and traditional stewards of a given geographic area, and I hope to convey honor and respect for their connection to their ancestral lands.\"\nThe full text of the resolution is below.\n\n\t\t\t\t116th CONGRESS\n\t\t\t\t\t2d Session\n\t\t\t\n\t\tH. RES. 1264\n\nRecognizing that the land that is now known as the United States of America was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples known as Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Alaska Natives.\nIN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES\nMs. Norton submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.\nRESOLUTION\nRecognizing that the land that is now known as the United States of America was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples known as Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Alaska Natives.\nWhereas a land acknowledgment is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous peoples as the original and traditional stewards of a given geographic area and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous peoples and their ancestral lands;\nWhereas a formal statement of a land acknowledgment is a proper method to recognize the traditions of Indigenous peoples and ancestral land;\nWhereas a land acknowledgment is a practice that honors and respects contemporary Indigenous peoples' connection to their ancestral lands;\nWhereas a land acknowledgment is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to Tribes who first resided in this country;\nWhereas a land acknowledgment serves as a reminder and a reflection on the impacts of colonialism, past and present;\nWhereas a land acknowledgment recognizes Indigenous peoples' voices that have been devalued in past contexts;\nWhereas a land acknowledgment is a way to show both gratitude and appreciation for those who were first on the land and encourages a broadening of awareness of Indigenous peoples; and\nWhereas it is encouraged that formal land acknowledgments be performed at introductions of public and ceremonial events: Now, therefore, be it\nResolved, That the House of Representatives\n(1) honors the legacy of Indigenous peoples who inhabited the land before the establishment of the United States of America and continue to live in relationship with their ancestral homelands today, and recognizes their significance and ongoing contributions to the United States; and\n(2) calls on State and local governments to encourage formal land acknowledgments, whether verbal or written, before public or ceremonial events.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-introduces-dc-parole-and-supervised-release-act", "Norton Introduces D.C. Parole and Supervised Release Act", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) has introduced a bill to give the District of Columbia. the authority to make parole and supervised release determinations for D.C. Code offenders beginning in 2022. Currently, the U.S. Parole Commission makes these determinations for D.C. Code offenders.\nThis bill is important because it would give D.C. the same right that states have to make parole and supervised release determinations for residents convicted of violating their laws, Norton said. Even before we achieve statehood, I'm continuing to fight for D.C. to have the same rights as the states do, including the right to make these determinations.\nNorton's introductory statement is below.\n\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on \nthe Introduction of the District of Columbia Parole and Supervised Release Act\n\nDecember 7, 2020\nI rise today to introduce the District of Columbia Parole and Supervised Release Act. This bill would give the District of Columbia the authority to make parole and supervised release determinations for D.C. Code offenders beginning on November 1, 2022.\nCurrently, the U.S. Parole Commission (Commission) makes these determinations for D.C. Code offenders. This bill would give D.C. the same authority over parole and supervised release determinations for D.C. Code offenders that the Commission has today. The District has asked to have this authority for its own local offenders. D.C. would have the same authority the states possess over their own local offenders on these matters, including the authority to devise an adjudication system as it sees fit.\nThe National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 transferred the functions of the D.C. Parole Board to the Commission. By transferring the costs associated with the Commission's work on D.C. Code offenders to the District, the federal government would save money with passage of this bill.\nI ask my colleagues to support this bill.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-lists-dc-victories-in-spending-bill-passed-today", "Norton Lists D.C. Victories in Spending Bill Passed Today", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) listed the D.C. victories in the final fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills, which the House and Senate are expected to approve soon. Among other wins, Norton was able to secure $40 million for the District of Columbia Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), $8 million for D.C. Water, and $7 million to begin work on a new Howard University Hospital. In addition, Norton was able to get language recognizing Union Station's importance as a multimodal transportation hub for the National Capital Region and instructing the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to continue working with D.C. on the station's expansion, and directing Capitol Police not to enforce the law prohibiting sledding on Capitol Hill. Norton also got the Long Bridge Act of 2020 included.\nI'm pleased with the victories achieved in today's spending bill, Norton said. The funding for DCTAG will allow District students to attend schools in all 50 states. Although I requested $10 million for Howard University Hospital, I received $7 million, a large majority of my request. The Long Bridge Act of 2020, which, authorizes the National Park Service to convey federal property for construction of a much-needed new commuter rail bridge spanning the Potomac River, was included. I was also successful in including a provision directing Capitol Police not to enforce the law prohibiting sledding on Capitol Hill, a tradition long enjoyed by D.C. residents.\nThe complete list of Norton's victories for D.C. is below.\n DCTAG: $40M\n\t$600K for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program.\n\t$4M federal payment for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention in D.C.\n\tHoward University Hospital:$7M for construction of the new hospital\n\t$8M federal payment for D.C. Water.\n\tLanguage recognizing the importance of Washington Union Station as a multimodal transportation hub for the National Capital Region and instructing the FRA to continue working with D.C. on the expansion plan for the station.\n\tThe Long Bridge Act of 2020..\n\tArboretum: Favorable language for the project to reopen the Arboretum's original gate, which sits at the intersection of M Street and Maryland Ave NE and has been closed for more than 25 years.\n\tSledding: Directing Capitol Police not to enforce the law prohibiting sledding on the Hill.\n \n\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-to-receive-covid-19-vaccine-hold-media-availability-today", "Norton to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine, Hold Media Availability Today", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will receive the first dose of the two-dose COVID-19 vaccine today at 5:00 p.m. at the House of Representatives and hold a media availability afterwards.\nMembers of Congress, to ensure continuity of government, are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine beginning today, and I will get my first dose today as well at 5:00 p.m., Norton said. I hope to set an example, encouraging my constituents to trust the science, as I do, that has given us this feat of modern medicine, and I urge them to follow my example by getting the vaccine at the earliest opportunity. I am now working to ensure a smooth distribution of this life-saving vaccine to my constituents as soon as possible.\nNorton will hold a media availability afterwards at her Capitol Hill office (2136 Rayburn House Office Building). Media seeking interviews should contact Sharon Eliza Nichols at Sharon.e.nichols@mail.house.gov.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-writes-letter-supporting-increase-in-dc-eviction-filing-fee-court", "Norton Writes Letter Supporting Increase in D.C. Eviction Filing Fee  Court Agrees to Solicit Public Comment", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) sent a letter to Chief Judge Anita M. Josey-Herring of the D.C. Superior Court supporting an increase in the filing fee for evictions to reduce the number of eviction filings by landlords trying to collect small amounts of rent owed and asking the court to solicit feedback by parties affected by the fee, especially tenant representatives, as part of a rulemaking process on this matter. Norton cited a study that showed D.C.'s eviction filing fee to be the lowest among all cities in the study and $91 below the median. The court agreed to solicit public comment on the fee.\nAfter looking at the issue, I've concluded that the low eviction filing fee in D.C. encourages landlords to file for evictions as a first response to small amounts of rent owed, imposing unnecessary costs on tenants and the court, Norton said. Especially during this pandemic, we do not need to encourage evictions.\nNorton's letter and the court's response are below.\nDecember 9, 2020\n\nChief Judge Anita M. Josey-Herring\nSuperior Court of the District of Columbia\n500 Indiana Avenue NW\nWashington, DC 20001\n\nDear Chief Judge Josey-Herring:\n I understand that the Superior Court of the District of Columbia is examining its eviction filing fee. On November 10, 2020, the D.C. Council passed legislation expressing the sense of the Council that the fee should be increased from $15 to $100 to reduce the number of eviction filings by landlords trying to collect small amounts of rent owed. I, too, support increasing the fee. As we consider the urgent issue of mitigating evictions in Congress, I urge the Court to actively solicit public feedback by parties affected by the fee, especially tenant representatives, as part of a rulemaking process on this matter.\n According to a recent study, the Court's $15 eviction filing fee is the lowest in the major American cities studied, and D.C. has one of the highest rates of eviction filings.[1] This suggests that D.C.'s low fee, which is $91 below the median, encourages eviction filings. The study found that landlords in D.C. often use eviction filings as a rent collection mechanism, making repeated filings against the same tenant to collect small amounts of rent owed. While most eviction filings do not result in a formal eviction, an eviction filing becomes a permanent stain on tenants' housing records, regardless of the outcome of the eviction process, making it more difficult for renters to find a home in the future, not to mention the time, costs and stress involved for the tenant in responding to such a filing.\n I understand that landlords can recover the eviction filing fee from tenants if the eviction is authorized by the Court, so any increase in the fee could eventually add to tenants' debt. However, I believe that raising the fee would decrease eviction filings and therefore be a net benefit to tenants.\nI request a written response to the issues raised in this letter by December 21, 2020.\n\nSincerely,\n\nEleanor Holmes Norton\n\n\n\n\n\n\t  \n\t\t[1] Brian J. McCabe and Eva Rosen, Eviction in Washington, DC: Racial and Geographic Disparities in Housing Instability, Fall 2020, available at https://georgetown.app.box.com/s/df0d4mruf59wcvqm6cqo9a8pyu8ukeuk.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-allowing-sales-tax-at-federal-gift-shops", "Norton Introduces Bill Allowing Sales Tax at Federal Gift Shops", "2020-12-15", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) has introduced a bill to allow state and local governments to impose a sales tax on purchases at gift shops on federal property.\nAt a time when local economies are struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic, this bill will generate vital tax revenue. It will particularly help D.C., which hosts many federal gift shops but doesn't currently receive tax revenue from sales at these shops, Norton said.\nNorton's introductory statement for the bill is below.\n\nStatement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\nOn the Introduction of the Federal Gift Shop Tax Act\n\nDecember 9, 2020\n\nMs. Norton. Madam Speaker.\nToday, I rise to introduce the Federal Gift Shop Tax Act, which would allow state and local governments to impose a sales tax on purchases at gift shops on federal property. These governments would be able to generate millions of dollars in new revenue at a time when they are struggling to meet their budgets because of the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.\nWhen the federal government engages in activity that is not inherently governmental, such as operating a gift shop, there is no reason to exempt customer purchases from a sales he items sold at federal gift shops, such as jewelry, apparel, accessories, games, books and dcor, would be subject to sales tax if sold on private property. Customers are often unaware of this sales tax exemption when shopping at gift shops on federal property, so the introduction of a sales tax is unlikely to have a significant impact on gift shop sales. It would, however, create a valuable revenue stream for struggling governments. In addition, state and local governments often provide uncompensated services to federal property, such as fire service, and allowing them to impose a sales tax on gift shops would allow them to recoup some of those costs. This bill is of particular importance to the District of Columbia, as it is home to a number of gift shops on federal property, such as at the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.\nState and local governments have taken the lead in combating the pandemic, meeting the moment with expanded services and support even as they lose significant revenue. This bill would give these governments an opportunity to make up a portion of their budget shortfalls by creating this new revenue stream.\nI strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-celebrates-house-passage-of-long-bridge-project-legislation", "Norton Celebrates House Passage of Long Bridge Project Legislation", "2020-12-10", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) celebrated House passage today of the Long Bridge Act of 2020, which would authorize the National Park Service to transfer land necessary for the Long Bridge Project to the District of Columbia and Virginia. The project will create a new rail bridge and a new bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the Potomac River connecting D.C. and Virginia. Norton worked on the bill with sponsor Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA) and other members of the Virginia and Maryland delegations.\nAs a regional hub, D.C.'s transit needs are interwoven with those of our regional partners, Norton said. For example, 75% of D.C.'s health care workers live in Virginia and Maryland. Projects and success stories like the passage of the Long Bridge Act are integral to developing robust interjurisdictional transportation systems for commuters, tourists and freight entering D.C.\nAs the chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, I am leading the effort in the House to combat climate change caused by the transportation sector. This bill expands rail, bike and pedestrian connections between the District and Virginia, providing freight, commuters and tourists greater opportunities for green mobility. I thank my colleagues in the House for their work on this bill, and I look forward to further collaboration to provide robust infrastructure investments for the national capital region.\nSenators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) have introduced companion legislation.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-writes-to-nps-asking-for-cleanup-of-parkland-east-of-the", "Norton Writes to NPS Asking for Cleanup of Parkland East of the Anacostia River", "2020-12-10", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) sent a letter this week to Margaret Everson, Acting Director of the National Park Service (NPS), asking that more resources be devoted to keep NPS parkland east of the Anacostia River welcoming, accessible and clean. Norton argued that accessible outdoor space is even more important during a pandemic, when being outside is often safer than being indoors. Norton was instrumental in helping to enact the Great American Outdoors Act, which will provide funding for NPS to address deferred maintenance, and in her letter, Norton urged NPS to use some of this funding for parkland east of the river.\nI worked hard for passage of the Great American Outdoors Act to provide funding for NPS deferred maintenance because NPS owns most of the parkland in D.C., Norton said. I intend to work with Congress and the National Park Service to make sure that the funds for NPS parks in the District are directed where they are most needed. Our residents in Southeast should not be left to cleaning their parks of debris themselves and to the neglect that has finally come to public attention.\nThe letter follows.\n\nMargaret Everson\nActing Director\nNational Park Service\n1849 C Street NW\nWashington, DC 20240\n\nDear Acting Director Everson:\nI write to bring to your attention a major article in the Washington Post yesterday. The article, titled A fight for forest equity in Southeast D.C. takes on new urgency amid pandemic, describes, and illustrates with pictures, the outrageous conditions of National Park Service (NPS) parks east of the Anacostia River and the commendable efforts of Southeast D.C. residents to clean up the parks. I am asking NPS to devote more resources to its parks east of the river to make them accessible, clean and welcoming to the surrounding community, especially as access to outdoor space is critical for mental and physical health during the coronavirus pandemic.\nI recognize that NPS has approximately $12 billion in deferred maintenance, including $1.3 billion in the many NPS parks in the District of Columbia. However, I was instrumental in helping to enact the Great American Outdoors Act, which will provide funding to NPS to address this deferred maintenance, and I urge you to dedicate some of this funding to NPS parks east of the river.\nAs described in the article, this parkland is rife with invasive species and litter and lacks official trails and paths that would make it accessible to the surrounding public. This parkland is in such an atrocious condition that residents have been trying to clear the trash that NPS has neglected to clear. This parkland should be a place where our most vulnerable and historically overlooked D.C. residents can run, walk, bike, play and marvel at the natural wonder that is our collective backyard. This is even more urgent during the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately impacted communities east of the river. Access to outdoor recreational space is essential to the health and safety of the D.C. residents most at risk during this critical period of social distancing.\nPlease respond in writing detailing NPS's plans to address the conditions described in the article by December 21, 2020.\n\nSincerely,\nEleanor Holmes Norton", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-applauds-house-passage-of-bill-decriminalizing-marijuana", "Norton Applauds House Passage of Bill Decriminalizing Marijuana", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) applauded House passage last week of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act). Norton is an original cosponsor of the MORE Act. The bill decriminalizes marijuana at the federal level, expunges marijuana convictions, and invests in local communities. It imposes a tax on marijuana sales and opens the door to commercialization of recreational marijuana in D.C.\nToday, when a global pandemic is harming the District's economy, forcing the closure of many businesses and even threatening government services, the MORE Act will allow vital tax revenue from an activity that's already common in D.C. and throughout the country, Norton said. D.C. legalized recreational marijuana in 2014. Republicans tried to block legalization with an appropriations rider. I found a flaw in the rider that allowed legalization to proceed, but the rider blocked commercialization and has remained in place since then. The MORE Act increases our chances of removing the anti-home-rule rider going forward and permitting commercialization. Fifteen states have legalized recreational marijuana, and all have or will commercializeit.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-asks-for-national-park-service-to-reinstitute-safety-protocols", "Norton Asks for National Park Service to Reinstitute Safety Protocols for Employees in Light of Recent COVID-19 Cases", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) sent a letter today to Margaret Everson, Acting Director of the National Park Service (NPS), expressing concern about the safety of employees who continue to work at NPS properties during the coronavirus crisis, which is at its highest level yet in the National Capital Region.\nNorton's letter asks Acting Director Everson to close the Washington Monument, visitor centers, and any other indoor properties in the National Capital Region until this wave of the virus has subsided. Norton also specifically asks that the NPS move all non-emergency employees to teleworking or to weather and safety leave. Most parkland in the District of Columbia is owned by NPS, meaning many of the employees affected are Norton's constituents.\nI understand that there have been at least four cases of COVID-19 and one hospitalization among NPS employees who work on the National Mall, Norton said. NPS employees need to be able to protect themselves and their families during this time of crisis.\nNorton asks Acting Director Everson to provide a written response by December 15, 2020.\nThe letter follows:\n\n\nDecember 9, 2020\n\nMargaret Everson\nActing Director\nNational Park Service\n1849 C Street NW\nWashington, DC 20240\n\nDear Acting Director Everson:\nI remain concerned about the health of National Park Service (NPS) employees who have been staffing NPS properties, including in the District of Columbia, during the coronavirus pandemic. I understand that there have been at least four cases of COVID-19 and one hospitalization among NPS employees who work on the National Mall. I also understand that NPS has not closed indoor properties such as the Washington Monument and that visitors are not uniformly following mask and social-distancing guidelines while on federal property, including inside the Washington Monument's elevator. These behaviors put NPS employees and the public at significant risk.\nAs I emphasized in my letter to NPS on March 20, 2020, the safety of every NPS employee is my top priority. The coronavirus positivity rate in the National Capital Region is at its highest level yet and continues to grow with each day. Considering that NPS employees have contracted the virus despite the current safety precautions, I encourage you to close the Washington Monument, visitor centers and any other indoor properties in the National Capital Region again until this wave of the virus has subsided. I also ask that you reinstitute other Phase 1 safety protocols for NPS employees, including moving all non-emergency employees to teleworking or to weather and safety leave, so that NPS employees can protect themselves and their families from the coronavirus as needed.\nPlease respond to this letter in writing by December 15, 2020.\n\nSincerely,\n\nEleanor Holmes Norton", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-highlights-major-development-milestone-in-hill-east", "Norton Highlights Major Development Milestone in Hill East", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), the author of theFederal and District of Columbia Government Real Property Act of 2006, which transferred 67 acres of federal land (Reservation 13) in Hill East to the District of Columbia, said today she is delighted that the city has reached a major milestone in the development of this land with the announcement of the Request for Proposals for almost 500,000 square feet of land area for mixed-used development, with a focus on affordable housing. The land is located near RFK Stadium.\nI got this land transferred to the District, so I could not be happier to see it used to good effect, Norton said. The Hill East Project will help bring mixed-use development, including needed affordable housing and several thousand permanent and construction jobs, to the banks of the Anacostia River to spur economic development in the midst of tough economic times. Let Congress take notice that when passed, this is the type of economic development that my bill to transfer the federal RFK Stadium site to D.C. would achieve.\nThese projects are instrumental in the revenue they generate and in remedying the structural deficit incurred by the District because of numerous federal requirements, such as the limits that keep the city from obtaining revenue by constructing tall buildings, like those that exist in other large cities.\nThe Federal and District of Columbia Government Real Property Act of 2006was signed into law after the congresswoman carried the bill through four different House committees and the Senate, as well as intense negotiations in both chambers. The bill also directed the transfer of Poplar Point in Ward 8 to the District. Norton continues to push Congress to pass her bill that would transfer the RFK Stadium site, currently the largest track of unused federal land in the District, to D.C. for fair market value.\nNorton's work in making land owned or controlled by the federal government available to the District has been essential in revitalizing D.C. neighborhoods, such as the Wharf, the Capitol Riverfront and Walter Reed.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-hoyer-van-hollen-carper-and-bowser-release-statements-calling-for", "Norton, Hoyer, Van Hollen, Carper, and Bowser Release Statements Calling for Full Funding for D.C. in Next Coronavirus Bill", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), and District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser released statements today advocating for full and fair funding for the District in the next coronavirus bill. The CARES Act, passed in March, deprived the District of $755 million in fiscal relief that would have gone toward helping D.C. residents and businesses recover from the dual economic and health crises presented by the coronavirus. The next coronavirus bill must include these funds and treat D.C. the same as the states, as legislation usually does for purposes of federal funding.\nThe needs of the District from the coronavirus pandemic are only increasing, Norton said. Any next coronavirus stimulus package must include state-level funding for the nation's capital, as D.C. is usually treated with regards to federal funding.\nAs we continue to negotiate legislation to provide relief to American families and small businesses impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it's imperative that the District of Columbia receive equal treatment in any response legislation, said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. More than 700,000 Americans live in our nation's capital and they deserve the same treatment and access to resources as their fellow citizens in Maryland and Virginia. I'll continue to urge my colleagues to not shortchange or discriminate against residents of DC.\nAs COVID-19 cases continue to spike, blocking D.C. from accessing its fair share of relief funds will hamper its ability to address the health and economic crises at hand in our region.Since Republicans' initial efforts to shortchange the District, we have been fighting tooth and nail to secure fair treatment for the District and provide these much-needed COVID-19 resources moving forward. I urge my colleagues to do the right thing and ensure D.C. receives fully-funded COVID-19 aid, to support the citizens and businesses that make our Nation's Capital so great, said Senator Van Hollen.\nThe District of Columbia is home to more than 700,000 Americans who contribute to our economy and pay taxes just like families, workers, and business owners in every other state, said Senator Carper. These Americans are hurting just as much from this pandemic and yet, our federal government has refused to grant the District the relief it deserves.We must do what's fair and what's right to support all Americans in our next COVID relief package and that includes ensuring residents of the nation's capital get the necessary funding and economic support to get through this pandemic.\nWith COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations on the rise across the nation and the winter months approaching, the District of Columbia is due state-level funding we were shortchanged in CARES Act now more than ever, said D.C. Mayor Bowser. Equal relief funding for the District of Columbia will ensure our region has the necessary resources to support our health care workers, invest in our testing and vaccination infrastructure, and safeguard the health of federal workers and visitors to the Nation's Capital. In every other aspect of the emergency response we are a state, so we thank our congressional partners for fighting for equal treatment for DC and ensuring we receive state-level funding in any future COVID-19 legislation.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-assures-residents-budget-provision-will-keep-dc-open-if-federal", "Norton Assures Residents Budget Provision Will Keep D.C. Open if Federal Government Shuts Down", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.As the possibility of a federal government shutdown looms this week, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today assured District of Columbia residents that a provision she gets included in each District of Columbia Appropriations bill will keep the D.C. government open if the federal government shuts down this Saturday, when the current fiscal year (FY) 2021 short-term continuing resolution (CR) expires.\n\nPresident Trump is a wild card when it comes to negotiations over government funding, Norton said. While it is not probable that Trump will veto the one-week continuing resolution that Congress is expected to pass this week, it is possible. Given his erratic behavior throughout his administration and in particular since the election, he has proven far removed from reality and from the interests of the American people. The D.C. shutdown exemption provision is important this year in particular because it insulates D.C. from possible chaos Trump may try to create in his final months as President. Congress could learn something about fiscal responsibility by taking a look at D.C., which has a balanced budget and a surplus.\nDuring a federal shutdown, low-wage federal contract workers are at particular risk of being denied pay, through no fault of their own. Low-wage contract workers deserve the same back pay given to federal employees after a shutdown, as both federal employees and contract workers often work alongside one another. Both groups of workers deserve to be made whole after any shutdown.\nNorton's provision allows D.C. to spend under its local FY 2021 budget during a federal government shutdown in FY 2021.D.C. has been spending under its local FY 2021 budget during the (CR), and would continue to do so during a federal government shutdown. Norton has gotten the D.C. shutdown exemption included in each spending bill since the federal government shutdown of 2013. Before she got the shutdown exemption for D.C., the District had to prepare shutdown contingency plans every time there was the threat of a federal government shutdown, even if it did not occur. Consistent threats of shutdowns harmed the credit rating of the District government. Credit rating agencies have favorably cited Norton's shutdown exemption provision.\n\nDuring the federal government shutdown in 2019, Norton introduced a bill that would guarantee back pay to federally contracted retail, food, custodial and security service workers furloughed during a shutdown in that fiscal year.Norton introduced a similar bill in January 2018 to guarantee back pay to federally contracted low-wage workers in FY 2018 when a shutdown was threatened.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-gets-big-wins-for-swimmable-fishable-anacostia-river", "Norton Gets Big Wins for Swimmable, Fishable Anacostia River", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) heralded House passage today of the final Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA), the major water infrastructure bill. This bill includes a provision that would help accelerate the cleanup of harmful sediments in and around the federal navigation channel in the Anacostia River. This provision changes the parameters, depth and coordinates of the federal navigation channel. The Congresswoman's provision supports the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment's (DOEE) plan to remediate the Anacostia River, a priority for Norton, by either dredging or capping toxic sediment to make the river safe for wildlife and District residents. This plan is called the Anacostia River Sediment Project.\n\tAs chair of the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, I successfully worked to have this important provision for the District, and the surrounding region, included in the original House-passed version of WRDA and the final version of WRDA, which the House passed today, Norton said. The Anacostia River has long been a major priority for me, and this provision is necessary to continue the progress being made on cleanup of the river. This provision will allow DOEE to move forward with its plans for sediment remediation in the Anacostia River more quickly and at a lower overall cost. This is a major victory for our city.\n\t\n\tDue to sediment accumulation over time, many parts of the federal navigation channel in the Anacostia do not meet the current formal depth requirements of the federal navigation channel. In the absence of a partial deauthorization, in order to move forward with its plan for sediment remediation, DOEE would have had to dredge down to the full depth of 24 feet in many places, a depth that is inconsistent with existing and anticipated future uses of the Anacostia River. Extensive dredging is not necessary to restore the river and would be very time consuming and expensive and make the overall remediation project much more difficult. The deauthorization that the Congresswoman got included in WRDA changes the parameters of the federal navigation channel so that DOEE will not have to dredge down quite as far in some areas and can move forward with simply capping toxic sediment in other areas. This will greatly decrease the cost of the project for the District and other stakeholders and avoid unnecessary delay in the District's work to achieve a fishable, swimmable Anacostia River for residents.\n\t\n\tThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has authority over the federal navigation channel, and, by law, any changes to the federal navigation channel must comply with the depths outlined in the formal coordinates for the channel, unless the depths of the channel are changed through a formal deauthorization or the USACE grants special permission for non-conforming depths in the form of a waiver.\n\t\n\t\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/northern-virginia-delegation-norton-hail-full-reopening-of-memorial", "Northern Virginia Delegation, Norton Hail Full Reopening of Memorial Bridge", "2020-12-07", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Over five years after corrosion and structural weakness led to lane closures and the imposition of a weight limit, the Memorial Bridge fully reopened today with all lanes open to traffic. The historic bridge, which connects Arlington National Cemetery in Northern Virginia and the Lincoln Memorial in the District of Columbia, was repaired with a $227 million rehabilitation project secured after a multi-year advocacy effort by the congressional delegation.\nStatement from U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC):\nWe are thrilled to see Memorial Bridge finally reopened after years of hard work, and we thank everyone who helped make this moment possible. Nearly five years ago the National Park Service warned that the bridge would close by 2021 unless extensive repairs were undertaken. We knew that the loss of this key regional artery would inflict great hardship on our constituents, and worked with urgency to secure the funding necessary to restore and reopen the bridge. Thanks to those efforts and the support of key regional officials, that project has been completed successfully.\nMemorial Bridge is now fully operational, and stands not only as a historic and functional monument, but also as a symbol of the kind of progress that is possible on rebuilding key transportation infrastructure through smart government investment. We look forward to helping make more successes like this one possible in the National Capital Region and across the country in years to come.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-thanks-majority-leader-hoyer-for-becoming-an-original-cosponsor", "Norton Thanks Majority Leader Hoyer for Becoming an Original Cosponsor of the D.C. Statehood Bill in Next Congress", "2020-12-02", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) thanked House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) for becoming today an original cosponsor of the District of Columbia statehood bill in the 117th Congress, which begins in January 2021.\nMajority Leaders are very selective about bills they choose to cosponsor, which makes it an even greater honor to receive Leader Hoyer's enthusiastic support as an original cosponsor of the D.C. statehood bill, Norton said. He is only the second Majority Leader in either chamber to ever bring the D.C. statehood bill to the floor for a vote, and the first ever to pass it, which occurred in June. Leader Hoyer has taken a personal interest in statehood for the District, even writing a moving op-ed in the Washington Post supporting the bill. I look forward to working with him as an original cosponsor of D.C. statehood next Congress.\nNorton has secured 173 original cosponsors of the bill in the House for the next Congress, which breaks the record she set this Congress (155), even though there will be fewer total House Democrats next Congress.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-bill-to-allow-national-childrens-museum-to-remain-in-ronald", "Norton Bill to Allow National Children's Museum to Remain in Ronald Reagan Building in D.C. Rent-Free Passes House", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that her bill allowing the National Children's Museum (NCM), a congressionally designated museum, to remain in the federally owned Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in the District of Columbia without charge passed today in the House by voice vote, which will enhance its chances in the Senate. Norton says that the passage will allow the nation's first combination children's museum and science center to remain centrally located in the nation's capital for the benefit of D.C. residents and the many visitors who come annually to the nation's capital. Norton introduced the bill before the coronavirus pandemic but said the pandemic made the bill's passage even more urgent. Though the museum remains temporarily closed because of the pandemic, it has continued to provide valuable educational resources virtually.\nDespite the many benefits the NCM brings to the nation's capital and our country, it was an outlier before today, Norton said. NCM was the only congressionally designated museum expected to pay rent in a federal building. The passage of my National Children's Museum Act today will allow NCM to remain in its current federal location without charge, allowing staff to focus on bringing 21st-century science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) learning techniques to the nation's capital.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-van-hollen-request-1183-million-for-dc-emergency-planning", "Norton, Van Hollen Request $118.3 Million for D.C. Emergency Planning & Security Fund in Final Spending Bill", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) sent a letter yesterday to the leadership of the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Financial Services and General Government in support of the District of Columbia's request for $118.3 million for the D.C. emergency planning and security fund (EPSF) in the final fiscal year 2021 D.C. Appropriations bill. The federally-funded EPSF pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation's capital and is used to cover expenses such as inaugurations and major events requiring an increased police presence.\nThis fund does not pay for local matters but is used exclusively for protecting the federal presence, Norton said. These funds are particularly necessary during this transition year when D.C. will be welcoming the inauguration of a new presidential administration and a new Congress.\nOver the years, D.C.'s Emergency Planning & Security Fund has been used to support the inaugurations of presidents of both political parties as well as a number of national events honoring our democracy, Van Hollen said. But the Trump Administration has repeatedly diverted these funds for political stunts and refused to replenish them. These funds, which are vital to the safety and security of our nation's capital and the American people, must be restored. I urge my colleagues to back this bipartisan measure. \nThe letter is below.\n\nNovember 16, 2020\n\nThe Honorable Mike Quigley The Honorable John Kennedy\nChairman Chairman  \nHouse Committee on Appropriations  Senate Committee on Appropriations\nSubcommittee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Services\nand General Government  and General Government\n\nThe Honorable Steve Womack The Honorable Christopher Coons\nRanking Member Ranking Member\nHouse Committee on Appropriations  Senate Committee on Appropriations\nSubcommittee on Financial Services  Subcommittee on Financial Services\nand General Government  and General Government\n\nDear Chairmen Quigley and Kennedy and Ranking Members Womack and Coons:\nWe write in support of the District of Columbia's request for $118.3 million for the federally funded emergency planning and security fund (EPSF) in the final FY 21 District of Columbia Appropriations bill. This request is particularly urgent because of the increased fiscal pressure on the District during the coronavirus health and economic crisis. If the District does not receive this funding, Congress would be putting the District in the untenable position of either not providing support for activities related to the federal presence or having to continue precariously to divert its local funds from local activities to activities related to the federal presence.\nThe EPSF pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation's capital. The committee report accompanying the House's FY 21 D.C. Appropriations bill stated, As the seat of the national government, the District of Columbia has a unique and significant responsibility for protecting the property and personnel of the Federal government. The Federal Payment for Emergency Planning and Security Costs helps address the impact of the Federal presence on public safety in the District of Columbia. The EPSF is designed to cover the District's costs upfront so D.C. does not need to first expend local funds and then seek an appropriation to be reimbursed for such costs after the fact.\nWe appreciate that Congress provided $18 million for the EPSF in the FY 20 D.C. Appropriations bill and $5 million in FY 20 EPSF supplemental funding in the CARES Act. However, primarily due to the protests in the wake of the George Floyd killing and the lack of any EPSF carryover funds, the EPSF had a $43 million deficit in FY 20. The bill must reimburse the District for these funds.\nIn addition, the District is requesting $21.9 million for the 2021 inauguration. The District is also requesting $53.4 million for non-inauguration FY 21 EPSF costs.\nWe would appreciate your addressing this matter of critical importance to the federal government and the finances of the nation's capital. It is important that the EPSF have sufficient funds so that the District can provide appropriate and necessary support for federal activities.\n\nSincerely,\n\nCongresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton   Senator Chris Van Hollen\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-takes-on-senate-dc-appropriations-bill-cuts-riders-attacking-home", "Norton Takes on Senate D.C. Appropriations Bill Cuts, Riders Attacking Home Rule", "2020-11-12", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today vowed to overcome the Senate's fiscal year 2021 (FY21) District of Columbia Appropriations bill, released this week, which would reduce funding for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG) by $30 million, from $40 million to just $10 million. Despite prior attempts by Republicans to cut DCTAG funding, Norton has been able to get $40 million for DCTAG each of the last four years, even with Republican control of Congress, enough to benefit thousands of D.C. students, and she anticipates similar success this year. The Senate bill also attacks D.C. home rule with riders that would prohibit D.C. from spending its local funds on abortions for low-income women and on commercializing recreational marijuana. It also would appropriate D.C.'s local funds, preempting the Local Budget Autonomy Act. While the bill contains some provisions Norton fought to get for D.C., including $8 million for D.C. Water, $3 million for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention, and an exemption for D.C. should the federal government temporarily shut down, Norton vowed to overcome the provision reducing funding for DCTAG, as she has done in the past.\nThe Senate Appropriations Committee bill doubles down by trying to take even more funds from D.C. students going to college in all 50 states, but I will not let that happen, Norton said. It's also long past time to permit D.C. to commercialize recreational marijuana, as mor than a dozen states have done, especially considering I was able to save D.C.'s legalization of the use of recreational marijuana, which now sends D.C. residents to illegal markets to purchase. I've overcome worse bills, even in Republican-controlled Congresses, and I'm already working to overcome the anti-D.C. provisions of this bill.\nThe House-passed FY21 D.C. Appropriations bill would provide $40 million for DCTAG and $8 million for D.C. Water, allow D.C. to spend its local funds on abortions for low-income women and on commercializing recreational marijuana, and abide by the Local Budget Autonomy Act.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-asks-us-army-corps-of-engineers-to-extend-comment-period-on", "Norton Asks U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Extend Comment Period on Proposed Rule Restricting Access to Washington Channel, and Hold Public Meeting", "2020-11-10", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) sent a letter asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to extend the comment period on a proposed rule restricting public access to the Washington Channel in the District of Columbia and to hold a public meeting on the proposed rule during the extended comment period. Norton's Southwest Waterfront development legislation has spurred many new forms of travel and recreation in the District. The current comment period for the proposed rule is scheduled to end on November 12th. In her letter, Norton noted that D.C. residents have significant concerns with the proposed rule and that the current deadline does not allow for adequate time for public input.\nI've spoken to District of Columbia government officials and interested parties and I agree with them that the November 12 end to the comment period on this rule is too early to ensure that we hear concerns District residents may have about this proposed rule, Norton said. Congress passed my bill to develop the Southwest Waterfront (the Wharf), which is still in progress, and the Washington Channel is increasingly being used for water taxis and forms of recreation that also provide tax revenue for D.C., such as kayaking, sailing and river events. I'd like to at least allow time for thorough discussion of potential consequences for closing the Channel for those most affected before this rule change proceeds.\nThe full letter is below.\n\nNovember 6, 2020\n\nGeneral Scott Spellmon\n55th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General\nU.S. Army Corps of Engineers\n441 G Street NW\nWashington, DC 20314\n\nDear General Spellmon:\nI write to request a 60-day extension of the comment period and a public meeting during the extended comment period on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) revised proposed rule (COE-2019-0010) restricting public access to the Washington Channel next to Fort McNair in the District of Columbia. After speaking with the District of Columbia government and other interested parties, I am concerned that the current comment period for this revised proposed rule, which is scheduled to end on November 12, 2020, does not provide sufficient time for public input, particularly since interested parties have significant concerns with the revised proposed rule.\nI thank USACE for extending, at my request, the comment period on the original version of the proposed rule and ask for the same accommodation on the revised proposed rule. The revised proposed rule was published on October 13, 2020. However, my office was not made aware that the revised proposed rule had been published until October 22, 2020, and many interested parties were not aware either until my office informed them.\nCongress passed my bill to redevelop the Southwest Waterfront, and the Wharf will be one of the sites most affected by the revised proposed rule. The Wharf has reinvigorated community engagement on the waterfront and has generated considerable tax revenue for the District. The Washington Channel is increasingly used for regional transportation (water taxis) and recreation (kayaking, paddle boarding, sailing, motorboating and river events). This stretch past Fort McNair in Southwest is the only connection to the Potomac River. We are particularly concerned that the proposed restrictions may force kayaks and other recreational boats into the same space as water taxis and cruise ships, potentially causing injury.\nGiven that the comment period is scheduled to end on November 12, 2020, I request a written response by November 9, 2020, regarding an extension of the comment period and a public meeting.\n\n\nSincerely,\n\nEleanor Holmes Norton", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-to-hold-virtual-veterans-day-event-today-honoring-women-veterans", "Norton to Hold Virtual Veterans Day Event Today Honoring Women Veterans from Each Branch of the Military", "2020-11-10", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will hold a virtual event honoring four District of Columbia women veterans from each branch of the military today, November 10, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. in honor of Veterans Day. The event will showcase what it means to be a woman in the armed services, who have received so little attention, while honoring the sacrifices of veterans from the District.\nD.C. veterans have fought and died in every war since the American Revolution, thus far without a full vote in Congress or the benefits of full home rule, Norton said. I'm looking forward to speaking with these distinguished women, understanding more about their experiences in the armed services, and honoring their sacrifices to our country while acknowledging the lack of recognition they receive but so richly deserve.\nThe event will be live streamed at Facebook.com/CongresswomanNorton.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-wasting-no-time-in-gathering-dc-statehood-bill-cosponsors-for", "Norton Wasting No Time in Gathering D.C. Statehood Bill Cosponsors for Next Congress", "2020-11-10", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today said she is wasting no time in gathering original cosponsors for her District of Columbia statehood bill, which passed overwhelmingly in the House in June, for the next Congress. Norton's goal is to break the record number  155  of original cosponsors of the D.C. statehood bill in the House, which she set this Congress, and she is on track to do so.\nI've already begun gathering cosponsors for our D.C. statehood bill for the next Congress, which begins in January, Norton said. I'm encouraged by the significant support that statehood got with this year's House passage of the bill and in the number of cosponsors already in before the next Congress begins. As of now, we have 128 original cosponsors and expect more will be added before the 117th Congress convenes in January. I fully expect to surpass my previous record of 155 original cosponsors of the bill by then.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-introduces-resolution-honoring-dc-veterans-who-served-their-0", "Norton Introduces Resolution Honoring D.C. Veterans Who Served Their Nation Despite Being Denied Full Voting Representation in Congress and Home Rule", "2020-11-09", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced her annual Veterans Day resolution honoring the more than 30,000 D.C. veterans and their families, who served their country 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 to make D.C. veterans and other residents equal.\nResidents of the District of Columbia have fought and died for their country in every war since the Revolutionary War, which created our country, yet are still denied a full vote in Congress or full home rule, Norton said. My annual resolution honors their sacrifices. It also gives the most important reason for and encourages our progress on our D.C. statehood bill, which passed the House in June.\nNorton's resolution is below.\n\n\nRESOLUTION\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 H.R. 51, particularly in light of the service of District of Columbia veterans in every American war.\nWhereas on November 11, our Nation observes Veterans Day, a Federal holiday commemorating the men and women who served and sacrificed for their country;\nWhereas the service and sacrifice of all American veterans must be recognized;\nWhereas the service of approximately 30,000 residents of the District of Columbia in the Armed Forces is unparalleled because they served without voting representation in Congress and full local self-government;\nWhereas residents of the District of Columbia fought to create the United States, fighting for the Revolutionary War slogan of no taxation without representation, and have served in every war fought by the United States since;\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;\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;\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;\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;\nWhereas almost 200,000 District of Columbia residents have served in the military since World War I;\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;\nWhereas H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, 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\nWhereas H.R. 51 was passed by the House of Representatives on June 26, 2020: Now, therefore, be it\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 H.R. 51, particularly in light of the service of District of Columbia veterans in every American war.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-writes-federal-transit-administration-asking-for-public", "Norton Writes Federal Transit Administration Asking for Public Disclosure of Transit Agencies Choosing to Waive Title VI Equity Analysis", "2020-11-05", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today sent a letter to Acting Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) K. Jane Williams asking that any transit agency choosing not to conduct a Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 equity analysis publicly report that decision. The FTA is giving agencies under its jurisdiction the option during the coronavirus of waiving this analysis, which evaluates the impacts of proposed service and fare changes on Title VI-protected and low-income populations. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is one of the agencies not conducting a Title VI equity analysis.\nThe Title VI equity analysis is a tool required by the 1964 Civil Rights Act that protects people from discrimination based on their race, color, or national origin by any program that receives federal assistance, like public transportation programs, Norton said. I was alarmed to learn that some of these equity analyses have been waived, including for WMATA, which my constituents rely on for their daily needs. While I understand the pandemic has affected public transportation, the public should be aware of transit agencies waiving their rights under the law and why.\nThe full letter is below.\n\n\nNovember 5, 2020\n\nK. Jane Williams\nActing Administrator\nFederal Transit Administration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue SE\nWashington, DC 20590 \n\nDear Acting Administrator Williams:\nAs Chair of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, it has come to my attention that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is not requiring transit agencies to conduct a Title VI equity analysis for service cuts and changes made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I understand that FTA expects all transit agencies to take reasonable measures to implement changes to services or fares equitably to prevent unintentional discrimination. However, I am concerned that waiving the Title VI equity analysis could negatively impact the very communities this legislation is designed to protect. I ask that FTA require any transit agency that chooses not to conduct a full Title VI equity analysis to publicly report that decision. The public should be aware if transit agencies are waiving riders' rights under the law.\nAs you know, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in programs that receive federal funding.Normally, transit agencies would undergo an equity analysis for service cuts. While transit agencies require flexibility in dealing with the ongoing and serious impacts of the pandemic, it is essential that decisions about service levels and fare changes are made transparently. I want to ensure that persons protected under Title VI, who are often the most transit-dependent riders, are not negatively impacted by transit agencies waiving the Title VI equity analysis.\nI ask you to require transit agencies that waive their Title VI equity analysis to report that decision publicly and to provide transit agencies with guidance on how to ensure equitable service and fare changes during the pandemic. Please respond in writing by December 5, 2020.\n\n\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-to-hold-quarterly-community-meeting-with-the-national-park", "Norton to Hold Quarterly Community Meeting with the National Park Service and D.C. Residents", "2020-11-02", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will hold a virtual community meeting open to all District of Columbia residents with representatives from the National Park Service (NPS) on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. Her quarterly community meetings have been popular with her constituents. Virtually all D.C. neighborhood parks are within NPS's jurisdiction.\nOur parks, allowing us to get fresh air, have been our lifelines during this pandemic. My quarterly meetings have become the most effective way for me to hear from constituents and work to resolve concerns on issues related to parks and federal land that fall under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, Norton said. I look forward to hearing from my constituents.\nTo attend, email NortonEvents@mail.house.gov for the Zoom link. The event will be open to the public and to the media.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-beyer-applaud-department-of-justice-decision-they-fought-for-to", "Norton, Beyer Applaud Department of Justice Decision They Fought for to Allow Local Police Who are Part of Federal Task Forces to Wear Body Cameras", "2020-10-30", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) applauded last night's Department of Justice (DOJ) decision to allow local police officers who are on federal task forces to wear body cameras. Norton and Beyer have introduced two body camera bills: The first bill, which passed the House this year, would require all uniformed federal police officers to wear body cameras and have dashboard cameras in police vehicles, and the second bill would prohibit the federal government from refusing to work with local police departments that require their officers to wear body cameras, which would essentially codifyDOJ's new policy. DOJ had prohibited local police officers on federal task forces from wearingbody cameras.\nIn this year of increasing clashes and protests over police violence, it's particularly appropriate that the Department of Justice has taken this small step toward police accountability by allowing local police officers who are part of federal task forces to wear body cameras, Norton said. Local and federal police should always be on the same page, especially on a matter such as body cameras, whose effectiveness has been shown. This should be the first step toward full accountability, when both federal and local police officers will embrace appropriate use of body cameras.\nI'm glad to see that the Justice Department has reversed course after a year and a half of pursuing a backwards policy of discouraging local law enforcement from using body cameras, Beyer said. This is a step in the right direction, but it should never have been necessary and cost crucial time. Every federal officer should use body-worn cameras, and the Administration must embrace forward-thinking reforms that improve transparency and accountability of policing.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-gets-hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars-authorized-for-federal", "Norton Gets Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Authorized for Federal Construction, Leases and Renovations in D.C.", "2020-10-30", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure today said the committee last month approved prospectuses for the construction, leasing and renovation of federal office space in the District of Columbia valued at up to $873 million.\nKeeping federal agencies and bringing others here is always one of our priorities, Norton said. The D.C. economy and our residents benefit both from federal employees spending money in the District and from the federal funds spent on construction, leasing, and maintenance of federal buildings. Construction work done in concert with federal agencies is especially beneficial during the pandemic because most of it does not involve close contact. Moreover, D.C. residents are even more likely to be employed by federal agencies when they are located in the District.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-issues-statement-acknowledging-a-republican-s-historic-leadership", "Norton Issues Statement Acknowledging a Republicans Historic Leadership on D.C. Statehood", "2020-10-28", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) issued the following statement today regarding a Republican House Member's leadership on District of Columbia statehood before the District won home rule, after recently receiving a copy of the Congressional Record from June 16, 1971. D.C. resident Nelson F. Rimensnyder, who was on the staff of the Committee on the District of Columbia from 1975 to 1992, sent Norton a copy of the Congressional Record.\nAs we work for passage in the Senate of our D.C. statehood bill, we want to remind the country of a major D.C. statehood bill that was introduced not by a Democrat, but by a Republican, Rep. Fred Schwengel (R-IA), in 1971, long before I was elected to Congress. Rep. Schwengel began by introducing bills providing various versions of home rule. However, he moved to D.C. statehood after concluding that his home rule bills would only extend and not fully grant the rights of citizenship to those so entitled in the District.' It is noteworthy that Rep. Schwengel's statehood bill was introduced before the District got home rule in 1973 and when the District outnumbered 11 states in population.\nD.C. residents, Democrats and Republicans alike, should acknowledge the Republican who led the way to where we are today with House passage of the D.C. statehood bill. I am grateful to Nelson F. Rimensnyder for sending me the Congressional Record for June 16, 1971, which contained Rep. Schwengel's statement on the introduction of his statehood bill.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-statement-on-senate-confirmation-of-judge-amy-coney-barrett", "Norton Statement on Senate Confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett", "2020-10-26", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today commented on the Senate confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States. As Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus' (CBC) Judicial Nominations Task Force, Norton spent time reading Barrett's previous decisions and concluded that Judge Barrett's disregard for precedent posed considerable danger to the legitimacy of the Court and particularly to African Americans, who disproportionately rely on judicial precedents, such as those upholding the Affordable Care Act.\nAs an attorney, former tenured professor of law, and Member of Congress, I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution, and I believe Barrett's confirmation today poses danger to the body of laws supporting our country's founding documents, Norton said. As an African American and Chair of the CBC's Judicial Nominations Task Force, I must also call attention to the fact that communities of color disproportionately rely on the outcomes of cases about government policies that tend to be decided by the Supreme Court, like the expected decision about the Affordable Care Act this fall.\nBarrett's confirmation today advances neither the legitimacy of the Court nor the interests of the communities I represent. I will continue fighting for both.\nNorton previously sent letters with CBC Chair Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) to Senate Judiciary Committee leadership opposing confirmation of Barrett.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-to-improve-retirement-system-for-certain-workers", "Norton Introduces Bill to Improve Retirement System for Certain Workers Who Used to be Under D.C. Retirement System", "2020-10-23", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a billthat would correct a retirement issue for several categories of workers who used to be under the District of Columbia retirement system.\nIn 1997, Congress transferred several categories of workers who participated in D.C.'s defined contribution plan from 1987 to 1997 to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). However, those workers' service from 1987-1997 was not counted for purposes of creditable service or annuity amount in FERS. In 2009, an enacted Norton bill gave these employees the right to have this service counted for creditable service.\nNorton's new bill would allow these workers to buy into the FERS annuity amount for 1987-1997 by paying 1.3% of their base pay plus interest, essentially the employee contribution for this time.\nIt is important that these public servants get the full retirement benefits to which they are entitled, Norton said. Employees who served the District deserve to have the entirety of their service counted when determining the amount of the annuity they receive. This is a technical correction that I hope Congress can easily pass.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-bass-send-letter-to-senate-judiciary-committee-opposing-vote-on", "Norton, Bass Send Letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Opposing Vote on Supreme Court Nominee", "2020-10-20", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Judicial Nominations Task Force, and CBC Chair Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) sent a letter today to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) opposing the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.\nAs chair of the CBC's Judicial Nominations Task Force, my investigation into Judge Barrett's writings and record on the Court of Appeals compel me to raise strong objections again to her nomination to the Supreme Court, Norton said. Her disregard for precedent endangers hard-won precedents that African Americans disproportionately rely upon, such as the Affordable Care Act.\nThe letter follows.\n\nOctober 19, 2020\n\nThe Honorable Lindsey Graham The Honorable Dianne Feinstein\nChairman  Ranking Member\nJudiciary Committee  Judiciary Committee\nUnited States Senate  United States Senate\nWashington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510\n\nDear Chairman Graham and Ranking Member Feinstein:\n\nAdherence to the consistent rule of law, no matter which political party is in power, and equal protection under the law, are the core tenets of our legal system and indeed of society itself. With these principles in mind, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) strongly opposes Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court. Confirming Judge Barrett to the Supreme Court would violate these fundamental principles of American constitutionalism because her confirmation would break with precedent to advance the power of one political party over another. A Justice Barrett would likely abolish long-standing precedents that have protected the rights of minorities, women and the LGBTQ community for decades. That her confirmation would come within days of the presidential election is unprecedented and deeply troubling.\nWe have written before that it is outrageous that the Senate is moving so quickly on this nominee when the Senate refused to consider President Barack Obama's nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court 10 months before the end of a Congress. Senate Republicans claimed at the time that the Senate should not act on any Supreme Court nominee during an election year, and affirmed that they would not consider any nominee by a then-hypothetical President Donald Trump in 2020. That rule has been abandoned. Indeed, Republicans in 2016 argued that the presidential primary had already started, which, in their view, precluded consideration of a Supreme Court nominee. Today, however, they do not want to adhere to this precedent even while almost 30 million Americans have already cast votes in the general election. If Judge Barrett were to be confirmed, it would be after nomination by a president who lost the popular vote in 2016, by a Senate where Republicans represent fewer Americans and received fewer votes than the Democrats, and where both the President and the Republican Senate majority appear to be in a precarious position going into next month's election. A vote now to confirm Judge Barrett would be a staggering blow to the American judicial system itself.\nAs members of the CBC, we naturally begin our analysis with how a likely judicial nominee's future opinions would impact the rights of African Americans and other minorities. On this, Judge Barrett's professed judicial philosophy would represent a considerable departure from long-standing Supreme Court precedent and a blow to the protections for minorities our Constitution has long ensured. Indeed, Judge Barrett has written more than once that originalism and the pursuit of original public meaning would necessarily lead to the reversal of Brown v. Board of Education. While Judge Barrett has argued that, despite this, Brown would likely survive because it is a super precedent, her mere suggestion that Brown may have been incorrectly decided because it was not decided in accordance with original public meaning and that the original public meaning of the Constitution is the law should disqualify her. Her claimed adherence to preservation of such apparently wrongly decided precedents, but which are now super precedents, however, does not give us optimism for how she would classify other important precedents that protect civil rights and liberties that she may not deem super precedents. (Nor does she indicate how she would decide which decisions are super precedents, beyond her own determination. For example, she has suggested that strong public support for the decision would indicate a super precedent, but she has said that Roe v. Wade, which enjoys overwhelming public support, is not a super precedent.) Indeed, Judge Barrett has gone so far as to opine that, [t]he issue is not, as is commonly assumed, a matter of stare decisis: the force of these super precedents derives not from the Court's decision to afford them precedential strength but from the People's choice to accept them. She goes on to say that the only reason that they remain as precedent is because individuals no longer challenge them in court, not because of their inherent correctness. However, many extremely important precedents of the Court that protect civil liberties and rights were written over the strong opposition of the people, and it is precisely because of the counter-majoritarian nature of the Supreme Court that minorities and others have enjoyed equal protection. She has also criticized the notion of stare decisis, the idea that decisions made in one case should be held to apply in similar future cases, and does not recognize it as stemming from the Constitution itself. Indeed, this is a radical departure from long-standing American jurisprudence.\nTroublingly, Judge Barrett has even gone so far as to insinuate that the Congress can ignore Supreme Court precedent it disagrees with. In one article, she wrote, Congress should perhaps give Supreme Court opinions the benefit of the doubt when it undertakes to evaluate their merits. Indeed, we suppose it should. In fact, perhaps in contradistinction to Judge Barrett, we believe that adherence to Marbury v. Madison's mandate that It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is is a bedrock principle of constitutional law that has protected every American against legislative and executive encroachment. This is especially important for African Americans, who rely on the Court more than most Americans to uphold their civil rights. Judge Barrett has even suggested that cases that do not adhere to her strict original public meaning interpretation are followed not because they are the law nor because they stand on solid ground. These cases do not stay in place because Supreme Court Justices continually reaffirm them  sometimes, as the hypothetical goes, against a Justice's first-order of commitments. These cases stay in place because the rules of adjudication keep the question of their validity off the table. We simply cannot accept as a justice someone who believes Brown v. Board of Education and so many other important civil rights cases should be upheld not because they are correct, but only because [of] the rules of adjudication. Acceptance of Brown's inherent legitimacy should be a litmus test for all judicial nominees.\nThere is ample evidence to suggest that Judge Barrett would overturn the Affordable Care Act. Confirming such a justice during what is perhaps the worst public health crisis in American history, and while the Senate refuses to act to address the coronavirus economic and health crisis, is unconscionable.\nIt also now appears that Judge Barrett has failed to report some of her speaking engagements to anti-choice groups on her documentation submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This is further reason to stop the rush to confirm this problematic nominee and delay consideration of her nomination.\nWithout going into the many troubling cases that she has already decided, it is evident that Judge Barrett's nomination presents a deeply disturbing possibility for the rule of law in this country. We implore you to soundly reject her nomination. Consideration of Judge Barrett's nomination now, when voting throughout the United States has already begun, would cast a cloak of illegitimacy over her ascendance to the Supreme Court.\n\n\nSincerely,\n                 \n____________________________ ____________________________________\nKaren Bass Eleanor Holmes Norton\nChair, Congressional Black Caucus Chair, CBC Judicial Nominations Task Force\n\n\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-releases-long-list-of-bills-she-stopped-this-congress-that-sought", "Norton Releases Long List of Bills She Stopped This Congress That Sought to Block D.C. Laws and Policies", "2020-10-16", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released a list of bills and amendments introduced or filed this Congress that sought to block District of Columbia laws and proposed policies or to establish a unique federal crime for conduct in D.C. Norton said the repeated volume of bills in defiance of D.C. home rule is one of the many reasons she is working hard to get her House-passed D.C. statehood bill through the Senate.\nI am publishing this Congress' list of Republican attempts to take down D.C. laws, not because it is so long but because it is so typical, Norton said. I have pushed virtually all of them back, but I prefer to spend my time writing, not scrapping, bills.\nThe list is below.\nHome Rule\nAbortion\n \nSen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) introduced the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2019 (S. 109/H.R. 20), which, among other things, permanently prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on abortion, prohibits D.C. employees from providing abortions, prohibits abortion in D.C. facilities and defines D.C. as part of the federal government for purposes of abortion.\n\tThe House-passed Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 21) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on abortion in FY 19.\n\tThe House-passed Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 264) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on abortion in FY 19.\n\tThe House-passed Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 648) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on abortion in FY 19.\n\tSenate Republican leadership amendment to the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 268) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on abortion in FY 19.\n\tThe Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 116-6) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on abortion in FY 19.\n\tRep. Martha Roby (R-AL) amendment at the House Appropriations Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020(H.R. 3351) that prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on abortion in FY 20.\n\tRep. Martha Roby (R-AL) offered an amendment at the House Rules Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020(H.R. 3351) that prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on abortion in FY 20.\n\tThe Senate Appropriations Committee-passed Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020 (S. 2524) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on abortion in FY 20.\n\tThe Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-93) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on abortion in FY 20.\n\tRep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) offered an amendment at the House Appropriations Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 7668) that prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on abortion in FY 21.\n \nEducation \n \nRep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) introduced the Educational Freedom Accounts Act (H.R. 778), which requires D.C. to fund education savings accounts for tuition and other private education expenses.\n\tRep. Jim Banks (R-IN) introduced the Child Safety Accounts Act (H.R. 2538), which requires D.C. to fund education savings accounts, as well as to providetaxpayers with a 100% tax credit against income taxes for donations to education savings accounts. .\n \nEntheogenic Plants and Fungi\n \nRep. Andy Harris (R-MD) offered and withdrew an amendment at the House Appropriations Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 7668) that blocks D.C from spending its funds to enact or implement Initiative 81 (the Entheogenic Plant and Fungus Policy Act of 2020)or any similar law in FY 21, unless the person had a recommendation from a doctor.\n \nHealth Care\n \nRep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) filed an amendment at the House Rules Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 264) prohibiting D.C. from spending its local funds to carry out the Health Insurance Requirement Act in FY 19.\n\tRep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) filed an amendment at the House Rules Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 264) prohibiting D.C. from spending its local funds to seize assets to enforce the tax penalty in the Health Insurance Requirement Act in FY 19.\n \nDeath with Dignity\n \nRep. Ann Wagner (R-MO) filed an amendment at the House Rules Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020(H.R. 3351) prohibiting D.C. from spending its local funds to carry out the Death with Dignity Act in FY 20.\n \nMarijuana\n \nThe House-passed Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 21) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on enacting recreational marijuana commercialization legislation in FY 19.\n\tThe House-passed Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 264) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on enacting recreational marijuana commercialization legislation in FY 19.\n\tThe House-passed Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 648) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on enacting recreational marijuana commercialization legislation in FY 19.\n\tSenate Republican leadership amendment to the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 268) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on enacting recreational marijuana commercialization legislation in FY 19.\n\tConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 116-6) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on enacting recreational marijuana commercialization legislation in FY 19.\n\tThe Senate Appropriations Committee-passed Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020 (S. 2524) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on enacting recreational marijuana commercialization legislation in FY 20.\n\tThe Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-93) prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on enacting recreational marijuana commercialization legislation in FY 20.\n \nNon-Discrimination\n \nRep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) filed an amendment at the House Rules Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 264) prohibiting D.C. from spending its local funds to carry out the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act in FY 19.\n\tRep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) filed an amendment at the House Rules Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020(H.R. 3351) prohibiting D.C. from spending its local funds to carry out the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act in FY 20. \n\tRep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) filed an amendment at the House Rules Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2021(H.R. 7617) prohibiting D.C. from spending its local funds to carry out the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act in FY 21.\n \nSex Work \n \nRep. Andy Harris (R-MD) offered an amendment at the House Appropriations Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020(H.R. 3351) prohibiting D.C. from spending its local funds on enacting legalization of or reducing penalties for soliciting commercial sex in FY 20.\n\tRep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) filed an amendment at the House Rules Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020(H.R. 3351) prohibiting D.C. from spending its local funds to reduce penalties for commercial sex in FY 20.\n\tRep. Ann Wagner (R-MO) filed an amendment at the House Rules Committee to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020(H.R. 3351) expressing the sense of the House that D.C. should not decriminalize commercial sex.\n \nRetrocession\n \nRep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) introduced a bill (H.R. 8539) to retrocede D.C. to Maryland.\n\tRep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) introduced a bill (H.R. 8516) to retrocede D.C. to Maryland.\n \nStreets\n \nSen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced a bill to designate the area between the intersections of 16th Street NW and Fuller Street NW and 16th Street NW and Euclid Street NW as \"Oswaldo Paya Way\" (S. 4267).\n \nCongressional Review Period \n \nRep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) introduced the District of Columbia Home Rule Improvement Act (H.R. 4445), which increases the congressional review period for D.C. legislation to 60 days and expands the fast-track disapproval procedures.\n \nCreating Unique Federal Crimes for Conduct in D.C.\nFemale Genital Mutilation\n \nRep. Scott Perry (R-PA) and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Federal Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act of 2019 (H.R. 3583/S. 2017), which, among other things, makes it a special federal crime to perform female genital mutilation in D.C.\n\tSen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 (S. 2920), which, among other things, makes it a special federal crime to perform female genital mutilation in D.C..\n \nLabor\n \nRep. Francis Rooney (R-FL) introduced the Freedom From Union Violence Act of 2019 (H.R. 4256), which, among other things, makes it a special federal crime to commit violence in D.C. in connection with a labor dispute.\n \n \nRep Ralph Norman (R-SC) filed an amendment at the House Rules Committee to the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019 (H.R. 2474) that, among other things, makes it a special federal crime to commit violence in D.C. in connection with a labor dispute.\n \n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/joint-statement-on-charges-filed-against-us-park-police-officers-in-the", "Joint Statement on Charges Filed Against U.S. Park Police Officers in the Killing of Bijan Ghaisar", "2020-10-15", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In response to Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano announcing charges filed against the two U.S. Park Police officers for the 2017 killing of Bijan Ghaisar, U.S. Representatives Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) and Don Beyer (D-VA) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) issued the following statement:", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-says-bills-to-thwart-dc-statehood-show-republicans-fear-statehood", "Norton Says Bills to Thwart D.C. Statehood Show Republicans Fear Statehood Momentum", "2020-10-14", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Moreover, Maryland residents, who have only one large city, Baltimore, have never indicated or voted to add another, the District of Columbia. In fact, Maryland's most senior Member, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, is not only a cosponsor of our D.C. statehood bill, he wrote a Washington Post op-ed piece strongly promoting D.C. statehood.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/tonight-norton-to-hold-virtual-hispanic-heritage-month-event-with", "Tonight: Norton to Hold Virtual Hispanic Heritage Month Event with Hispanic Journalists", "2020-10-14", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will hold a virtual event this evening, October 14, 2020 at 7:00 PM to engage the LatinX community about how important Hispanic journalists are for telling LatinX stories. Hispanic journalists from NBC, Telemundo and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists will participate in the event, which will be live streamed at Facebook.com/CongresswomanNorton and open to the media.\nIn my final event during Hispanic Heritage Month, I'm looking forward to hearing from Hispanic journalists themselves, Norton said. I'm especially interested in hearing how they have covered the pandemic, which has hit Hispanic workers particularly hard, and in answering any questions they have about my positions and legislation.\nThe event will be live streamed at Facebook.com/CongresswomanNorton.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-joins-national-capital-region-delegation-statement-on-white-house", "Norton Joins National Capital Region Delegation Statement on White House Coronavirus Outbreak", "2020-10-06", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and U.S. Representatives John Sarbanes (D-MD), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Anthony Brown (D-MD), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), and David Trone (D-MD) issued the following statement today:\nWe represent the people of the National Capital Region. We are alarmed and dismayed by the casual disregard for the health of our community, including constituents who work at the White House as staff, agents or officers of the United States Secret Service, journalists of the White House Correspondents Association, and the general public.\nDaily announcements of new infections among the political, press, and custodial staff show that the coronavirus outbreak at the White House is out of control.\nWe call upon the White House Chief of Staff to take prompt steps to help control the spread of the virus among people who work for or around the President, including:\n An immediate commitment to total transparency with staff, press, and the public;\n\tDisclosure of the date of the President's most recent negative COVID-19 test result, which is vital for a full understanding of who might have been exposed to infection;\n\tRelease of the total number of positive tests among White House personnel;\n\tExpedited contact tracing to identify and notify anyone who came into contact with the President or infected staff within the period of time when they were contagious;\n\tCooperation with local and state health departments to assist their contact tracing efforts;\n\tRequirements that face coverings be worn by all persons inside the White House, on White House grounds, and inside executive office buildings;\n\tRequirements that all persons without exception observe social distancing, and quarantine following exposure to infected individuals;\n\tMaximal use of telework to mitigate the public health risk to staff; and\n\tDirect, regular communication with White House personnel to share new information and explain steps being taken to protect their health and safety.\n This is no time for publicity stunts that put people at risk, or for playing down the seriousness of this pandemic. The American people will never trust the Administration to keep them safe if the White House cannot protect its own staff.\nTheir statement came amid multiple reports confirming that the White House failed to directly notify employees and others in harm's way of the infections of the President, First Lady, and their staff for several days as infections grew, took unnecessary risks that raised the risk of infecting additional people, and failed to initiate or cooperate with contact tracing efforts in the District of Columbia, New Jersey, Ohio, Minnesota, and Virginia.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-releases-bop-response-to-her-concerns-about-registering-eligible", "Norton Releases BOP Response to Her Concerns About Registering Eligible D.C. Inmates to Vote, Calls for Additional Coordination with D.C.", "2020-10-06", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released the Federal Bureau of Prisons' (BOP) response to the letter [link] she sent demanding BOP work closer with the D.C. Board of Elections (BOE) to ensure D.C. inmates in BOP, who are now eligible to vote, are registered to vote. Norton wrote to BOP after learning that BOP had not provided BOE information on where inmates were housed. D.C. recently enacted legislation making incarcerated felons eligible to vote.\nI appreciate the response resp from the Federal Bureau of Prisons to my letter about D.C. inmate voting, Norton said. I particularly appreciate that BOP appears to be working to inform D.C. inmates about their voting rights. However, I continue to call on BOP to send the D.C. Board of Elections information on specific inmates and where they are housed, especially in future elections, as it is largely too late for the 2020 election. Because this is public information, sharing this information would not seem to violate any law. If BOP continues to refuse to release this information, I will be forced to introduce legislation to require sharing this information, which is already publicly available.\nBOP's response follows:\n\n\nOctober 5, 2020\n\nThe Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton\nUnited States Congresswoman\n90 K. Street, N.E., Suite 100\nWashington, D.C. 20002-4203\nRe: D.C. Inmate Voter Registration\n\nDear Congresswoman Norton:\nThis letter is in response to your September 30, 2020, inquiry regarding the Bureau of Prisons' (BOP) cooperation with the District of Columbia Board of Elections (BOE) in advising D.C. inmates of their right to vote in the upcoming 2020 election and facilitating voter registration.\nIn order to protect individual privacy, and in accordance with Title 28 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), section 513.34(b), the BOP does not release personal identifying information without explicit consent of the inmates. Therefore, in this instance, the BOP, in cooperation with the BOE, took action to disseminate D.C. voter registration information to inmates electronically to all inmates in BOP custody. In addition to the electronic information, the BOP also provided voter information and registration materials at the institution level through the Re-Entry Affairs Coordinator (RAC) at each institution.\nAs early as August 27, 2020, the BOP sent the first of three electronic messages to all BOP inmates regarding D.C. resident voter registration through the Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System (TRULINCS). These messages, captioned with a banner titled D.C. Residents, specifically notified D.C. inmates convicted of felony offenses of their eligibility to register and vote in the upcoming election. These emails contained informational materials detailing the criteria for registration eligibility, registration instructions, and printable voter registration forms in both English and Spanish. Additionally, the BOP electronically disseminated voter information materials provided by the League of Women Voters. The BOP also directed the BOE to mail voter registration forms and prepaid, self-addressed envelopes to all institutions and contract facilities for inmates to complete and mail their registration information. These steps ensured D.C. inmates had access to the voter registration materials electronically through the inmate email system and physically through the resource center at each institution. To facilitate registration, the BOP provided the BOE with contact information of the RAC at each institution. The RACs maintain voter registration information and registration materials. Voter information and registration materials were also provided at the request of Disability Rights DC at University Legal Services to provide an enhanced level of support for inmates who require assistance with registration due to disabilities. Similarly, 14 visually-impaired inmates received hand-delivered voter registration materials to be completed with assistance.\nAccording to the BOE, the BOP's efforts have resulted in the successful registration of approximately 300 D.C. inmates to date for the November 2020 election. The BOE reported an additional 50 inmates returned registration forms but have not yet been registered due to errors on the registration forms. The BOP is working with the BOE to contact those 50 inmates and correct their registration forms. The BOP continues to make D.C. voter registration information and mailing materials available to all D.C. inmates.\nI trust this is responsive to your inquiry.\n\n\nSincerely,\n\nKen Hyle\nAssistant Director/General Counsel\n\n\nCongresswoman Norton's original letter follows:\n\nSeptember 30, 2020\n\nMichael Carvajal\nDirector\nFederal Bureau of Prisons\n320 First Street NW\nWashington, DC 20534\n\nDear Director Carvajal:\n\nAs you know, the District of Columbia recently enacted legislation making incarcerated felons eligible to vote. I write with concern about the apparent lack of cooperation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) in carrying out that law.\nI understand from public reporting that the D.C. Board of Elections (BOE) has requested from BOP a list of prisoners' names and where they are housed, but has only received from BOP a list of facilities housing D.C. residents, not prisoners' names. BOP has apparently informed BOE it can only share information on specific prisoners for law enforcement purposes, not for voting. This is very disturbing as D.C. residents, including D.C. Code felons, are housed in BOP facilities across the country, and BOE must be able to reach each of them to inform them of their right to vote. Moreover, the name and location of inmates is public information and is posted on BOP's website, though it does not include their home jurisdiction. There is no reason the names and locations of inmates from D.C. should not be provided to BOE.\nI ask that you make this information available immediately to BOE and that you provide a written response by October 5, 2020.\n\nSincerely,\n\nEleanor Holmes Norton\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-sends-letter-to-white-house-physician-seeking-answers-on-contact", "Norton Sends Letter to White House Physician Seeking Answers on Contact Tracing", "2020-10-06", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today sent a letter to Dr. Sean Conley, physician to the President and head of the White House Medical Unit, expressing concern about the failure of the White House to provide contact tracing during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak among staff, visitors, and the President himself. In her letter, Norton says that the District of Columbia has worked hard to become among the best at coronavirus containment, but the lax way the White House has responded to the outbreak and its failure to do contact tracing threaten D.C. residents.\nAs the only representative of our nation's capital in Congress, I have worked endlessly to prevent the spread of this deadly disease and limit its effects on the people I represent, Norton said. The White House's  and particularly the President's  recklessness jeopardizes these last eight months of work. Many White House staffers live in the District, and the President's actions and the White House's refusal to adequately follow up with contact tracing risks the lives of D.C. residents.\nThe letter, which follows below, asks for answers from Dr. Conley to four questions by October 13, 2020.\n\nDr. Sean Conley\nPhysician to the President\nThe White House\n1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW\nWashington, DC 20500\n\nDear Dr. Conley:\n\n I write with urgent concern regarding the White House's apparently failure to conduct adequate contact tracing for the coronavirus for White House staff and visitors, many of whom work and live in D.C., following the recent outbreak that has impacted numerous White House staff and visitors and the president.\n The District of Columbia has done a much better job containing the coronavirus than many places in the United States, but this recent outbreak puts D.C.'s relative success at risk. Many White House staffers live in the District, and it is imperative that their D.C. neighbors are aware of the risks associated with this ongoing outbreak at the White House.\n When a D.C. resident tests positive in D.C. from their health care provider or at a community testing center, that information is shared with D.C. Health, and the District can conduct contact-tracing. However, when a White House staffer tests positive from one of your tests, this information is not shared with D.C. I understand that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has asked about this situation and has offered D.C.'s assistance in contact tracing, but has not yet received a response from the White House. Indeed, since the recent outbreak at the White House, testing in D.C. has increased in the last several days as has the overall number of new infections.\n Given the urgency of this matter, I ask that you respond, in writing, by October 13, 2020, answering the following questions:\n Why has your office so far refused to work with D.C. to conduct contact tracing based on the recent positive cases coming out of the White House?\n\t\t\n\tHave you and your staff worked with the Centers for Disease Control or any other institution to contact trace from positive cases coming from the White House?\n\t\t\n\tWhat is your contact tracing process and with whom is information from the contact tracing shared? Has this process changed given the recent uptick in positive cases amongst White House staff and the First Family?\n\t\t\n\tHas anybody from the White House directed you not to conduct contact tracing?\n \n\nSincerely,\n\nEleanor Holmes Norton\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-critiques-republican-constitutional-amendment-that-purports-to", "Norton Critiques Republican Constitutional Amendment that Purports to Limit Size of Senate, Prohibit Future D.C. Senators", "2020-10-05", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a former tenured professor of law at the Georgetown University Law Center, today released the following statement on the constitutional amendment introduced by Congressman Mark Walker (R-NC) regarding Senate representation. The amendment would state, The Senate of the United States shall be composed of Senators who are from States admitted to the Union prior to the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress. (The 116th Congress, the current Congress, ends in January 2021.)\nCongressman Walker's proposed constitutional amendment, which makes no sense on its face, shows that opponents of District of Columbia statehood are afraid of the overwhelming support our D.C. statehood bill received, even from House Members from red states, when it passed this year. This proposed constitutional amendment shows that Republicans are finally conceding that D.C. statehood is constitutional, inevitable and only a constitutional amendment can stop it. He also understands that to change the way new states have always been admittedby simple legislationwould require a constitutional amendment. That would require a two-thirds vote of both Houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states. The last constitutional amendment was ratified over a quarter of a century ago.\nWalker's amendment is incoherent because it ignores, and does not even try to repeal, the requirement in Article V of the Constitution that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.' This, of course, means that every state is entitled to two Senators unless, incomprehensibly, they agree not to have them. Walker's amendment purports to block the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth from having equal representation in the Senate, yet it does not repeal this Article V provision.\nAll of this, though, is merely constitutional speculation because, unlike D.C. statehood, this amendment is going nowhere. The D.C. statehood bill passed the House earlier this summer with an overwhelming number of Members, including those from Repubican states, and over 90% of Senate Democrats are cosponsors of the D.C. statehood bill. Momentum is on our side. Republicans should not try to impose taxation without representation directly into the Constitution.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/press-release-norton-celebrates-national-park-service-s-50-year-lease", "PRESS RELEASE: Norton Celebrates National Park Services 50-Year Lease with National Links Trust for D.C.s Historic Golf Courses", "2020-10-05", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who has sought long-term investment to maintain the three public golf courses in the District of Columbia, today celebrated the announcement that the National Park Service (NPS) has signed a 50-year lease with National Links Trust (NLT) to operate the three historic golf courses here, which are all owned by NPS. NLT will begin management of the East Potomac, Langston and Rock Creek golf courses today.\nWith the signing of the lease, we have finally achieved the public-private partnership that will infuse desperately needed capital into these golf courses to maintain and preserve their historic features while making them fully available to the public, Norton said. Congress created the first of these golf courses in the 1920s, but never allocated the necessary funding to maintain them. I introduced legislation in 2014 for the public-private partnership announced today to increase use by our residents and our many tourists.\nFor the three golf courses, NLT will:\n Provide affordable opportunities to golf at East Potomac, Langston and Rock Creek golf courses.\n\tExpand opportunities for underserved communities, including seniors, veterans, individuals with disabilities and those new to golf.\n\tPromote youth education and support youth golf programs in collaboration with local and national youth golf organizations.\n\tShare the history of the three golf courses.\n\tRestore historically and architecturally significant elements of the properties.\n\tEnhance and provide additional access to the natural environment to benefit both golfers and the general community.\n\tProvide new full-time, seasonal and youth-specific employment opportunities.\n\tAddress deferred maintenance needs across all three courses.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passed-updated-heroes-act-provides-retroactive-and-equal-funding", "House-Passed Updated Heroes Act Provides Retroactive and Equal Funding for D.C.", "2020-10-02", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that her District of Columbia priorities were included in the updated Heroes Act, which the House passed yesterday. The $2.2 trillion bill includes provisions uniquely vital to the District, including state-, city-, and county-level fiscal relief for the District, since D.C. provides each level of service; $755 million in retroactive CARES Act fiscal relief to fix D.C.'s treatment as a territory instead of a state in the CARES Act, considering that D.C. is almost always treated as a state for federal funding; and authorization for D.C. to participate in the Federal Reserve's Municipal Liquidity Facility. These three D.C. provisions were also included in the original House-passed Heroes Act.\n\n\tIn addition to the D.C. provisions, the updated Heroes Act contains many priorities Norton pressed for, including direct payments of $1,200 per family member, $600 per week in unemployment compensation, rental assistance, and increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.\n\t\n\tWhile this bill is over a trillion dollars less than the original Heroes Act, I was able to get equal funding and treatment for the District of Columbia, as was the case in the original Heroes Act, Norton said.Democrats have compromised well beyond what is needed in order to provide at least some desperately needed funds. Individuals and families across the country are struggling to keep their heads above water. There is no logic in the Senate further delaying this bill. I have no doubt that the President would sign this bill if the Senate passed it.\n\t\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-norton-s-women-who-worked-on-the-home-front-world-war-ii", "House Passes Nortons Women Who Worked on the Home Front World War II Memorial Act", "2020-10-02", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today said she was especially pleased that the House yesterday passed her Women Who Worked on the Home Front World War II Memorial Act. During the debate on the bill, Norton paid tribute to her constituent Raya Kenney, who was a student when she brought the idea to Norton and is now set to raise funds to establish the memorial on federal land in the District of Columbia.\nIn her floor remarks, Norton said, in part: A 17-year old constituent of mine, Raya Kenney, the founder of the Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation -- yes, her own foundation  came up with the idea to honor the women on the home front who supported the World War II effort. Raya wondered why the women on the home front, whose efforts were so instrumental in maintaining the stability of the country during World War II, have not received much recognition for their contributions compared to the men who fought bravely in World War II.\nThis bill would authorize the Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation to establish a memorial to honor these women. The memorial is designed to be interactive and to educate visitors on the important roles women played during World War II. No Federal funds would be required.\nBetween 1940 and 1945, the percentage of women in the workforce increased from 27 percent to nearly 37 percent. And by 1945, 1-in-4 married women worked outside the home. The work done by woman on the home front opened doors for women in the workplace generally and had a profound effect on the job market going forward, and even up to today. As a result of their efforts, women on the home front redefined many occupations that were especially considered men's work.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-bill-to-permanently-remove-statue-of-confederate-general-albert", "Norton Bill to Permanently Remove Statue of Confederate General Albert Pike Passes in Committee", "2020-10-02", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today thanked Chairman Ral Grijalva and the House Natural Resources Committee for passing her bill to permanently remove the statue of Confederate General Albert Pike from federal land near Judiciary Square in the District of Columbia. This is the final legislative step before House floor consideration of the bill.\n\tNorton introduced the bill on July 30, 2019. The statue was authorized in 1898 by Congress, not the District, at a time when D.C. lacked home rule. Norton testified at a hearing on the bill in July 2020, following the statue's extrajudicial removal by demonstrators the prior month. Her bill gives congressional backing to the clear will of D.C. residents. \n\t\n\tIt is important to note that I met with the Freemasons, who donated the statue to the federal government in 1898 in honor of Albert Pike, who was a member, and that the freemasons now themselves support the removal of the statue due to its divisive nature, Norton said. Albert Pike stained this nation's history. Pike was the least deserving of a statue, particularly in the nation's capital. He was forced to resign in disgrace, his soldiers were found to have mutilated the bodies of Union soldiers, and he was ultimately imprisoned after his fellow officers reported that he had been misappropriating funds. This statue belongs in a museum where historical context can be provided, not in the everyday space of D.C. residents.\n\t\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-bill-on-national-children-s-museum-passes-in-committee-0", "Norton Bill on National Childrens Museum Passes in Committee", "2020-10-01", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that one of her top priorities, her National Children's Museum Act (H.R. 5919), passed in the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure yesterday. The bill would provide rent-free space to the National Children's Museum (NCM) for the duration of its lease in the federally owned Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in the District of Columbia. Because the bill passed unanimously, Norton is optimistic about getting it through the House and Senate and signed into law.\nNCM is the only congressionally-designated museum that pays rent in a federal building. NCM, which is the nation's first combination children's museum and science center, must charge admission to offset expenses. The coronavirus health and economic crisis has put NCM in danger of closing. Norton worked hard to get the museum's lifesaver bill through committee to save the NCM from folding.\n\"For far too long, D.C. has been one of the only major U.S. cities without a children's museum, Norton said. The National Children's Museum will bring visitors to D.C. from throughout the U.S. and the world with money to spend here. The bill's passage in committee today is a victory for the Museum, the nation's capital, and especially for our children.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-cbc-send-letter-to-senate-leadership-opposing-consideration-of", "Norton, CBC Send Letter to Senate Leadership Opposing Consideration of SCOTUS Nominee Before Inauguration", "2020-10-01", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Judicial Nomination Task Force, and CBC Chair Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA), today released a letter they sent to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) opposing the consideration of any nominee to the Supreme Court before the next president is inaugurated.\nWe must protect the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, Norton said. If the Senate rushes to consider a nominee at this point  after voting this year has already started  it risks calling that legitimacy into question, Norton said. Moreover, as a Member of Congress representing one of the largest Black constituencies in the country and a member of the CBC, it's critically important to me to have the time required to do due diligence on any nominee's record on racial justice.\nThe letter follows.\n\n\nSeptember 30, 2020\n\nThe Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Charles Schumer\nMajority Leader  Minority Leader\nUnited States Senate  United States Senate\nWashington, DC 20510  Washington, DC 20510\n\nDear Leader McConnell and Leader Schumer:\n\nWe write to express our strong opposition to considering Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination, or any nomination, to the Supreme Court with 34 days left until election day on November 3, 2020. As African American Members of Congress, we are in the process of studying Judge Barrett's opinions and writings on issues affecting people of color, but we write now in opposition to considering any nominee to the Supreme Court until after the next president is inaugurated. To consider any nominee so close to a presidential election while voting is occurring raises questions of legitimacy for the nominee and the Supreme Court itself. The process of confirming a judicial nominee to a lifetime appointment on the nation's highest court should be carefully evaluated, and not rushed through so close to a national election.\nAs members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), a primary focus, given our history in this country, is always on ensuring equal rights for all. Our interest in the Supreme Court, as representatives of the nation's largest constituencies of African Americans, is greater than that of most Americans in light of past and continuing discrimination. Deliberation on a proposed nominee is essential for us.\nWe should allow the people to decide this election before the Senate acts on any nominee, especially considering that voting in the election has already begun. Polls show that a clear majority of the American people believe that a new justice should be selected after the November election. It is impossible to justify considering a nominee less than a month and a half before the election when Republicans left vacant for 10 months the seat that President Barack Obama was not allowed to fill. The vacancy at the end of Obama's term was the longest vacancy on a nine-member Supreme Court in American history.\nConfirming a Supreme Court justice could leave the American people with a new justice nominated by a president who lost the popular vote in 2016 and polls show might lose both the popular and the electoral college majority this year, and confirmed by a Republican Senate whose majority is equally in doubt within days of the next election.\nIt does a disservice to the current nominee to proceed now as voting has begun, as she seeks to cast herself as impartial and above the politics of any given moment. It does a disservice to the American people to deprive them of a say on the Supreme Court nomination before an election that is now upon them.\n\nSincerely,\n\nKaren Bass  Eleanor Holmes Norton\nChair, Congressional Black Caucus  Chair, CBC Judicial Nominations Task Force\n\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/today-norton-to-hold-virtual-hispanic-heritage-month-event-on-listening", "Today: Norton to Hold Virtual Hispanic Heritage Month Event on Listening & Learning from Leaders in the Latino Community", "2020-10-01", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will hold a virtual event today, October 1, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. on listening and learning from leaders in the Latino community. Eleven members of Norton's Congressional Latino Council (CLC), which is comprised of prominent Latino leaders from organizations throughout the District of Columbia, will participate.\n\"We're now in Hispanic Heritage Month, which makes it an especially appropriate time to hear from Latino leaders in D.C.,\" Norton said. \"I'm looking forward to a productive discussion with my CLC, which I started in 2009 to draw a more coherent and extensive agenda to serve my Hispanic constituents, who come from many backgrounds and have diverse needs. I'm very grateful to the distinguished members of our CLC for their willingness to serve and look forward to hearing from them this afternoon.\"\nThe event will be live streamed at Facebook.com/CongresswomanNorton.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-bill-on-national-children-s-museum-passes-in-committee", "Norton Bill on National Childrens Museum Passes in Committee", "2020-09-30", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that one of her top priorities, her National Children's Museum Act (H.R. 5919), passed in the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure today. The bill would provide rent-free space to the National Children's Museum (NCM) for the duration of its lease in the federally owned Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in the District of Columbia. Because the bill passed unanimously, Norton is optimistic about getting it through the House and Senate and signed into law.\nNCM is the only congressionally-designated museum that pays rent in a federal building. NCM, which is the nation's first combination children's museum and science center, must charge admission to offset expenses. The coronavirus health and economic crisis has put NCM in danger of closing. Norton worked hard to get the museum's lifesaver bill through committee to save the NCM from folding.\n\"For far too long, D.C. has been one of the only major U.S. cities without a children's museum, Norton said. The National Children's Museum will bring visitors to D.C. from throughout the U.S. and the world with money to spend here. The bill's passage in committee today is a victory for the Museum, the nation's capital, and especially for our children.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-calls-on-federal-bureau-of-prisons-to-share-information-with-dc", "Norton Calls on Federal Bureau of Prisons to Share Information with D.C. to Make It Easier for Inmates to Vote", "2020-09-30", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released the letter she sent today calling on the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to share information with the District of Columbia Board of Elections (BOE) to make it easier for inmates to register to vote and to receive their ballots. D.C. recently enacted legislation making incarcerated felons eligible to vote. However, according to public reporting, BOP has not provided BOE information on where inmates are housed, which would help BOE send inmates registration forms and ballots.\nThe District of Columbia has made it clear through its law that all inmates should be allowed to vote, Norton said. It is imperative that the Federal Bureau of Prisons provide the D.C. Board of Elections the information it needs to send voter registration forms and allots to incarcerated individuals for the November and future elections.\nNorton's letter follows:\n\nSeptember 30, 2020\n\nMichael Carvajal\nDirector\nFederal Bureau of Prisons\n320 First Street NW\nWashington, DC 20534\n\nDear Director Carvajal:\n As you know, the District of Columbia recently enacted legislation making incarcerated felons eligible to vote. I write with concern about the apparent lack of cooperation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) in carrying out that law.\n I understand from public reporting that the D.C. Board of Elections (BOE) has requested from BOP a list of prisoners' names and where they are housed, but has only received from BOP a list of facilities housing D.C. residents, not prisoners' names. BOP has apparently informed BOE it can only share information on specific prisoners for law enforcement purposes, not for voting. This is very disturbing as D.C. residents, including D.C. Code felons, are housed in BOP facilities across the country, and BOE must be able to reach each of them to inform them of their right to vote. Moreover, the name and location of inmates is public information and is posted on BOP's website, though it does not include their home jurisdiction. There is no reason the names and locations of inmates from D.C. should not be provided to BOE.\n I ask that you make this information available immediately to BOE and that you provide a written response by October 5, 2020.\n\n\nSincerely,\n\nEleanor Holmes Norton\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-compares-trump-tax-revelations-to-taxes-paid-by-dc-the-nation-s", "Norton Compares Trump Tax Revelations to Taxes Paid by D.C., the Nations Highest", "2020-09-28", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released a statement responding to the revelations about how little President Trump paid in federal income taxes in recent years.\nThe news about President Trump's taxes yesterday  he paid a total of $750 in federal income taxes during his first year in office despite repeatedly bragging that he is a billionaire  makeshis attacks on District of Columbia statehood even more outrageous, Norton said. At its core, the argument for D.C. statehood, which overwhelmingly passed in the House of Representatives in June, is the rallying cry of the Revolutionary War: No taxation without representation.'\nD.C. residents pay the highest taxes per capita in the nation, yet President Trump has repeatedly attacked the idea that the residents of our nation's capital deserve a vote in Congress. Yesterday's revelations further expose the hypocrisy of the man who currently holds the highest office in the country.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-reintroduces-mary-church-terrell-day-resolution-honoring-the-0", "Norton Reintroduces Mary Church Terrell Day Resolution, Honoring the Life of Civil Rights Activist and Suffragette", "2020-09-28", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reintroduced a resolution that would designate September 23rd as Mary Church Terrell Day, recognizing Mary Church Terrell's lasting contributions to the civil rights and women's rights movements. Mary Church Terrell, the daughter of freed slaves, moved to the District of Columbia in 1887 to become a teacher at M Street Colored High School, later known as Dunbar High School (Norton's alma mater).\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 she spent her life working to advance the status of African American women as a civil rights activist and suffragette.\nMary Church Terrell is well known for the battles she fought in the District of Columbia to demand a more equal America for Black women, Norton said. Her education empowered her to speak against the flaws of segregation and voter suppression. Our history books are littered with the accomplishment of men, but not enough of women who, like Mary Church Terrell, have worked to change the world.\nThe text of the resolution is below.\nExpressing support for the designation of September 23, 2020, as Mary Church Terrell Day, and calling on Congress to recognize Mary Church Terrell's lasting contributions to the civil rights and women's rights movements.\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell was born on September 23, 1863, in Memphis, Tennessee, to former slaves;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell's father, Robert Reed Church, was a successful businessman and one of the South's first African-American millionaires;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell attended the Antioch College laboratory school and Oberlin College;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell was one of the first African-American women to attend college;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell's belief in the importance of education led her to the District of Columbia in 1887;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell taught at the M Street Colored High School, now known as Paul Laurence Dunbar High School;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell was the first African-American woman in the United States to be appointed to a school board;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell believed that the end to racial discrimination could be achieved through education, work, and community activism;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell's activism was sparked by the lynching of an old friend, Thomas Moss, in 1892;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell used her position to fight racial and gender discrimination;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell participated in antilynching campaigns alongside Ida B. Wells-Barnett;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell led the fight to desegregate eating places in the District of Columbia;\nWhereas District of Columbia laws of 1872 and 1873 required all restaurants to serve any respectable, well-behaved person regardless of color;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell was 86 at the time she launched the campaign to enforce these civil rights laws;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell and several colleagues entered Thompson Restaurant in the District of Columbia on February 28, 1950;\nWhereas the group was refused service on the basis of their race;\nWhereas John R. Thompson Co., was prosecuted for violating these laws;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell continued her fight through boycotts, picketing, and sit-ins at restaurants around the District of Columbia;\nWhereas, on June 8, 1953, three years after the lawsuit was filed, the Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. John R. Thompson Co., held these laws were enforceable;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell also actively fought for women's suffrage;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell was president of the National Association of Colored Women;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell was one of the founders and charter members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People;\nWhereas Mary Church Terrell persuaded the National Association of University Women to admit Black members;\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\nWhereas September 23, 2020, would be an appropriate day to designate as Mary Church Terrell Day: Now, therefore, be it\nResolved, That the House of Representatives\n(1) supports the designation of Mary Church Terrell Day; and\n(2) calls on Congress to recognize Mary Church Terrell's legacy of civil rights and women's rights.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/tomorrow-norton-to-hold-virtual-event-on-importance-of-the-latinx-vote", "Tomorrow: Norton to Hold Virtual Event on Importance of the Latinx Vote in 2020", "2020-09-28", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will hold a virtual event tomorrow, September 29, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. with representatives from the advocacy groups Voto Latino and Unidos U.S. and from the D.C. Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs on the importance of the Latinx vote in 2020. The event will feature a conversation on the topic of voting.\nThe power to vote is important for all Americans, Norton said. In democracy, the vote is how we speak up. It is how we make the change we need. I'm looking forward to hearing from Latinx leaders on this important topic tomorrow.\nThe event will be live streamed on Norton's Facebook page at Facebook.com/CongresswomanNorton.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressional-black-caucus-urges-senate-not-to-consider-supreme-court", "Norton, CBC Urge Senate Not to Consider Supreme Court Nominee Until Next President Inaugurated", "2020-09-25", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congressional Black Caucus Judicial Nominations Task Force Chair Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) Congressional Black Caucus Chair Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) andtoday issued the following statement regarding the current Supreme Court vacancy:\nAlong with Americans throughout the country, we are devastated by the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg devoted her life first to fighting for justice and equality and then on the Court to expanding equality and devoting herself to the fair application of the law. She exhibited all of the qualities that are so desperately needed on the Court today, including sound reasoning, the ability to work with those with whom one disagrees, compassion and empathy. Her death puts our nation at a critical juncture in American history regarding the future course not only for the Supreme Court, but also for the idea of the rule of law itself in our country, perhaps for decades to come. The only sound course so close to an election is for the Senate to postpone consideration of a nominee for this open seat until after the inauguration of the next president.\nAs members of the Congressional Black Caucus, a primary focus, given our history in this country, is always on ensuring voting rights for all of America's citizens. In the last few years, we witnessed the Supreme Court gut the Voting Rights Act and make participation in American democracy more difficult than at any time since the Jim Crow era. After the disastrous Shelby County decision, which demolished the enforcement and pre-clearance mechanisms of the Voting Rights Act, at least 14 states enacted voting restrictions for the first time in a presidential election for the 2016 election, and there were at least 868 fewer polling places in the 2016 election than in past elections. The Court's majority claimed that it was unconstitutional to maintain which states needed Department of Justice approval before changing their voting laws based on the states discriminating at the time the law was written, claiming that some may have improved since then. However, as Justice Ginsburg expressed in her dissent in that case, it is precisely because of the Voting Rights Act's enforcement mechanisms that those states have moved away from discrimination and more Americans are able to vote. The evidence since then has only reinforced her accurate assessment.\nWe must allow the people to decide this election before the Senate acts on any nominee, especially considering that voting in the election has already begun. It is also the epitome of hypocrisy for the President and Senate Republicans to consider a nominee less than a month and a half before the election when they left vacant for 10 months the seat that President Barack Obama, the nation's first African American president, should have been allowed to fill. This was the longest vacancy on a nine-member Supreme Court in American history.\nRepublicans try to claim that they're gaining a net of two Senate seats in the 2018 midterms somehow qualifies them to confirm whomever Trump nominates, despite the clear rule they themselves established in 2016. First, this makes no sense because their argument against allowing President Obama's nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, even a hearing was purely on the grounds that it was an election year and that the people should have a say. However, even if this were a valid point, it should be noted that in the midterms, Democrats and the Independents who caucus with Democrats won 24 of the 35 Senate seats that were up for election and received 17 million more votes than the Republicans received. If anybody has a mandate on this issue, it is the Democrats.\nIt is particularly disconcerting that so many Senate Republicans have indicated that they will confirm whoever the President nominates, even before knowing who the nominee is. This, of course, comes after refusing even to hold a hearing on President Obama's nominee in 2016 before knowing who the president would nominate.\nOur Republican Senate colleagues would have the American people be forced to live under a new justice nominated by a president who lost the popular vote and confirmed by a Republican Senate that represents a minority of America, and begin doing so within days of the next election. Too much is at stake. We cannot let this happen.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-bass-and-27-house-members-send-letter-to-federal-aviation", "Norton, Bass and 27 House Members Send Letter to Federal Aviation Administration Following Inadequate Report on Aircraft Noise Mitigation Efforts", "2020-09-24", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) today released a letter they and 27 other Members of the House sent to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Stephen Dickson expressing concern about a recent FAA report regarding airplane noise metrics. Norton is a senior member of the Aviation Subcommittee and co-chair of the Quiet Skies Caucus. Bass is also a member of the Quiet Skies Caucus.\n\tAlong with my colleagues, I find the FAA's report wholly inadequate, Norton said. I fought successfully to include provisions in the enacted 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act that mandated that the FAA evaluate alternative airplane noise metrics and provide Congress a report of its findings, but this report shows the FAA didn't evaluate those alternative metrics. The FAA must provide Congress a report that meets the standards enacted in law, and it should take care to answer the questions raised in this letter as well.\n\tThe FAA's report is unacceptable,\"said Rep. Karen Bass. The FAA failed to meet its mandate because it didn't evaluate alternative noise metrics, standing by standards that don't fully capture noise impacts. The FAA must go back to the drawing board and write a new report. In the meantime, I expect detailed responses to the questions raised by our constituents in this letter, and I know my colleagues want answers, too.\n\tThe letter goes on to say, when the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 was passed into law, Congress sought to address community airplane noise concerns by utilizing the scientific and research arms of the FAA to substantively evaluate alternative noise metrics with an eventual eye to having those metrics inform FAA decision-making. Currently, the FAA uses the Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) to measure airplane noise levels. However, as mentioned in the letter, there is widespread consensus that the DNL metric remains an inadequate measure because it averages noise over a 24-hour period, thereby understating the impact of individual noise incidences. The congressional intent of the airplane noise metric provision included in the enacted FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 was to address the inadequacy of the DNL metric and nudge the FAA towards a more comprehensive measure. The letter states, the report fails to understand that intent. Instead, we have received a delayed and highly insufficient report that does not address community impacts of noise. The letter asks that the FAA reevaluate alternative metrics to DNL.\n\tNorton has long been leading the effort in the House to combat airplane and helicopter noise in the District of Columbia and across the country. Norton's community meetings on airplane and helicopter noise and residents' stories of interrupted sleep patterns, homes shaking and difficulty having conversations have guided Norton's bills and amendments on airplane and helicopter noise.\n\tThe letter is below.\n\t\n\t\n\t September 23, 2020\n\tSteve Dickson, Administrator\n\tU.S. Department of Transportation\n\tFederal Aviation Administration\n\tOffice of the Administrator\n\t800 Independence Avenue, S.W.\n\tWashington, DC 20591\n\t\n\tDear Administrator Dickson:\n\t\n\tAs Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, we write to express deep concern regarding the Federal Aviation Administration's Report to Congress dated April 14, 2020, on its findings pursuant to Sections 188 and 173 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-254). After conducting a detailed review of the FAA's report, we find it wholly inadequate, failing to meet the mandate in the law.\n\tAs you know, Section 188 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 mandated the FAA to evaluate alternative metrics to the current average day-night level standard, such as the use of actual noise sampling and other methods, to address community airplane noise concerns. Further, the law directed the FAA to provide Congress with a detailed report on its findings. On April 14, 2020, the FAA released the report, and in addition to reporting on Section 188, the FAA also used this report to address Section 173, which states: Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall complete the ongoing evaluation of alternative metrics to the current Day Night Level (DNL) 65 standard. It is our assessment that this report entirely fails to seriously analyze and consider alternative metrics to the DNL 65 standard.\n\tFirst and foremost, the report fails to evaluate well-respected and widely used alternatives, including: the Cumulative Noise Equivalency Level (CNEL) metric, which California uses to evaluate aircraft and other noise exposures[1]; the ISO 1996-1:2016 (Acoustics  Description measurement and assessment of environmental noise), an international standard specifically adopted to identify community noise concerns in general, but airplane noise in particular[2]; and the European alternative to the DNL metric, known as the DENL, or the day-evening-night level metric. The latter noise metric disaggregates evening and night noise levels to address the fact that communities experience noise events differently during the day, the evening and the nighttime sleeping hours. A credible evaluation of alternative noise metrics and the 65 DNL standard would have addressed the correlation between each metric and the known noise impact on communities in a NextGen environment, similar to a comparison done in an FAA-funded 2011 report on replacement metric research.[3] However, in lieu of providing a thorough evaluation, the report merelydescribesDNL and a number of alternative metrics, while offering an incomplete and at times inaccurate comparison of DNL to those alternatives.\n\tFurthermore, there are glaring absences in the FAA's assessment that render it incomplete. For example, the report fails to analyze complaint data despite the fact that the FAA itself utilized complaint data as a lawful alternative metric in its 2013 federal court case against Helicopter Association International, Inc.[4] Failing to mention any role for complaint data would appear in contrast to FAA's Noise Complaint Initiative begun in the last 12 months, allowing direct reporting of noise events to FAA. The report also lacks the scientific nuance the agency demonstrated in 2019, when the FAA funded a research project at MIT to evaluate metrics and assess the impact of frequent overflights; that study concluded that the Number-Above (NA) metric provided an effective correlation to aircraft noise impacts onthe public,[5] but is scarcely mentioned in this report. Even commonly used metrics are overlooked, such as the metrics for construction noise and the concept of sones. Construction noise metrics are regularly employed across the United States and capture greater noise nuance than the DNL standard. Sones represent the perception of loudness and help capture aviation noise annoyance. In our estimation, the FAA report merely stands by the agency's existing DNL metric and enumerates existing methodology with no regard to the value of improved and updated alternatives.\n\tAs a result, the FAA is effectively treating supplemental noise metrics as an asterisk to noise measurement rather than a comprehensive toolbox from which to address noise impacts. The FAA relegates supplementary metrics to an ancillary role by asserting that, No single noise metric can cover all situations,[6] and that while the DNL metric is FAA's decision-making metric, other supplementary metrics can be used to support further disclosure and aid in the public understanding of community noise effects.[7] Nowhere in the report do we find clear guidance on how and when supplemental noise metrics could be used in flight procedure design decisions or to alleviate existing noise  even as the public health impact of noise continues to spread. U.S. standards to protect human health from airplane noise are not only glaringly ineffective, they also trail Western Europe's. In its 2018 Noise Guidelines for European countries, the World Health Organization recommended using a threshold of 45 dB or lower for day and evening aircraft noise[8]  that constitutes 20 dB less than the DNL metric employed by the FAA, which also does not disaggregate evening-levels from night. Far from trailing Western European nations, the U.S. should be demonstrating global leadership to mitigate the public health effects of aircraft noise.\n\tWhen the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 was passed into law, Congress sought to address community airplane noise concerns by utilizing the scientific and research arms of the FAA to substantively evaluate alternative noise metrics with an eventual eye to having those metrics inform FAA decision-making. There is widespread consensus that the DNL metric remains an inadequate measure because it averages noise over a 24-hour period, thereby understating the impact of individual noise incidences. Thus, the congressional intent underpinning Sections 188 and 173 was to address the inadequacy of the DNL metric and nudge the FAA towards a more comprehensive measure. The report fails to understand that intent. Instead, we have received a delayed and highly insufficient report that does not address community impacts of noise.\n\tTherefore, we, the undersigned Members of Congress, insist that the FAA return to the drawing board and meaningfully evaluate alternative metrics to the current DNL 65 average, not just dismiss or ignore them, and include the potential for the use of such metrics in the United States. Furthermore, we seek formal responses to the questions in the appended Citizens' Response Report, a Technical Report to the FAA's April 2020 Report on Alternative Noise Metrics (Reauthorization Act of 2018, Sections 173 and 188). The concerned constituents who raised these eleven questions live in communities directly affected by increased noise from NextGen implementation. We request formal responses to each question.\n\tWithout a thorough and nuanced analysis of the DNL standard and better, more accurate metrics, progress on aircraft noise will remain elusive. It is therefore imperative that the FAA meet its congressional mandate and begin the report anew while also addressing our constituents' questions. We look forward to the agency's response, including its plans to follow through on our request.\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\tSincerely,\n\t\n\tKaren Bass Eleanor Holmes Norton\n\tMember of Congress (CA-37)   Member of Congress (DC)    \n\tStephen F. Lynch Mike Quigley\n\tMember of Congress (MA-08) Member of Congress (IL-05)\n\tThomas R. Suozzi Donald S. Beyer Jr.\n\tMember of Congress (NY-03) Member of Congress (VA-08)\n\tEd Case Judy Chu\n\tMember of Congress (HI-01) Member of Congress (CA-27)\n\tAnna G. Eschoo Brian Fitzpatrick\n\tMember of Congress (CA-18) Member of Congress (PA-01)\n\tRuben Gallego Pramila Jayapal  \n\t\tMember of Congress (AZ-07) Member of Congress (WA-07)\n\tRo Khanna  Ted W. Lieu\n\tMember of Congress (CA-17) Member of Congress (CA-33)\n\tAlan Lowenthal Joe Neguse\n\tMember of Congress (CA-47) Member of Congress (CO-02)\n\tJimmy Panetta  Scott H. Peters\n\tMember of Congress (CA-20) Member of Congress (CA-52)\n\tJamie Raskin Kathleen M. Rice\n\tMember of Congress (MD-08) Member of Congress (NY-04)\n\tHarley Rouda  C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger\n\tMember of Congress (CA-48) Member of Congress (MD-02)\n\tAdam B. Schiff David Scott\n\tMember of Congress (CA-28) Member of Congress (GA-13)\n\tBrad Sherman Adam Smith\n\tMember of Congress (CA-30) Member of Congress (WA-09)\n\tJackie Speier  Maxine Waters\n\tMember of Congress (CA-14) Member of Congress (CA-43)\n\tFrederica S. Wilson\n\tMember of Congress (FL-24)\n[1]Lichman, Barbara. FAA Sidesteps Congressional Mandate to Evaluate Alternative Noise Metrics. Aviation & Airport, 10 June 2020, www.aviationairportdevelopmentlaw.com/2020/06/articles/federal-aviation-administration-faa/faa-sidesteps-congressional-mandate-to-evaluate-alternative-noise-metrics/.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-leads-national-capital-region-letter-to-gao-opposing-changes-to", "Norton Leads National Capital Region Letter to GAO Opposing Changes to High Density and Perimeter Rules at Reagan National", "2020-09-24", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released a national capital region letter she led to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) strongly opposing changes to the current Slot and Perimeter rules that govern aircraft traffic at Reagan National Airport. GAO is conducting a study on the potential impacts of allowing exceptions to the Slot and Perimeter rules at Reagan National. Norton is a member of the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Co-Chair of the Quiet Skies Caucus, a group of Members of Congress aiming for solutions to the increasing noise pollution associated with busy airports. The letter was joined by Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), Rep. John P. Sarbanes (D-MD), Rep. Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rep. Donald S. Beyer, Jr., (D-VA), Rep. Anthony G. Brown (D-MD), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Rep. David Trone (D-MD).\n\tNorton said that while Washington Dulles International Airport was built to accommodate increases in air traffic, Reagan National is in a higher-density area with greater physical limitations that cannot function smoothly without the current Slot and Perimeter rules.\n\tThe letter is below.\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\tSeptember 22, 2020\n\t\n\tThe Honorable Gene Dodaro \n\tComptroller General of the United States   \n\t441 G Street NW\n\tWashington, DC 20548 \n\t\n\tDear Mr. Dodaro,\n\t\n\tWe write to express strong opposition to any modification to the current High Density (Slot) and Perimeter rules and regulations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Reagan National). We understand that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is conducting a study on the potential impacts of allowing exceptions to the Slot and Perimeter rules at Reagan National.\n\tReagan National and Washington Dulles International Airports were established by the federal government and operate as an integrated system. Small changes to the operational rules at one may well result in impacts on the other. With this in mind, as well as an acknowledgement of the physical limitations and community impacts of aircraft noise at Reagan National, Congress mandated the Slot and Perimeter rules.\n\tDespite this mandate, individual Members of Congress continue to seek special exemptions for their preferred locations, exemptions which the National Capital Region delegation must continue to oppose. Maintaining operational stability has allowed passenger volume at Dulles International to grow, where it is needed, while maintaining Reagan National as a regional hub. Operational stability has also resulted in balance with Thurgood Marshall Baltimore Washington International Airport so that the broader interests of the region are better served.\n\tProtecting this balance is crucial, as even small changes to the Perimeter and Slot rule have a history of destabilizing the regional aviation market and encouraging others to seek additional modifications. Changes by Congress to the Slot rule in 2000, 2003, and 2012 caused passenger enplanements at Reagan National to overtake Dulles International in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Previous loosening of the Slot and Perimeter rules also contributed to significant congestion and stress on Reagan National's facilities. While domestic passenger traffic at Dulles International began to rebound in 2018 and 2019, the impacts of COVID-19 on air travel have decimated passenger volume, and therefore revenue for 2020.\n\tChanges to operational rules at Reagan National under any circumstances negatively impact Dulles International, but if changes were to take place during the recovery period, that by some projections will extend through 2026, it would be devastating to the regional economy and aviation system. For the reasons stated above, we oppose any changes to the Perimeter and/or Slot rules at Reagan National.\n\t\n\t\n\tSincerely,\n\t\n\tEleanor Holmes Norton Steny H. Hoyer\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\tBenjamin L. Cardin Chris Van Hollen\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress \n\tC.A. Dutch Ruppersberger John P. Sarbanes  \n\t\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\tRobert J. Wittman   Mark R. Warner  \n\t\tMember of Congress  Member of Congress\n\t  \n\t\tGerald E. Connolly Tim Kaine\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\tDonald S. Beyer Jr. Anthony G. Brown  \n\t\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\tJamie Raskin   David Trone\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-releases-opening-statement-at-transportation-infrastructure", "Norton Releases Opening Statement at Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Hearing on Disadvantaged Businesses", "2020-09-23", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) helped chair a Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing titled Driving Equity: The U.S. Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program. Norton's opening statement, as prepared for delivery, follows.\nThank you, Mr. Chairman. I cannot overstate the importance of this hearing on the U.S. Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program. I thank Chairman DeFazio, Ranking Member Graves, and all the Members participating today for your time and attention to this critical topic.\nWe are at a pivotal moment in our Nation's history. We are shining a long overdue light on the lived realities for people of color in this country, despite our pledge of liberty and justice for all. Over the last few months, the vulnerability of African American, Latinx, Native American, and other people of color has been unmistakably demonstrated as we ride wave after wave of crisis  a global pandemic, a tanking economy, and systemic racism repeatedly manifesting as physical violence.\nThe ways in which our Nation has failed and marginalized large populations of our citizens  while unbearable to watch over and over again  comes as no surprise to those of us who can feel the prevalence of racism in our bones. I have spent my entire career - in Congress, and as Chair of the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission before that - fighting for equality and seeking to break down barriers so that truly all citizens have the same opportunities to participate and thrive in our economy and our society.\nOne of the most powerful tools in the field of transportation and construction to assist people who have routinely been left out or left behind is the U.S. Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program. This program, when properly administered and enforced, ensures that businesses owned by women and minorities have a fair chance to compete for federally assisted transportation contracts.\nThe need for this program is ongoing, and stronger than ever, as income inequality in this country, with the pandemic helping it, continues to grow. Today's panel will provide mountains of statistical evidence that shows discrimination on transportation construction projects is, unfortunately, alive and well.\nMr. Wainwright's testimony documents, through rigorous statistical analysis and survey data collected by various public agencies, the continued need for the DBE program.\nWe are also joined today by individual business owners who have participated in the DBE program and will share their personal stories of how this program affirmatively created opportunities that did not exist in its absence. I would like in particular to thank Ms. Lerdahl, Ms. Williams, and Ms. Boyer for sharing your experiences with the Committee.\nTo provide some context for why these surveys and statistical studies matter, let me point to a 2018 study conducted for the Maryland Department of Transportation, whose geographic market area includes the District of Columbia. The study looked at, among other things, whether prime contractors that work with minority- and women-owned firms as subcontractors on contracts with DBE-type goals ever solicit or hire those same firms to work on contracts without such goals. The answers were stark and stunning - 69% of African American-owned firms responded that they were seldom or never solicited to work on contracts without goals in place, and 74% of African American-owned firms were seldom or never hired to work on contracts without goals. For Hispanic Americans the results were 47% and 52%; for Asian Americans the results were 56% and 61%; for Native Americans the results were 82% and 70%; and for non-minority women, the results were 54% and 53%. This is just one regional example but this pattern repeats itself across the country.\nIn closing, I remind my colleagues that this hearing presents a welcome opportunity to elevate the realities of minority- and women-owned business owners. By holding this hearing today, we ensure that the DBE program and the business owners it lifts up receive thorough consideration by the Committee. We also have the opportunity to learn what policy changes Congress should consider for the continued success of the DBE program.\nI look forward to hearing from today's witnesses, as well as my fellow Members, on the DBE program.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-blasts-republicans-for-shortchanging-dc-on-emergency-planning-and", "Norton Blasts Republicans for Shortchanging D.C. on Emergency Planning and Security Funds in Continuing Resolution", "2020-09-21", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today blasted Republicans for refusing to agree to the District of Columbia's request for $97.1 million in the fiscal year 2021 continuing resolution (CR) for its Emergency Planning and Security Fund (EPSF). The CR, released today, provides effectively only $17.5 million for the EPSF. The federally funded EPSF pays for the public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation's capital, such as for protests and the upcoming inauguration. Norton vowed to make the District whole in a future spending bill.\nThis is the second time Republicans have shortchanged the District during the coronavirus health and economic crisis, when the District, like all other jurisdictions, is under extraordinary fiscal pressure. In March, Republicans insisted that the CARES Act treat D.C. as a territory instead of a state for fiscal relief, depriving D.C. of $755 million.\nCongress created the Emergency Planning and Security Fund because it recognized that it was unfair for the District to spend its local funds for public safety and security costs related to the federal presence in the District of Columbia, Norton said. It is particularly outrageous that the Republicans have, once again, shortchanged the District when it is facing increasing expenses and decreasing revenue due to the coronavirus.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-reintroduces-resolution-designating-september-as-national-peace", "Norton Reintroduces Resolution Designating September as National Peace Month, Inspired by D.C. Second Graders", "2020-09-21", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. Today, on the International Day of Peace, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reintroduced a resolution designating September as national Peace Monthandcalling on Congress to take action to promote peace, at home and abroad, an idea that came from the Helpful Potato Bugs, a class of second-grade students at Horace Mann Elementary School in the District of Columbia. In 2018, the students sent Norton a handwritten note, adorned with peace signs, expressing their desire to help make the world a peaceful place and for all Americans to be nice, have no conflicts, and be very peaceful.\nI am pleased to reintroduce this resolution on International Peace Day, a day that urges nations around the world to lay down their arms and focus on peacemaking and diplomacy, Norton said. This year is unique in so many difficult ways, but for many, it has brought us closer against our common enemy, the coronavirus. I am grateful to the wise second graders who wrote to me in 2018, stressing the importance of a more peaceful America. Congress would be wise to remember that our children are watching, adding to our responsibility to encourage action to help achieve peace around the world. Thank you again to the 2018 Helpful Potato Bugs second-grade students for keeping Congress on its toes!\nNorton's resolution is below:\nResolution\nExpressing support for the designation of September 2020 as Peace Month'' and calling on Congress to take action to promote peace.\nWhereas the United Nations designated September 21International Day of Peace''otherwise known as Peace Day;\nWhereas the United Nations General Assembly declared Peace Day as a day devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples'';\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;\nWhereas Peace Day represents shared hopes of an end to conflict in all forms;\nWhereas the United Nations calls for a 24-hour global cease fire on Peace Day;\nWhereas this year's Peace Day theme is Shaping Peace Together'';\nWhereas 2018 marked the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone development in contemporary human history promoting peace and well-being worldwide;\nWhereas violent conflicts could cost upwards of $13.6 trillion per year globally;\nWhereas conflict prevention measures could save between $5 billion to $70 billion per year on average;\nWhereas there is almost no interstate war;\nWhereas the absolute number of war deaths has been declining since 1945;\nWhereas global peace promotion efforts improve the lives of Americans and all peoples;\nWhereas the United States has a long history of promoting peace and human rights at home and abroad; and\nWhereas September would be an appropriate month to designate as Peace Month: Now, therefore be it\nResolved, That the House of Representatives\n(1) supports the designation of Peace Month'';and\n(2) calls on Congress to promote peace, both at home and abroad.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-to-introduce-legislation-giving-dc-local-control-over-parole-and", "Norton to Introduce Legislation Giving D.C. Local Control Over Parole and Supervised Release Determinations", "2020-09-21", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced she will introduce legislation to give the District of Columbia the authority to make parole and supervised release determinations beginning on November 1, 2022. Currently, the U.S. Parole Commission (Commission) makes these determinations for D.C. Code felons. The Commission's authorization, which expires on October 31, 2020, would be reauthorized for two years by the fiscal year 2021 continuing resolution the House is expected to pass this week. \nThe National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 transferred the functions of the D.C. Parole Board to the Commission. Norton's bill would give D.C. the same authority as states to make parole and supervised release determinations, including the authority to devise an adjudication system as it sees fit.\nOur statehood bill has passed the House, but pending statehood itself, I continue to work to give D.C. more home-rule authority over its criminal justice system, Norton said. My goal is for the District to use the next two years to develop its own system to make parole and supervised release determinations for D.C. Code felons, instead of having a federal agency make such determinations.\nNorton has introduced the following other bills to give D.C. greater authority over its own criminal and civil justice system.\n The District of Columbia Police Home Rule Act (H.R. 3092) would eliminate the president's authority to federalize the local D.C. police department.\n\tThe District of Columbia Courts Home Rule Act (H.R. 2769) would give D.C. authority over the jurisdiction and organization of the local D.C. courts.\n\tThe District of Columbia Clemency Home Rule Act (H.R. 1378) would give the District exclusive authority, like the states and territories, to grant clemency to offenders convicted under its local laws.Currently, this authority is exercised in D.C. by the President.\n\tThe District of Columbia Local Prosecutor Home Rule Act of 2019 (H.R. 917) would allow the District to prosecute all crimes committed under its local laws.Currently, the U.S. Attorney for the District prosecutes almost all crimes committed by adults under local D.C. law.\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-issues-statement-on-passing-of-longtime-friend-and-legal", "Norton Issues Statement on Passing of Longtime Friend and Legal Colleague Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg", "2020-09-18", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)issued the following statement on the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who Norton knew as a friend for 50 years and worked with as a lawyer: \n\t\t\t\tJustice Ginsburg's brilliance made her a leader on the Supreme Court even when she dissented, but she was making new law long before she was able to do so as a Justice.\n\t\t\t\tI introduced Justice Ginsburg at her Senate hearing when she was nominated by President Bill Clinton. There, I spoke of her historic achievements even before she served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.I was assistant legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) when Justice Ginsburg founded the ACLU Women's Rights Project, though she was not a paid member of the staff. There, she did some of her most historic work, including her successful argument before the Supreme Court that established the now axiomatic principle that the 14thAmendment's Equal Protection Clause applies to women. \n\t\t\t\tAlthough a feminist in her quest for equality for women, her principled understanding of equal treatment lead to her victory in the Supreme Court case that held that male caregivers should have the same benefits as women in that role. \n\t\t\t\tJustice Ginsburg's towering intellect made her a leader on the Supreme Court. Her pathbreaking work as a lawyer made her a leader in the law itself.\n\t\t\t\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-releases-census-response-to-her-inquiry-on-spanish-speaking-staff", "Norton Releases Census Response to Her Inquiry on Spanish-Speaking Staff", "2020-09-18", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released the response from the Census Bureau to her August 14, 2020, letter where she raised serious concerns about the lack of Spanish-speaking enumerators and Mobile Questionnaire Assistance) staff in District of Columbia for the ongoing 2020 Census. In its response, the Census Bureau noted it has hired 200 Spanish-speaking enumerators. The Census Bureau also indicated that is has already counted more than 86% of D.C. households overall.\nI appreciate the Census Bureau's response to my letter, indicating that they are working to have a sufficient number of Spanish-speaking staff to get an accurate Census count, Norton said. I will keep working with the Census Bureau and the community to ensure that we continue to improve our count over the last Census to ensure D.C. receives the full federal funding it deserves.\nThe Census Bureau's response follows:\n\n\nSeptember 16, 2020\nThe Honorable Eleanor Holmes-Norton\nU.S. House of Representatives\n1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite M-100\nWashington, DC 20004\n\nDear Representative Holmes-Norton:\n\nThank you for sharing your letter regarding Spanish-speaking enumerators and Mobile Questionnaire Assistance (MQA) staff in the District of Columbia (DC).\nOverall, we are making significant progress in DC. The Census Bureau has already enumerated more than 86 percent of the households in DC. You can monitor that progress at https://2020census.gov/en/response-rates/nrfu.html. This total progress includes self-response and the results of interviews by census takers.\nThe Washington, DC, Area Census Office (ACO) is currently conducting the Nonresponse Follow up Operation (NRFU). So far, the office has hired 1,150 enumerators in support of NRFU, to ensure every DC resident is counted for the 2020 Census. The office has selected 200 enumerators who speak Spanish. With a recruitment goal of 9,700 applicants much higher than what is needed to complete the operation, the ACO exceeded its goal with 12,500 total applicants. Of those, 1,000 speak Spanish. As we continue through the NRFU operation, we will utilize that applicant pool as we needed to continue to have sufficient staff.\nOn July 13, the Census Bureau launched the modified MQA Program, an operation in low-responding areas to promote and assist with responding to the 2020 Census. MQA is a separate activity from census takers going door-to-door to count households that have not yet responded. MQA representatives encourage people to respond to the 2020 Census in open, public places in the lowest responding areas of the nation. Places where people naturally visit when leaving home will be used to help increase self-response rates. Locations for MQAs will include grocery stores and markets, food banks, laundromats, restaurants and grab-and-go eateries, unemployment offices, back to school drives, places of worship, and libraries.\nExamples of sites used for MQA in DC include Benning Ridge DMV, Skyland Workforce Center, and the Anacostia Community Service Center. The office has staffed 22 events, resulting in 140 surveys completed. Census staff have interacted with more than 600 individuals through this operation. ACO and Partnership staff are coordinating with local partners on future MQA events and where they can be most beneficial to DC.\nThe MQA program is an innovation for 2020, and this program did not exist in 2010. In 2010, there were some places with limited hours where respondents could get help and pick up a blank form, but the respondent still had to mail back the form. With MQA, our staff are helping respondents directly in completing their responses to the 2020 Census.\nThe design of the 2020 Census is much different from 2010, so such a comparison does not really apply. In 2010, the operation was paper based and required many more staff. The innovations in 2020 require fewer staff because we have improved the operation with technology and innovations that have led to significantly higher productivity. In addition, respondents can continue to self-respond until Field operations end, something not available in 2010, and when they respond, they are removed from the list for follow-up.\nOur 2020 Census Congressional Partnership Initiative has garnered support for the Census with nearly every congressional office; we have arranged scores of Public Service Announcements and coordinated the Census Bureau's participation in hundreds of town hall meetings and Complete Count Committee events. As you amplify our be counted message across social media platforms, local radio, and TV, please continue to remind constituents that Census employees are legally bound to protect personal respondent data for life. In addition, the most important messages now are to encourage everyone to respond immediately and, for those who do not, to cooperative when census takers visit. Those are the main messages of our communications campaign now.\nWe extend our utmost appreciation for your continuing support for a complete and accurate 2020 Census count.\n\n\nSincerely,\n\nFernando Armstrong\nRegional Director\nU.S. Census Bureau  Philadelphia\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-introduces-11th-annual-national-dance-day-resolution-ahead-of", "Norton Introduces 11th Annual National Dance Day Resolution Ahead of Virtual Celebration, Saturday", "2020-09-17", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a resolution marking Saturday, September 19, 2020, as National Dance Day. In 2010, Norton partnered with So You Think You Can Dance co-creator Nigel Lythgoe to launch the first National Dance Day with inaugural celebrations on the National Mall and in Los Angeles.\nThe event, originally held in July, was moved to September to encourage schools and students to participate in expressing themselves through dance. Due to the coronavirus, this year, the American Dance Movement has created a virtual program for all to enjoy. On Saturday, September 19th, dance classes will be broadcasted on the Kennedy Center's Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/KennedyCenter/) and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/TheKennedyCenter) platforms, so that the public can join for one class or dance all day. The virtual dance classes will be created by the Kennedy Center and several District of Columbia organizations, including City Dance POP!, Dance Loft on 14, Dance Place, DivaDance DC, Northeast Performing Arts Group and Washington Ballet's SE Campus at THEARC, among others. In advance of National Dance Day, instructional videos are also available on the American Dance Movement YouTube channel [insert link] featuring dance routines for all skill levels to be performed by the public on National Dance Day.\nI am pleased to join the American Dance Movement and. the Kennedy Center again this year to celebrate National Dance Day and to enjoy and embrace our nation's rich artistic, regional, ethnic and racial diversity, Norton said. I applaud the dancers and dance groups for keeping dance alive during this pandemic year and making this year's event safe and accessible through a virtual format. I look forward to being dazzled once again by the D.C. dance troupes.\nNorton's resolution is below.\n\nResolution\n\nExpressing support for dance as a form of valuable exercise and of artistic expression, and for the designation of September 19, 2020, as National Dance Day''.\nWhereas Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer and celebrity judge for the dance-themed television show So You Think You Can Dance'', in association with the American Dance Movement, has encouraged the creation of National Dance Day celebrations across the country, beginning with the first National Dance Day on the National Mall in 2010;\nWhereas the American Dance Movement and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in conjunction with the office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, will celebrate National Dance Day on September 19, 2020, in the District of Columbia, through virtual events hosted by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts;\nWhereas National Dance Day has captured the imagination of people throughout the Nation and around the world, and has helped popularize dance as an art form, as a form of exercise, and as a way of having fun;\nWhereas States and cities across the country have been encouraged to celebrate National Dance Day with virtual events;\nWhereas National Dance Day has spread and will be celebrated this year with two events cohosted by the American Dance Movement and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the District of Columbia and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California;\nWhereas National Dance Day encourages many forms of dance expression, representing the Nation's rich artistic, regional, ethnic, and racial diversity;\nWhereas National Dance Day features the full spectrum of dance, from classical, to popular, to line and partner dances;\nWhereas dance helps improve heart health, burn calories, strengthen muscles, and improve flexibility for people of all ages;\nWhereas health officials have repeatedly documented an overweight and obesity epidemic in the United States;\nWhereas dance, in all its variations, is a popular form of physical exercise;\nWhereas this year at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the following organizations from the District of Columbia will entertain and encourage dance, with virtual classes for the whole family: City Dance POP!, Dance Loft on 14, Dance Place, DivaDance DC, Northeast Performing Arts Group, and Washington Ballet's SE Campus at THEARC, among others;\nWhereas in advance of National Dance Day, instructional videos are available on the American Dance Movement YouTube channel featuring dance routines for all skill levels to be performed by audiences on National Dance Day; and\nWhereas National Dance Day has been celebrated annually for the past 10 years: Now, therefore, be it\n Resolved, That the House of Representatives\n (1) supports the designation of National Dance Day'' to celebrate and encourage a national commitment to dance and dance education;\n (2) acknowledges that dance is making an important contribution to health by encouraging physical fitness and reducing obesity;\n (3) commends Nigel Lythgoe for his leadership in promoting dance and National Dance Day; and\n (4) thanks the American Dance Movement for its continuing efforts to spread awareness of National Dance Day.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-pushes-for-senate-passage-of-the-heroes-act-which-provides-equal", "Norton Pushes for Senate Passage of the Heroes Act, which Provides Equal Funding for D.C.", "2020-09-15", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released a statement today on the four-month anniversary of House passage of the Heroes Act, which contains $755 million owed to the District of Columbia and other measures vital to D.C. The Heroes Act, Democrats' sweeping fifth coronavirus response bill, was passed by the House on May 15, 2020.\nRepublicans need to come to the table with real solutions for the continuing coronavirus health and economic crisis, as residents run out of vital benefits. It has been four months since the House passed the Heroes Act, which includes provisions vital to the District of Columbia, such as state-, city-, and county-level fiscal relief for the District; $755 million in retroactive funding to fix D.C.'s treatment as a territory instead of a state in the CARES Act for fiscal relief; and authorization for D.C. to participate in the Federal Reserve's Municipal Liquidity Facility.\nEstimates suggest that the Heroes Act would provide D.C. this year with $1.5 billion at the state level, $740 million at the city level, and $264 million at the county level for fiscal relief, for a total of $2.5 billion, to address the coronavirus health and economic crisis. In addition to the D.C. provisions, the Heroes Act contains many priorities I pressed for, including hazard pay for workers who risk their lives serving us, additional direct payments of $1,200 per family member, extended unemployment assistance, increased housing assistance, and a 15 percent increase in the maximum SNAP benefit.\nDemocrats' listened closely to the American people whose suffering mounts during this crisis, and responded accordingly with the Heroes Act, a people-first coronavirus relief package. Before the September 30th end of the fiscal year, Republican's must start listening to the people, not their party, by coming to the negotiating table to pass relief for the American people.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-statement-on-passing-of-dc-s-first-shadow-senator-florence", "Norton Statement on Passing of D.C.s First Shadow Senator, Florence Pendleton", "2020-09-14", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) issued the following statement on the passing of Florence H. Pendleton, the District of Columbia's first shadow senator.\n\"Senator Florence Pendleton and I were first elected at the same time. Florence was a distinguished principal in D.C. Public Schools who further distinguished herself as the District's first shadow senator, which she served as for three terms. I will always remember Florence as a friend.\n\"Our city will remember this year, the year the House passed our D.C. statehood bill, with gratitude for Senator Pendleton's service to the District of Columbia.\"\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/tonight-norton-to-appear-in-shakespeare-theatre-s-annual-will-on-the", "Tonight: Norton to Appear in Shakespeare Theatres Annual Will on the Hill Performance", "2020-09-14", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), an annual performer in the long-running comedic event Will on the Hill, hosted by the Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC), will appear in the virtual performance tonight, September 14, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. All proceeds from the event go toward STC's artistic, education and community outreach programs. The performance will be streamed online here.\nWill on the Hill,' produced yearly by STC, is a favorite of mine, Norton said. Members of Congress let loose using the Bard's brilliance as the backdrop to make fun of ourselves. The bonus is that funds raised from this event assist D.C. organizations that work with our children.\nView the playbill for this year's show.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-introduces-resolution-commemorating-historic-escape-attempt-by", "Norton Introduces Resolution Commemorating Historic Escape Attempt by Slaves in D.C. on Ship", "2020-09-11", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  After House passage of the District of Columbia statehood bill and placement of the bill on the Senate floor calendar, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a resolution commemorating the 1848 slave escape that occurred in D.C. on the ship the Pearl.\nWhen it comes, statehood will free District residents of every race and background from constraints that deny them the freedom and equality enjoyed by other Americans, Norton said. But I see it as no accident that the single largest known slave escape in American history occurred in the District. The courage of the escapees, men and women determined to be free, reminds me of the spirit D.C. residents have always had in the fight for statehood. Remembering the story of the Pearl must inspire us to achieve the freedom that only statehood can give.\nThe text of the resolution follows.\n\nRecognizing the historic abolitionist events surrounding the Pearl, and honoring its legacy in American history.\nWhereas on April 16, 1848, 77 slaves attempted to flee the District of Columbia and Alexandria, Virginia, on the Pearl, a schooner waiting for them in the Potomac River;\nWhereas on April 14, 1848, three White men brought the ship to the District of Columbia, and Daniel Drayton, the captain and owner of the Pearl, chartered the schooner for $100 and arranged for the slaves' travel;\nWhereas the escape was initiated by free Blacks Paul Jennings, who had been a slave of President James Madison and Paul Edmonson;\nWhereas William Chaplin, a White abolitionist, assisted in connecting the slaves with Drayton;\nWhereas abolitionist Gerrit Smith of New York financed the escape;\nWhereas 77 slaves, including men, women, and children, sailed on the Pearl down the Potomac River and then into Chesapeake Bay in pursuit of freedom;\nWhereas on April 17, 1848, numerous slaveholders in the District of Columbia, realizing their slaves had disappeared, sent a posse of 35 men to seek the Pearl;\nWhereas the posse met the Pear near Point Lookout, Maryland, and took the slaves and the ship back to the District of Columbia;\nWhereas slavery supporters formed a mob and lashed out at both the White abolitionists involved in the escape as well as free Blacks in the District of Columbia in the Washington Riot of 1848;\nWhereas the owners of the escaped slaves sold the escapees to slave traders who took them to New Orleans, Louisiana;\nWhereas two of the escapees were purchased and freed in an effort led by Henry Ward Beecher's Plymouth Congregational Church of Brooklyn, New York;\nWhereas Drayton and two of the other ship workers were arrested for helping in the escape and were represented in court by Congressman Horace Mann;\nWhereas two of the men, including Drayton, after serving four years in prison, were released after being granted a pardon from President Millard Fillmore, based on a recommendation from Senator Charles Sumner; and\nWhereas the escape is said to be the single largest known slave escape in American history and to have inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe in her writing the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin: Now, therefore, be it\nResolved, That the House of Representatives honors the legacy of those furthering freedom involved in the Pearl incident and recognizes their importance to the history of the District of Columbia and throughout the country.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-announces-dc-statehood-bill-has-been-placed-on-senate-floor", "Norton Announces D.C. Statehood Bill Has Been Placed on Senate Floor Calendar for First Time in History", "2020-09-10", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced that the House-passed District of Columbia statehood bill (H.R. 51) has been placed on the Senate Calendar of Business, which makes the bill available for floor consideration. This is the first time in history the D.C. statehood bill has been placed on the calendar. While placement on the calendar does not guarantee floor consideration, Senate Democrats initiated the procedural process to bypass committee consideration of the bill and place the bill directly on the calendar to demonstrate the importance of H.R. 51 to the Senate Democratic Caucus and the nation. Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) is the lead Senate sponsor of the D.C. statehood bill.\nSenator Carper has led tremendous progress in getting Senate cosponsors of our D.C. statehood bill, and Democrats placing the bill on the Senate calendar is a historic milestone, Norton said. Coming so soon after House passage of our D.C. statehood bill, placement on the Senate calendar is a first that moves the District closer to statehood. As momentum for D.C. statehood builds in the country, we see pressure building on Republicans in the Senate.\nOn June 26, 2020, the House passed H.R. 51 by a vote of 232-180, which was the first time in history a chamber of Congress has passed the D.C. statehood bill.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-releases-statement-on-senate-republicans-latest-coronavirus", "Norton Releases Statement on Senate Republicans Latest Coronavirus Response Bill", "2020-09-09", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released the following statement on Senate Republicans' latest coronavirus response bill.\nThe coronavirus bill announced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was designed to give cover to vulnerable senators, not to bring badly needed relief to the American people. The bill does not provide for pressing necessities such as state, county and local funding and rental assistance, let alone retroactive funds for the District of Columbia, which, in a deviation from precedent, was treated as a territory for fiscal relief in the CARES Act, shorting the city by $755 million.\nThe bill continues to show that Senate Republicans are out of touch with the assistance that so many in our country desperately need. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-says-the-constitution-does-not-allow-trump-to-unilaterally", "Norton Says the Constitution Does Not Allow Trump to Unilaterally Withhold Federal Funds from D.C.", "2020-09-03", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released the following statement on President Trump's memo on withholding federal funding from the District of Columbia.\nThe President's memo that threatens to withhold funds from named cities, including the District of Columbia, if acted upon, would unconstitutionally usurp the spending power, which lies exclusively with Congress. The Framers understood that the power of the purse could undercut the functioning of democracy itself and therefore left funding with the people, through the Congress. Note that spending bills almost always originate in the House of Representatives.\nThe President may be able to condition funding if Congress has given him the power to do so, and a circuit court recently held he may be able to withhold policing grants from sanctuary cities, though there is a circuit spilt on this matter . But his memo's wholesale threat to withhold funds from cities is a violation of the Constitution's separation of powers, which gives the spending power exclusively to Congress.\nTrump is not a king. He is one of the actors in our separation of powers government. If Trump withholds funds from the District of Columbia, it will be immediately challenged, and I believe with success.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-scott-demand-support-for-local-schools-to-keep-kids-safe-and", "Norton, Scott Demand Support for Local Schools to Keep Kids Safe and Learning", "2020-09-03", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) hosted apresscall for regional reporters today demanding the Senate act to support local schools and provide the resources they need to keep students safe and protect against potentially devastating cuts to state education budgets. The House passed funding to support local schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic more than 100 days ago, but the Republican-led Senate has refused to act.\nOn today's call, the Members demanded the Senate work with the House to provide the funding experts say is needed to: safely reopen schools; make sure state and local governments can pay teachers; crush the virus with testing, tracing and treatment; and keep kids from going hungry and prevent their families from losing their homes.\nWithout that support, manyschools across the country cannot afford to take necessary safety measures.\n For example, according to a recentGovernment Accountability Officereport, 4 in 10 districts need to update or replace HVAC systems in at least half of their school buildings. TheCenters for Disease Control and Prevention school reopening guidance lists proper ventilation as a key consideration for schools seeking to reopen safely.\n Additionally, COVID-19 has devastated state and local budgets across the country, threatening possible cuts to schools that could harm their ability to educate children.\n Without the Heroes Act, budget shortfalls are projected to reach nearly $500 billion for state governments alone. By July, 900,000 public school employees had already lost their jobs, and the American Federation of Teachers issued a report projecting over 1.4 million public school employee layoffs without federal action.\n Many schools, like those in the District of Columbia, have been forced to go virtual because of the pandemic, but there is much more to education than schoolhouses,\" said Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. The delay in passing the Heroes Act, which contains $200 billion for schools, is unconscionably shortchanging our children and should be what it takes to break the impasse on the Heroes Act.\nWe all want to get back to full-time, in-person instruction as soon as possible. However, we can only fully reopen our schools if it can be done safely. State and local governments are facing massive budget shortfalls that will cause teacher layoffs and cuts to public education. Unless the federal government takes action, it won't be a question of whether cuts to education funding will occur, but how deep those cuts will be,said Chairman Robert C. Bobby Scott (VA-03).Our communities deserve better. That is why the House passed the Heroes Act, a COVID-19 relief package that reflects Democrats' commitment to reopening our nation's classrooms. This proposal provides $1 trillion to help state and local governments retain school employees and avert devastating cuts to public education. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/after-norton-request-gao-adds-reagan-national-airport-to-metroplex-noise", "After Norton Request, GAO Adds Reagan National Airport  to Metroplex Noise Study", "2020-09-02", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which has jurisdiction over the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Co-Chair of the Quiet Skies Caucus, today received notification that, at her request, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) will add Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) to its study on the FAA's consideration of community noise impacts in its implementation of NextGEN in major metropolitan areas.\n\nConsidering DCA's proximity to the National Mall and the amount of airspace that is restricted for commercial use in the nation's capital, we must understand how the FAA makes decisions and communicates those decisions to my constituents, particularly those decisions that impact the community. Any change in the flight paths can dramatically affect the amount of airplane noise we hear in the District, and excessive airplane noise can have negative impacts on health and comfort.\n\nNorton wrote to GAO on August 17, 2020, describing DCA's unique circumstances and requesting that the agency include DCA in its study.\n\nNorton's letter follows.\n\n\nAugust 17, 2020\n\nThe Honorable Gene Dodaro\nComptroller General of the United States\n441 G Street NW\nWashington, DC 20548\n\nDear Mr. Dodaro:\nAs a senior member of the Aviation Subcommittee of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Co-Chair of the Quiet Skies Caucus, I have been deeply involved with the implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). I appreciate the Government Accountability Office (GAO) agreeing to study how the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has considered community noise impacts while implementing NextGen in major metropolitan areas. I write to include Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in this upcoming study.\nIt is my understanding that GAO selected Dulles International Airport and Baltimore/Washington International Airport to represent the Washington, D.C. metroplex. While I understand that these two airports face similar issues to DCA, I believe there are issues specific to DCA that need examining. In 2015, the FAA implemented a new northern departure route from DCA without local input, and did so again in 2019 due to Secret Service concerns. The concerns of the Secret Service and the protected airspace over the nation's capital uniquely impact the flight paths to and from DCA and have complicated communication between the FAA and the local D.C. community.\n I strongly urge you to include DCA in this upcoming study.\n\nSincerely,\nEleanor Holmes Norton\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-releases-statement-on-passing-of-john-thompson-legendary", "Norton Releases Statement on Passing of John Thompson, Legendary Georgetown Basketball Coach", "2020-09-02", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) issued the following statement on the passing of legendary Georgetown University basketball Coach John Thompson. Norton was a tenured professor of law at Georgetown Law School.\nJohn Thompson, born and raised in Southeast D.C. when this was a legally segregated city, transformed college basketball as a game here, putting Georgetown on the map as a basketball powerhouse while setting a record for college basketball stars, including Patrick Ewing, graduating from college. Our native son will always be remembered not only for his contributions to basketball but also to education and to his hometown.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-says-dc-s-history-must-be-acknowledged-not-erased", "Norton Says D.C.s History Must be Acknowledged, not Erased", "2020-09-02", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) issued the following statement on monuments and public spaces.\nThe District's place as both a hometown and a federal city introduces unique elements into removing statues and renaming public places that reflect the Confederacy or slavery. Most important, for most of its 219 years as a city, the District has had no self-government. Unlike other jurisdictions, the residents of this city had no say in the names given or in the placement of statues. The city's history is further complicated by the compromise that placed the nation's capital below the Mason-Dixon line to preserve slavery and ultimately racial discrimination.\nWith passage of the D.C. Statehood bill by the House of Representatives in June, it is natural for the District to want statues and public places within its boundaries to reflect its values, just as other jurisdictions are insisting.\n\nAll our statues and public places, whenever they were placed, tell the story of our city. They must be preserved to assure that story and history are complete. At the same time, to forego any notation of Confederate or slave affiliation is inexcusably incomplete and ahistorical. We must acknowledge all our history, not become complicit in erasing it.\"\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/press-release-norton-holding-day-of-action-for-children-event-virtual", "Norton Holding Day of Action for Children Event: Virtual Roundtable Discussion with D.C. Parents, Teachers, Students, Public Health Official, and School Administrators", "2020-09-02", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. At 5:00 p.m. today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will hold a virtual roundtable with the District of Columbia community about the difficulties of going back to school amid a pandemic; the U.S. Department of Agriculture's school meal waivers; and what Congress is doing to remedy the effects of the COVID19 pandemic on children's learning. The event features D.C. parents, teachers, students, a public health official, and school administrators. Norton, who attended D.C. public schools and has grandchildren in traditional D.C. public and charter schools, has long been an advocate for children, parents, and schools.\nWe are having this conversation at the right time, Norton said. Students at our public schools are starting classes virtually this year, which means everyone is learning a new system for education.. I am glad that I can check in with students, parents, teachers, and school administrators in the District and learn about their concerns and update them on the status of congressional initiatives I am working on to help this school year go smoothly.\nNorton cosponsored the Pandemic Child Hunger Prevention Act, which would make free school meals available for all children during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she introduces her universal prekindergarten bill every Congress.\nVideo of the event will be live streamed atFacebook.com/CongresswomanNorton.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-to-strengthen-workplace-protections-for", "Norton Introduces Bill to Strengthen Workplace Protections for Legislative Branch Employees", "2020-09-01", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced the Congress Leads by Example Act of 2020, 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\nEspecially given ongoing reports of workplace abuses in the legislative branch, Norton said, Congress must be first in line to abide by the laws it imposes on the American people and businesses. Congress already acknowledged the importance of accountability when it passed theCongressional Accountability Act of 1995 and further confirmed itwhen 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 congressional employees in line with those for the rest of the American people.\n\nIn 1995, Congress passed the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA), which applied 13 civil rights, labor and workplace safety laws to Congress and legislative branch entities. 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 protections of the CAA to unpaid staff, interns and fellows. It also imposed personal liability on Members of Congress for their own violations of harassment and retaliation laws. However, more remains to be done.\n\nThe CAA and the Reform Act were important first steps in making the legislative branch accountable for its employment practices, but they did not finish the job. As noted, the CAA did bring the legislative branch under 13 major civil rights, labor and workplace safety and health laws, but it omitted important substantive and administrative protections. In latest biennial report to Congress on workplace protections, OCWR identified additional provisions of federal workplace laws and standards that should be applicable to the legislative branch. OCWR's recommendations included providing whistleblowers with protection from retaliation by making the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 applicable to the legislative branch.\n\nThe bill would do the following:  \n\t\n Takes into account OCWR's report by applying the standard of fairness to employees in the legislative branch that Congress requires for other employees and provides a safer work environment for Congress, Capitol Hill employees and visitors by bringing the legislative branch in line with the legal requirements of private sector employers and the executive branch.\n\t\t\n\tProvides general whistleblower protections and anti-retaliation measures and makes additional Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) retaliation provisions applicable to the legislative branch.\n\t\t\n\tProvides subpoena authority to OCWR to conduct inspections and investigations into OSHA violations.\n\t\t\n\tFurthers the CAA's mission to prevent discrimination in legislative branch offices by prohibiting the legislative branch from making adverse employment decisions on the basis of an employee's wage garnishment or involvement in bankruptcy proceedings pursuant to the Consumer Credit Protection Act and Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code.\n\t\t\n\tBolsters the CAA's recordkeeping requirements. It extends 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 in the legislative branch.\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-a-staff-member-of-the-1963-march-on-washington-says-marches-can-0", "Norton, a Staff Member of the 1963 March on Washington,  Says Marches Can Still Bring Change", "2020-08-31", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released a statement on the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, which she helped organize as a member of its staff. Norton, who later became the first woman to chair the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, established by a provision of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, said the 1963 March paved the way for civil rights legislative victories to come.\n\nToday's march shows the continuing strength of peaceful protest as a tool to bring change. Out of the 1963 march came the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act and, ultimately, the 1968 Fair Housing Act. I was among those who marched for Congress to bring change then. As a member of Congress now, I will take today's march as a mandate to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-introduces-resolution-to-designate-september-as-national-campus-0", "Norton Introduces Resolution to Designate September as  National Campus Sexual Assault Awareness Month", "2020-08-31", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced her annualresolutionto designate the month of September as National CampusSexualAssaultAwareness Month, and said that the vastly different campus class structure this year due to the pandemic should not obscure the importance of ensuring students have safe campuses to return to, both now with some students returning to campuses and after the pandemic recedes.\nIn recent years,sexualassaults on college campuses have been on the rise. Even though many colleges are starting classes online this year, the increase insexualassaults we were seeing points up the continuing importance of ourresolutionon this issue, Norton said.\nNorton has introduced thisresolutionfor the past several years to highlight the problem ofsexualassaults on campuses. In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, the exposure of Jeffrey Epstein 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.\nTheresolutionfollows.\n\nRESOLUTION\nExpressing support for the designation of September 2020 as National CampusSexualAssaultAwareness Month.\nWhereas some colleges and universities are now receiving students in person for the academic year, even as the coronavirus pandemic continues;\nWhereas 19 percent of college women and 6 percent of college men will be survivors ofsexualassaultover the course of their undergraduate careers, with little or no change to this high rate annually;\nWhereas freshmen and sophomores in college are at a greater risk of beingsexuallyassaulted than juniors or seniors;\nWhereas college students are at a higher risk ofsexualassaultduring the first few months of school, with more than 50 percent of collegesexualassaults occurring in either August, September, October, or November;\nWhereas 3 in 4 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) college students have experiencedsexualharassment and 9 percent of LGBT college students have experiencedsexualassault;\nWhereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that both middle school and high school students are increasingly experiencingsexualharassment,sexualassault, andsexualviolence, with 30 percent of femalesexualassaultsurvivors reporting that they were first attacked between the ages of 11 and 17;\nWhereas many college students are survivors of incapacitatedassault, in which they aresexuallyassaulted while drugged, drunk, passed out, or otherwise incapacitated;\nWhereas these survivors often know their attackers;\nWhereas less than 5 percent of rapes and attempted rapes of college students are reported to campus authorities or local law enforcement;\nWhereas collegesexualassaultsurvivors are likely to tell someone they know, most often a friend, about their experience;\nWhereas 40 percent of collegesexualassaultsurvivors feared reprisal by the perpetrator;\nWhereas less than 5 percent of college men account for 90 to 95 percent of the rapes on college campuses;\nWhereas many collegesexualassaultsurvivors fear poor treatment by campus or law enforcement authorities, or even lack knowledge of the reporting process;\nWhereas approximately 8 percent of colleges and universities still do not allow confidential reporting ofsexualassaults to campus authorities;\nWhereas 21 percent of colleges and universities provide nosexualassaultresponse training for members of their faculty and staff;\nWhereas more than 30 percent of colleges and universities do not provide anysexualassaulttraining for students;\nWhereas approximately 41 percent of colleges and universities have not conducted a singlesexualassaultinvestigation in the last 5 years;\nWhereas more than 90 percent of colleges and universities state thatsexualassaultsurvivors on their campuses have access to community survivor assistance and advocacy programs, yet only 51 percent of the colleges and universities reported utilizing these services in their team approach;\nWhereas most colleges and universities fail to provide access to a specially trainedSexualAssaultNurse Examiner (SANE);\nWhereas law enforcement officials at 30 percent of colleges and universities receive no training on how to respond to reports ofsexualviolence;\nWhereas more than 70 percent of colleges and universities do not have protocols regarding how the institution and local law enforcement should work together to respond tosexualviolence;\nWhereas 33 percent of colleges and universities failed to provide training to dispel rape myths to persons adjudicatingsexualassaultclaims;\nWhereas 43 percent of the Nation's largest colleges and universities have students assisting in adjudicatingsexualassaultcases, which creates privacy and conflict-of-interest concerns;\nWhereas 22 percent of colleges and universities allow athletic department oversight ofsexualviolence cases involving student athletes;\nWhereas more than 10 percent of colleges and universities do not have a title IX coordinator, as required by Federal law;\nWhereas many collegesexualassaultsurvivors experience confusion over how to report asexualassault, are unsure of acceptable standards ofsexualconduct and definitions of rape andsexualassault, and fear punishment for activities preceding somesexualassaults, such as underage drinking;\nWhereas only 16 percent of colleges and universities reported conducting confidential climate surveys regarding behaviors that constitute or are associated withsexualassault;\nWhereas only 22 percent of colleges and universities providesexualviolence training targeted at the Greek system and only 37 percent provide training targeted at student athletes;\nWhereas 21 percent of the Nation's largest private colleges and universities reported not independently investigating all claims ofsexualassaultthat they conveyed to the Department of Education;\nWhereas only 10 to 25 percent of the perpetrators of collegesexualassaults were permanently expelled;\nWhereas only 10 percent of reported college rape cases result in criminal charges against the defendant;\nWhereas survivors of campussexualassaults are more likely to make changes in their lives, such as changing a college major, changing campus housing, and dropping a class, as a result of theassault;\nWhereas over 90 percent of colleges and universities do not have an affirmative consent policy regardingsexualrelations;\nWhereas the Trump administration has undermined key protections against campussexualassaultprovided by title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972; and\nWhereas September 2020, when many students begin or return to college, is an appropriate month to designate as National CampusSexualAssaultAwareness Month: Now, therefore, be it\nResolved,That the House of Representatives supports the designation of National CampusSexualAssaultAwareness Month.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-a-staff-member-of-the-1963-march-on-washington-says-marches-can", "Norton, a Staff Member of the 1963 March on Washington, Says Marches Can Still Bring Change", "2020-08-28", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) todayreleased a statement on the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, which she helped organize as a member of its staff. Norton, who later became the first woman to chair the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, established by a provision of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, said the 1963 March paved the way for civil rights legislative victories to come.\nToday's march shows the continuing strength of peaceful protest as a tool to bring change. Out of the 1963 march came the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act and, ultimately, the 1968 Fair Housing Act. I was among those who marched for Congress to bring change then. As a member of Congress now, I will take today's march as a mandate to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-carper-announce-dc-statehood-bill-being-placed-on-senate-floor", "Norton, Carper Announce D.C. Statehood Bill Being Placed on Senate Floor Calendar for First Time in History", "2020-08-25", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), the sponsors of the District of Columbia statehood bill, today announced that the Senate has begun the procedural process (Rule 14) to bypass committee consideration of the House-passed D.C. statehood bill (H.R. 51) and to place H.R. 51 directly on the Senate Calendar of Business, which makes the bill available for floor consideration. The bill will be placed on the calendar when the Senate returns to session after the August recess, marking the first time in history the D.C. statehood bill will be on the Senate calendar. While placement on the calendar does not guarantee floor consideration, Senate Democrats initiated this procedural process to demonstrate the importance of H.R. 51 to the Senate Democratic Caucus and the nation.\nAfter 219 years of Congress denying D.C. residents congressional voting rights and full local self-government, we are on the cusp of another historic first for D.C. statehood in a year of historic firsts for D.C. statehood, Norton said. Today, thanks to Senator Carper's leadership, as well as to the work of D.C. residents and local and national advocacy groups, over 90 percent of Senate Democrats are cosponsoring the D.C. statehood bill, a record by a large margin. We will take every opportunity, including using the procedural tools of the Senate, to highlight to the American public the importance of D.C. statehood.\nWe have seen historic support for D.C. Statehood this year and for good reason. Americans living in all 50 states recognize that this is a fight for fairness and equal representation for our fellow citizens, said Senator Carper. Here in the Senate, we will use all the tools in our toolbox to keep the pressure on and continue this momentum. As always, I'm proud to be in this fight with my partner, Congresswoman Norton, and, together, we'll keep pushing for the vote that this bill deserves.\nOn June 26, 2020, the House passed H.R. 51 by a vote of 232-180, which was the first time in history a chamber of Congress has passed the D.C. statehood bill.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-introduces-yearly-chuck-brown-day-resolution", "Norton Introduces Yearly Chuck Brown Day Resolution", "2020-08-24", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C Last week, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a resolution designating Chuck Brown's birthday, August 22, 2020, as Chuck Brown Day in the District of Columbia and across the nation to honor his contributions as the Godfather of Go-Go. The District celebrated Chuck Brown's legacy on August 22nd.\nChuck Brown gave our city and the nation the unforgettable Go-Go' sound, Norton said. The District loved this D.C. legend, and Chuck Brown gave back to his hometown. We will never forget his free concert in front of the Capitol for statehood and voting rights in the District. We will always celebrate his contributions on Chuck Brown Day.\nThe full text of the resolution follows.\n\nRESOLUTION\nExpressing support for the designation of August 22, 2020, as national Chuck Brown Day and honoring his contributions to music and to the District of Columbia.\nWhereas Chuck Brown is known as the Godfather of Go-Go because he was the major architect of the musical genre known as go-go, a unique mix of funk, soul, and Latin party sounds;\nWhereas Chuck Brown, who was born on August 22, 1936, and passed away at the age of 75 on May 16, 2012, was a resident of the District of Columbia most of his life;\nWhereas Chuck Brown, who taught himself to play guitar, became a virtuoso singer, songwriter, guitarist, and band leader;\nWhereas Chuck Brown's go-go beat gave the District of Columbia a musical identity of its own and reminds the Nation that Washington, DC, has always been the hometown of talented artists, among them Duke Ellington and Marvin Gaye;\nWhereas Chuck Brown's musical catalogue spans 22 studio albums over 3 decades;\nWhereas Chuck Brown's hit Bustin' Loose, with his group, the Soul Searchers, was the top song on the Billboard Top 100 R&B Chart for 4 weeks in 1979;\nWhereas Chuck Brown earned a Grammy nomination in 2010 for the song Love, from his album entitled We Got This, and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship in 2005;\nWhereas Chuck Brown's go-go has been passed from generation to generation with undiminished popularity;\nWhereas Chuck Brown influenced jazz, rap, and go-go musicians, such as the bands Trouble Funk, Rare Essence, and Experience Unlimited (also known as E.U.);\nWhereas Chuck Brown was so committed to securing statehood and equal voting rights for the residents of the District of Columbia that he played a concert on a very hot, humid day on the United States Capitol grounds in 2010;\nWhereas the District of Columbia has named a street located near the historic, modernized Howard Theatre for Chuck Brown;\nWhereas the District of Columbia has named a park located at 2901 20th Street, NE, for Chuck Brown;\nWhereas, in 2020, go-go was designated as the official music of the District of Columbia\nWhereas go-go serves as the soundtrack for the Don't Mute D.C. movement\nWhereas Chuck Brown is admired for having risen from humble beginnings and overcoming time in prison to become a devoted father and family man;\nWhereas Chuck Brown was a great, multitalented musician who brought joy through his music, never stopping until his death; and\nWhereas August 22, 2020, is Chuck Brown's birthday: Now, therefore, be it\nResolved, That the House of Representatives supports the designation of Chuck Brown Day, and honors Chuck Brown's contributions to music and to the District of Columbia.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-speaks-on-house-floor-for-funds-for-the-postal-service-and-about", "Norton Speaks on House Floor for Funds for the Postal Service and about the Crisis Precipitated by the Postmaster General", "2020-08-22", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  In speaking on the House floor today in favor of a bill to restore postal services and to provide $25 billion to help the U.S. Postal Service survive, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reminded Americans that the pandemic had not kept the mail from being faithfully delivered until Postmaster General Louis DeJoy was appointed.\nNorton's speech on the House floor concluded a busy week working to save the Postal Service. On Tuesday, she spoke at a press conference alongside House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House and Senate members of the\nD.C. regional delegation about postal issues. On Thursday, she held a press conference at a post office in the District of Columbia, where she heard from postal workers and residents about their experience with mail delivery.\nNorton's remarks on the House floor today follow:\nMr. Speaker, even during this pandemic with most agencies down, we had not heard complaints from the Postal Service until Louis Dejoy was appointed Postmaster General. On the contrary, the pandemic had not kept our mail from being faithfully delivered.\nAlmost immediately after Dejoy assumed office, pandemonium broke out. For example, in Ward 8 of my district, there was no mail for two weeks. And the District and 46 states have been warned by the Postal Service itself that it cannot guarantee that all mail ballots will arrive in time to be counted.\nMr. Dejoy did not tell the truth at the Senate hearing yesterday. We know from a July 15 memorandum directing employees explicitly to leave mail behind and to significantly cut overtime. We know that from an August 7 Postal Service action that reassigned 23 top executives with decades of institutional knowledge of postal operations in order to centralize operations in Mr. Dejoy. We know and will bring out, before the hearing is over today that the Post Office continues to be sabotaged.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/hiv-progress-in-dc-accelerated-by-federal-payments-norton-secures-and", "HIV Progress in D.C. Accelerated by Federal Payments Norton Secures and Her Removal of the Needle Exchange Rider", "2020-08-21", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that the significant progress reported in the District of Columbia's 2019HIV, STD, Hepatitis and TB Surveillance Report, released yesterday, encourages her to continue her efforts in Congress that have been vital to D.C.'s success in combattingHIV/AIDS. No progress  only increases inHIVcases  was made until Norton got a deadly rider removed in 2007 that prohibited D.C. from spending its local funds on needle exchange programs, and she has kept the rider from being reimposed ever since, even though Democrats have been in the minority during some of those years. Equally important, Norton has secured millions of dollars annually, over and above other federal funding, in special federal payments forHIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in D.C., including $4 million in fiscal year 2020.\n\nThe report indicated that the two leading causes of the decrease in the spread ofHIVin the District are the use of a daily prophylactic pill, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), and the greater percentage of individuals withHIVwith viral loads so low it cannot be passed to others. In addition, Norton has given priority to pressing for the over $2.4 billion for the Ryan WhiteHIV/AIDS program in the House-passed FY 2021 healthcare spending bill, which helps fund PrEP. She also pressed for the $90 million in the CARES Act to help provide COVID-19-related health services for Ryan White clients.\n\nNorton said she will cite progress the District has made to help her to get Ryan White funds and millions of dollars in special federal payments annually to combatHIV/AIDS in the District, as well as to keep the deadly rider that prohibited D.C. from using its local funds for needle exchange from being reimposed.\n\nThe progress in this year's report shows the effectiveness of the programs the District has used to almost eliminateHIVcases attributable to injection drug use and to reduce the number of newly diagnosedHIVcases, Norton said. Particularly important has been the removal of a needle exchange rider, which had been in place for a decade, preventing D.C. from using its local funds on needle exchange programs, which I got removed in 2007. We cannot understate the effect of millions of dollars in annual special federal funding I have gotten for D.C. over the last decade in achieving the positive health outcomes shown in this year's report. I intend to use D.C.'s progress to continue to get this unique funding.\n\nKey findings of the report include:\n\n The number of newly diagnosedHIVcases in the District was 282 in 2019, a 16% decrease from 335 in 2018; there has been a 79% decrease from the 1,374 cases in 2007.\n\tThe number of newly diagnosedHIVcases attributable to injection drug use decreased from 150 cases in 2007, when the rider was removed, to two cases in 2019.\n \n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-highlights-constituents-postal-workers-at-press-conference-on", "Norton Highlights Constituents & Postal Workers at Press Conference on Postmaster Generals Interference in Mail Delivery", "2020-08-21", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. At apressconference today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which will hear from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Monday, heard from two District of Columbia residents, who also serve as Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners, about the personal cost of delayed or missing mail, as well as two postal union representatives about the impact of DeJoy's changes on mail service. In describing the outpouring of concern, Norton introduced the residents by saying, We won't be able to fix what has gone wrong with the U.S. Postal Service unless we hear from those most affected.\n\nNorton's full statement, as prepared for delivery, follows:\nI am grateful to the D.C. residents represented by our ANC Commissioners and postal workers who have come this afternoon to make sure we understand the full story, indeed the real story, of what is happening at the U.S. Postal Service. The crisis Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has created at the U.S. Postal Service set off a fury of reactions andpressconferences from Members of the House and Senate, including in our region and across the country.\nWe have heard from almost everyone except the men and women most directly affected by the crisis at the U.S. Postal Service. What has been missing from the discussion are the voices of the people on the front lines, our elected ANC commissioners, and most pointedly, our postal workers, who have shouldered the bulk of the burden the U.S. Postal Service is facing. No wonder they have a 90% approval rating from the American people. So great has been the outpouring that the Postmaster General announced he was pulling back. However, that is not the case, not to the status quo ante.\nDeJoy has admitted that the harm done so far will be left in place, no replacement of sorting machines or of blue mailboxes that have been removed, and no promise for adequate overtime.\nWe can still prevent an indelible scar on our free elections that will result from changes at the U.S. Postal Service. We must pass the Delivering for America Act and the $25 billion needed to save the U.S. Postal Service.\nWhat is needed now is an understanding of what changes at the U.S. Postal Service mean on the ground. What has been the experience in our neighborhoods? What have the changes meant to how postal workers do their jobs? We will not be able to fix what has gone wrong with the U.S. Postal Service unless we hear from those most affected. We are grateful to the ANC Commissioners coming forward today, Commissioner Carmon of Ward 8D and Commissioner Adofo of Ward 8C, and to the two postal worker union representatives who joined us today, Mr. Robinson from the American Postal Workers Union and Mr. Hooks from the National Association of Letter Carriers.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletters/congresswoman-eleanor-holmes-norton-s-enewsletter", "Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Nortons eNewsletter", "2020-08-20", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Norton Issues Second Demand for Answers from Secret Service About the Treatment of Two Women and Their Children on National Mall \nNorton sent a second letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf and U.S. Secret Service Director James Murray demanding answers regarding the detention of two African American mothers on the National Mall. Norton previously wrote to both officials demanding answers about the detention of these D.C. residents, but has not received a response to her questions.\nMore information here.\n\n Norton Demands U.S. Census Bureau Answer Questions About Preparation to Fully Count D.C. Residents, Especially Spanish Speakers, in 2020 Census \nNorton, a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which has jurisdiction over the Census Bureau and the 2020 Census, sent a letter to United States Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham asking a series of questions about an evident lack of Spanish-speaking staff to help District of Columbia residents fill out the Census.\nMore information here.\n\n Norton Introduces District of Columbia Special Elections Home Rule Act \nNorton 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 simply removes a limitation on the District that is not only inconsistent with the self-government authority otherwise 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.\nDetails here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-raises-questions-about-deliberate-steps-to-undercut-postal", "Norton Raises Questions about Deliberate Steps to Undercut Postal Service During Press Conference at Postal Headquarters, Today", "2020-08-18", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. At apressconference today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which will hear from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Monday, indicated a number of questions she will ask DeJoy.\nI will want to know why D.C. and 46 states have received warnings from the Postal Service that it cannot guarantee that our mail-in ballots will arrive in time to be counted, Norton said.\n\nNorton's full statement at thepressconference, as prepared for delivery, follows:\n\nAs a senior member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, which has jurisdiction over the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), I want to emphasize what I believe is the most important section of our pending bill to reform the postal service, the Delivering for America Act. The bill would bar the new USPS leadership from making the changes it is undertaking to postal operations or levels of service that were in place on January 1, 2020.\nThis status quo pause of abrupt changes underway at the USPS is essential to avoid an indelible scar on our free elections that will feature mail-in ballots this year. The United States had a successful election even during the Civil War, but as experience from the primaries predicts, we are headed for pandemonium in the November elections that may leave lasting uncertainty.\nThe USPS, which enjoys a 90% approval rating, was performing heroically until President Trump appointed the new Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, who will appear before our committee on Monday.\nSince DeJoy's appointment, here in the nation's capital we have had reports of no delivery of mail for two weeks in Ward 8, and I am now engaged in a ward-by-ward investigation. These lapses in delivery, which have been experienced nationwide since DeJoy's appointment, have led the Speaker to call back the House for an emergency session on Saturday.\nDuring our hearing on Monday, I will question DeJoy about a July 15 memorandum directing employees to leave mail behind in distribution centers and to significantly cut the overtime needed for that distribution.\nI will question him about an August 7 memorandum that criticized how the reassignment of 23 executives would sideline decades of institutional knowledge if authority was centralized around him.\nI will want to know why my district and 46 states have received warnings from the Postal Service that it cannot guarantee that all mail ballots will arrive on time to be counted.\nTrump is trying to sabotage mail-in voting. It falls to the legislative branch to take the action necessary to preserve democratic elections.\n\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-highlights-dc-postal-delivery-concerns-announces-event-with-hoyer", "Norton Highlights D.C. Postal Delivery Concerns, Announces Event with Hoyer, Tomorrow", "2020-08-17", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. In advance of apressconference tomorrow on the Postal Service with members of Congress from the District of Columbia region, Congresswoman Eleanor HolmesNorton(D-DC), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform (COR), which has jurisdiction over the Postal Service, today sent a letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. The letter raised concerns that D.C. residents, especially those in Ward 8, began receiving highly inadequate services from the Postal Service beginning when DeJoy took office. In Ward 8 particularly, residents have reported not receiving their mail for over two weeks and other concerns with the Postal Service. DeJoy will be testifying at a COR hearing on August 24, 2020.\nWith changes in leadership at the Postal Service, we are seeing an unprecedented decline in service nationwide,Nortonsaid. Postal delivery is a constitutionally mandated right of the people. With so many people expected to vote by mail in the upcoming election, postal delivery is directly tied to democracy. We are engaged in hearings, visits to post offices and continuing oversight to see to it that Postal Service leadership fixes its ongoing, self-generated problems and begins serving the American people.\nNortonalso announced that she will participate in an event with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) tomorrow to further highlight ongoing problems with the Postal Service.\n\nWHAT:Nortonparticipates in Postal Servicepressevent with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and regional members of Congress.\nWHEN:Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 18, at 2:00 pm\nWHERE:USPS Headquarters, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, D.C. 20260\nNorton's letter follows.\n\nAugust 17, 2020\n\nThe Honorable Louis DeJoy\nPostmaster General\nand Chief Executive Officer\nUnited States Postal Service\n475 L'Enfant Plaza SW\nWashington, DC 20260-3500\n\nDear Postmaster GeneralDeJoy:\n\nI write not only as the representative for the more than 700,000 residents of the nation's capital, but also as a senior member of your oversight committee, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.During your brief tenure, I have experienced a massive increase in constituent complaints regarding mail service and calls for your removal.I am concerned that this failure has impacted almost every part of the nation's capital, but it has been particularly acute in Ward 8, where many residents have not received mail for two weeks.I ask that you take immediate steps to see that mail delivery resumes on track in Ward 8.I ask that you provide a written respond to this letter no later than Wednesday, August 19, 2020.\n\nSincerely,\nEleanor HolmesNorton\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-demands-us-census-bureau-answer-questions-about-preparation-to", "Norton Demands U.S. Census Bureau Answer Questions About Preparation to Fully Count D.C. Residents, Especially Spanish Speakers, in 2020 Census", "2020-08-14", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which has jurisdiction over the Census Bureau and the 2020 Census, today sent a letter to United States Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham asking a series of questions about an evident lack of Spanish-speaking staff to help District of Columbia residents fill out the Census.\nThe Census Bureau has repeatedly showed that it is trying to avoid its mandate to ensure that everyone is counted in this Census, Norton said. Our area must have Spanish-speaking enumerators and other staff to help our large Spanish-speaking population fill out the Census and be counted. It is unacceptable and indeed unconstitutional to deliberately fail to count minorities.\nPreviously, the Trump Administration fought to add an unnecessary question to the Census about an individual's citizenship status, which would have driven down responses from immigrants.Norton introduced legislation, the Ensuring Full Participation in the Census Act (H.R. 1734), to prohibit the Census Bureau from asking the question about citizenship status. The Administration has since abandoned its effort to ask this question after losing a lawsuit on the issue in the Supreme Court.\n\nNorton's letter follows.\n\nAugust 14, 2020\n\nThe Honorable Steven Dillingham\nDirector\nUnited States Census Bureau\n4600 Silver Hill Road\nWashington, DC 20233\n\nDear Director Dillingham:\n\nAs a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which has jurisdiction over the Census Bureau and the 2020 Census, I write to express grave concern regarding the apparent lack of Spanish-speaking enumerators and Mobile Questionnaire Assistance (MQA) staff in the District of Columbia.\n\nWe understand from conversations with the relevant staff in the D.C. Mayor's office that there are no or, at best, virtually no Spanish-speaking enumerators or MQA staff in D.C.This is unacceptable.I ask that you provide written responses to the following questions by Friday, August 21, 2020.\n\n How many MQA staff are assigned to D.C.?How may are Spanish speakers?\n\tHow many enumerators are assigned to D.C.?How many are Spanish speakers?\n\tHow many enumerators were assigned to D.C. for the 2010 Census?How many of those were Spanish speakers?\n\tHow many MQA staff were assigned to D.C. for the 2010 Census?How many of those were Spanish speakers?\n\tHow many overall Census staff are assigned to count D.C. residents?\n\tHow many overall Census staff assigned to count D.C. residents are Spanish speakers?\n\tAre you planning on hiring more Spanish-speaking MQA staff or enumerators in D.C.?If so, when will they be able to start after their training and how will they be beneficial considering the deadline you established to finish the Census is quickly approaching?\n I understand that D.C. government staff who are working to help with the Census have had very little communication from the Census Bureau's D.C. field office.I know that you are well aware of the importance of communication between local governments and Census field staff.This situation must be improved.I also understand that hiring for Census field staff is progressing at a much slower rate than it did 10 years ago, despite the increased difficulties with this Census given the coronavirus.With your problematic decision to end all datacollection on September 30, 2020, instead of October 31, 2020, it is more imperative than ever that these issues be resolved so that there can be a complete and accurate count.\n\n\nSincerely,\n\nEleanor Holmes Norton\n\n\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-introduces-district-of-columbia-special-elections-home-rule-act", "Norton Introduces District of Columbia Special Elections Home Rule Act", "2020-08-12", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) yesterday 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 simply removes a limitation on the District that is not only inconsistent with the self-government authority otherwisegranted by the Home Rule Act, but is also counterproductive. This bill would strengthen the District's home-rule authority and does not require statehood. \nThe Home Rule Act originally required the Board of Elections to hold special elections on the first Tuesday 114 days from when the vacancy occurred, Norton said. This inflexibility led to special elections being held on religious holidays and has forced the District to hold a special election separate from an upcoming general election, costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra election costs.A 2012 law I authored requires the Board to hold a special election on a Tuesday occurring between 70 and 174 days after the vacancy. My new bill would provide even greater flexibility for the District.\nPending statehood, Norton has introduced the following bills to expand D.C. home rule and equality this Congress.\n The District of Columbia Paperwork Reduction Act (H.R. 735) would eliminate the congressional review period for D.C. bills.\n\tThe District of Columbia Local Prosecutor Home Rule Act (H.R. 917) would allow the District to prosecute all crimes committed under its local laws. Currently, the U.S. Attorney for the District prosecutes almost all crimes committed by adults under local D.C. law.\n\tThe District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act (H.R. 1090) would give the D.C. Mayor the authority to deploy the D.C. National Guard. Unlike governors of the states, and even territories, the District's chief executive officer cannot deploy its Guard.\n\tAbill to require the Library of Congress to install the D.C. seal in the Main Reading Room of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress (H.R. 1318). Currently, the stained-glass windows contain the seals of all states and territories that existed when the building was constructed, except for the D.C. seal, which was readily available at the time and should have been depicted.\n\tThe District of Columbia Home Rule Clemency Act (H.R. 1378) would give the District exclusive authority, like the states and territories, to grant clemency to offenders convicted under its local laws.Currently, this authority is exercised in D.C. by the President.\n\tThe District of Columbia Home Rule Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 1408) would eliminate the applicability of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to the District.\n\tThe District of Columbia Zoning Commission Home Rule Act (H.R. 1538) would give D.C. the authority to appoint all members of the Commission.\n\tThe National Capital Planning Commission District of Columbia Home Rule Act (H.R. 1797) would remove the authority of the NCPC to review the development of D.C.-owned land.\n\tThe District of Columbia Courts Home Rule Act (H.R. 2769) would give D.C. authority over the jurisdiction and organization of the local D.C. courts.\n\tThe District of Columbia Police Home Rule Act (H.R. 3092) would eliminate the president's authority to federalize the local D.C. police department.\n\tA bill to permit the flag of the United States to be flown at half-staff in the event of the death of the Mayor of the District (H.R. 3283).\n\tThe Commission of Fine Arts District of Columbia Home Rule Act (H.R. 3365) would remove the authority of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts to review development of District-owned parks and buildings, as well as development of certain private property in D.C.\n\tThe D.C. Board of Zoning Adjustment Home Rule Act (H.R. 3581) would give the District the authority to appoint all members of the D.C. Board of Zoning Adjustment , except when the Board is performing functions regarding an application by a foreign mission with respect to a chancery.\n\tThe District of Columbia Federal Officials Residency Equality Act (H.R. 3785) would require certain federal officials who serve the District to live in the District.\n\tThe District of Columbia Bridges Home Rule Act (H.R. 4136) would repeal a federal law that makes it a crime for a person in D.C. to obstruct any bridge connecting D.C. and Virginia.\n\tThe McIntire-Stennis Act District of Columbia Equality Act (H.R. 4885) would make D.C. eligible for federal forestry funds.\n\tThe District of Columbia Chief Financial Officer Salary Home Rule Act (H.R. 6158) would give D.C. the authority to set the maximum salary for the D.C. CFO.\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-issues-second-demand-for-answers-from-secret-service-about-the", "Norton Issues Second Demand for Answers from Secret Service About the Treatment of Two Women and Their Children on National Mall", "2020-08-12", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today sent a second letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf and U.S. Secret Service Director James Murray demanding answers regarding the detention of two African American mothers on the National Mall. Norton previously wrote to both officials demanding answers about the detention of these D.C. residents, but has not received a response to her questions.\nMembers of Congress are entitled to timely responses to their inquiries, Norton said. If, as DHS' statement indicates, the public reporting is wrong, a response to my inquiry will indicate how.\nThe women were parked and taking their infants out for an afternoon near the World War II Memorial when their car was hit by a Secret Service vehicle. After the crash, an officer pointed a rifle at one of the women and the women were handcuffed and separated from their young children.\nToday's letter asks for a written response by Monday and is below. The original letter follows today's letter.\n\n\nAugust 12, 2020\n\nThe Honorable Chad Wolf    The Honorable James M. Murray\nActing Secretary    Director\nDepartment of Homeland Security    United States Secret Service\n301 7th Street SW    245 Murray Drive SW\nMail Stop 0150    Building T5\nWashington, DC 20528    Washington, DC 20223\n\nDear Acting Secretary Wolf and Director Murray:\n\n I write to follow up on the letter I sent to you on August 4, 2020, in which I raised serious concerns, including possible constitutional violations, regarding the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division's arrest of two women, India Johnson and Yasmeen Winston, on the National Mall while they were with their young children. I asked for your response to six questions by August 11, 2020. I have not yet received a response to the questions.\n\nYour staff sent your press release on the arrests to my staff, but this does not come close to responding to questions asked by a Member of Congress. Merely stating in a press release that the claims that have been portrayed in the media and by others are misleading, and in some instances, false, does not clarify what actually happened and is not an adequate response to an inquiry from a Member of Congress.\n\nGiven the importance of this issue, I ask that you provide a written response to the six questions I asked in my August 4, 2020, letter by August 17, 2020.\n\nSincerely,\nEleanor Holmes Norton\n\n\nNorton's original letter to DHS and USSS follows: \n\nAugust 4, 2020\n\nThe Honorable Chad Wolf                              The Honorable James M. Murray\nActing Secretary     Director\nDepartment of Homeland Security     United States Secret Service\n301 7th Street SW    245 Murray Drive SW\nMail Stop 0150      Building T5\nWashington, DC 20528                                 Washington, DC 20223\n\nDear Acting Secretary Wolf and Director Murray:\n\n I write with strong concern regarding the arrests of two District of Columbia residents by officers with the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division on the National Mall. I understand from public reporting that the parked car India Johnson and Yasmeen Winston were sitting in was crashed into by a Uniformed Division cruiser when they were misidentified. Apparently, a car loosely matching the one they were driving, but with different tags, had been stolen by two men. Ms. Johnson and Ms. Winston were stopped even though they and their young children were the only occupants of the vehicle. I understand that after the crash, the officers got out of their car and one pointed a rifle at the women, yelling at them to put their hands in the air. Even with their young children present, the officer pointed the rifle at the head of at least one of the women. Both women were then handcuffed and separated from their babies, neither were read their Miranda rights, and the officers refused to let one of them breastfeed her son, even though the baby continued to cry out. While the women were handcuffed, the officers also conducted a search of the car despite a lack of an imminent threat, a warrant, permission, or, apparently, probable cause, since at that point it was obvious the car was not the stolen one. Additionally, the officers were not wearing masks even in the middle of a global pandemic.\n Please provide a written response to the following within five business days:\n Why did your officers think it appropriate to crash their cruiser into the car, even if they suspected it was stolen, when it appears that the women were not making any attempt to avoid a stop? Did they have their lights and sirens on or anything else to warn the occupants prior to the crash?\n\tDo your officers normally stop a car that your officers claimed matched a stolen car when the licenses do not match and the occupants of the vehicle do not match the description, or gender, of the suspects? How is probable cause or even reasonable suspicion alleged to have been met in that situation?\n\tWhy did your officers not read the women their Miranda rights when it was obvious that they met the legal standard to be considered under arrest?\n\tWhy were your officers not wearing masks in light of the global coronavirus pandemic?\n\tWhy did your officers point their rifle at the head of one of the women, in front of children, when she had apparently made no effort to avoid arrest or in any other way posed a danger? Is it typical for your officers to draw a weapon on an individual who was pulled over just for having a car that might look similar to one that was stolen?\n\tIs there dashboard and body camera footage of the event, and if so, will you immediately release it to the public?\n \n\n\nSincerely,\nEleanor Holmes Norton\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-congratulates-five-dc-winners-of-congressional-black-caucus", "Norton Congratulates Five D.C. Winners of Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Scholarship", "2020-08-06", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today offered hercongratulationsto five District of Columbia residents who have been awarded the 2020 Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Spouses Education Scholarship: Rajhad Burks (Catholic University of America), Mariah Haley (Columbia Law School), Alyson Jefferson (Oberlin College), Mentewab Kebede (Georgetown University), and Amari Manigault (George Washington University). Recipients are awarded $1,640 each to help advance their academiccareers. For more than 30 years, the CBC Foundation has made scholarships available to deserving Black students who reside in CBC Member districts. These scholarships support full-time students enrolled in higher education institutions across a variety of disciplines.\nAs a senior member of the CBC, Norton annually appoints a selection committee to review scholarship applications. Norton said she is especially grateful to this year's committee, composed ofRev. Dr. Alice Greene, Reverend Debra Camphor, and Kenneth Howard. The committee determines a grade for each student based on transcripts, recommendation letters, and short-answer essays.\nTherigorousscholarship application process begins in February and winners are announced later in the year. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in school full time and reside in the district of a CBC member.\nI applaud these students for their work that enabled them to compete successfully for this stipend, Norton said. As tuition at many institutions has soared over the years, we are determined to continue these scholarship stipends toassiststudents in their academic pursuits. We recognize that $1,640 is a drop in the bucket compared to the ever-climbing costs and financial burdens facing students today. However, this scholarship represents more than the money attached to it. These students exemplify Black academic excellence in the District of Columbia, and we are proud to have them represent our city.\nMore information about CBCF and the scholarships they offer can be foundhere.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-calls-on-us-attorney-for-dc-to-increase-prosecution-of-hate", "Norton Calls on U.S. Attorney for D.C. to Increase Prosecution of Hate Crimes", "2020-08-05", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released the letter she sent today to Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Attorney Michael R. Sherwin asking him to prosecute hate crimes targeted at the LGBTQ community. Her letter follows several public meetings Norton has held to address the issue of prosecuting hate crimes.\nThis letter is the latest in my longstanding work to ensure every member of our community is safe from attack and harassment, Norton said. We must work to protect our LGBTQ community. The U.S. Attorney for D.C., who is not elected by D.C. residents or appointed by D.C. officials, is responsible for prosecuting almost all local crimes in D.C. I have continually pressed the last several U.S. Attorneys for D.C. to prosecute hate crimes and will continue to do so. The office must work to ensure everybody can live in a safe environment.\nNorton's District of Columbia Local Prosecutor Home Rule Act of 2019 (H.R. 917) would give D.C. the authority to prosecute all local crimes. Under federal law, the U.S. Attorney's Office for D.C., a federal entity, is responsible for prosecuting almost all local crimes committed by adults in the District.\nNorton's letter follows:\n\nAugust 5, 2020\n\nThe Honorable Michael R. Sherwin\nActing United States Attorney\nfor the District of Columbia\n555 4th Street NW\nWashington, DC 20002\n\nDear Acting United States Attorney Sherwin:\nGiven your role as the chief prosecutor, even of local felonies, for the District of Columbia, I write to bring an urgent prosecutorial issue to your attention: prosecution of hate crimes targeting members of the LGBTQ community. I worked with your predecessors to ensure that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia would take on hate crimes targeting members of the LGBTQ community in a serious manner.\nI am particularly interested in working with you to ensure prosecution of these hate crimes because of the absence of a local prosecutor for the District. You are responsible for protecting the LGBTQ community in both the local and federal courts.\nI have held several events on hate crime prosecutions, and I have recurrently heard the theme that members of the LGBTQ community do not feel as though the U.S. Attorney's Office is taking these issues seriously.\nI ask that you provide my office updated statistics on the number of hate crime arrests in the District and how many were prosecuted or resulted in a plea deal. I ask that you respond in writing within 15 days of the date of this letter.\n\n\nSincerely,\nEleanor Holmes Norton\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-introduces-bill-to-improve-operations-of-dc-courts-making-them", "Norton Introduces Bill to Improve Operations of D.C. Courts, Making Them More Efficient", "2020-08-04", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that she introduced today the District of Columbia Courts Improvement Act of 2020, which would make several important changes to improve the operations of the local D.C. Courts.\nOur D.C. statehood bill has passed in the House, but until Senate passage, the Home Rule Act gives Congress exclusive jurisdiction over the organization and jurisdiction of the local D.C. Courts, Norton said. In recent history, legislation to improve the operations of the D.C. Courts has been enacted into law every few years. I hope this bill will likewise be adopted in a bipartisan manner.\nThe bill would make the following changes:\n Remove the consent requirement for D.C. Superior Court magistrate judges in certain situations, furthering the efficiency of the judicial process.\n\tAuthorize magistrate judges to issue search and arrest warrants and give all magistrate judges contempt authority.\n\tTies D.C. Superior Court juror pay to the pay jurors receive in federal court. Currently, Superior Court jurors are paid less than federal jurors.\n\tModernize juror summonses by allowing potential jurors to complete the questionnaire electronically.\n\tAllow jurors who are 70 years old or older to be excused from jury service if the individual so chooses.\n\tGive the D.C. Courts and the Public Defender Service (PDS) buyout authority for employees who separate by voluntary retirement or by resignation. The D.C. Courts and PDS have this authority in fiscal year 2020 under the fiscal year 2020 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, but this bill would provide permanent authority.\n\tIncrease the pay to attorneys for indigent defendants in criminal proceedings and indigent children in delinquency and need of supervision proceedings up to the amount currently allowed in federal court. The current rate in the D.C. Courts has not been updated in eight years and is $42 per hour less than the federal rate.\n\tEliminate the $25 hourly fixed rate for D.C. Criminal Justice Act investigators. Federal investigators in D.C. are currently paid $65 an hour, and up to $75 an hour in death penalty and other complex cases.\n\tMove the appointment and removal of the Register of Wills (ROW) and supervisory responsibilities from the D.C. Superior Court and the Chief Judge of the Superior Court, respectively, to the Executive Officer of the D.C. Courts. This change would provide the Executive Officer oversight of the personnel for the entire Probate Division, including the ROW, which will improve efficiency in making personnel decisions and in the overall administration of the Probate Division.\n\tGives the D.C. Courts the authority to give retroactive pay increases to employees on board at the time the increase is ordered and to employees who have retired (not resigned) or died between the date the increase becomes effective and the date it is ordered.\n\tMakes corrections to portions of the D.C. Coe that reference the Domestic Violence Division where it still refers to its old name, the Domestic Violence Unit, and updates how title 11 of the D.C. Code references individuals with intellectual disabilities.\n In May 2019, Norton introduced her District of Columbia Courts Home Rule Act (H.R. 2769), which would give D.C. authority over the jurisdiction and organization of the local D.C. courts.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-raskin-announce-bill-to-remove-name-of-segregationist-from-chevy", "Norton, Raskin Announce Bill to Remove Name of Segregationist from Chevy Chase Circle", "2020-08-04", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) announced today that they will introduce a bill to remove the name of Francis G. Newlands, a late U.S. senator from Nevada who held racist views, from Chevy Chase Circle. The name appears on the fountain and a plaque in the circle. The circle lies partly in D.C. and partly in Maryland's 8th Congressional District, which Raskin represents, and is managed by the National Park Service.\nI have long called for removing statues to Confederates and segregationists and placing them in museums to help give a more complete history of our country, Norton said. However, there is no redeeming value in preserving an honorific to an avowed and unreconstructed racist. This plaque and fountain tell no story. They are meant only to honor Francis Newlands, a segregationist who argued that voting rights won for African Americans as a result of the Civil War should be repealed. Newlands belongs in the dust bins of history, not preserved on a traffic circle that symbolizes the unity between the nation's capital and the state of Maryland.\nFrancis Newlands was a segregationist and white supremacist, and the time is long overdue to retire his name and the plaque honoring him at Chevy Chase Circle, Raskin said. This former Senator from Nevada has received more honor and attention from us than he deserves, and surely we can find a more appropriate person to honor at this heavily traveled crossroads between Maryland and Washington, D.C., two communities that pride themselves on equality, diversity and strong democracy.\nNewlands worked to institutionalize his beliefs in white supremacy and did what he could to increase the racism that continues to plague our country and our people. Newlands called for the repeal of the 15th Amendment, which invalidated race discrimination in voting rights; advocated racist and anti-immigrant policies; and backed efforts to deprive African Americans, Jews, and other minorities of basic human rights. Let's leave Newlands' disturbing legacy to his family and others who want to continue to honor him. But the people of Maryland and Washington can move on. We should stop rewarding racist ideology and politics with a public memorial on public property. It is time to write a new story for the new century.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-scores-dc-victories-in-final-house-spending-bills", "Norton Scores D.C. Victories in Final House Spending Bills", "2020-08-04", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today listed major victories for the District of Columbia in the House's final - fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations bills.\nNorton achieved her priorities in the House-passed FY 2021 D.C. Appropriations bill, including $40 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG); prohibiting the president from federalizing the D.C. police department; $52.9 million for emergency planning and security costs related to the federal presence in D.C., including the next inauguration; and $8 million for the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) for ongoing work to control flooding in the city and clean up the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers and Rock Creek.\nAmong other important achievements in the D.C. bill, Norton was able to defeat an amendment that would have blocked D.C. from spending its local funds on abortions for low-income women, like many jurisdictions have long done. In addition, Congressman Andy Harris (R-MD) offered an amendment that would have blocked a proposed ballot initiative to make the possession of entheogenic plants and fungi among the D.C. police department's lowest enforcement priorities. Harris withdrew the amendment after debate on it, knowing it would fail.\n\nKey Provisions in the D.C. Bill:\n The bill prohibits the president from federalizing the D.C. police department in FY 2021. Until the D.C. statehood bill, pending in the Senate, becomes law, the D.C. Home Rule Act permits the president to federalize the D.C. police department. In June, during largely peaceful protests in D.C., the Trump administration threatened to federalize the D.C. police department.\n\tThe bill provides $40 million for DCTAG, which has been the enacted level in the last five fiscal years, paying for D.C. students to attend state colleges in all 50 states, but, with Democrats in control of the House, also repeals the provision in the enacted FY 2019 spending bill that reduced the family income eligibility limit from $750,000 to $500,000.\n\tThe bill has no anti-home-rule riders. In particular, it removes the two enacted fiscal year 2020 riders, which Norton has long opposed  prohibitions on the District's use of its local funds on abortion and on recreational marijuana commercialization.\n\tThe bill allows the District to spend its local funds under the Local Budget Autonomy Act, which means that the local budget passed by the D.C. Council and signed by the mayor can take effect after a congressional review period, like all other local D.C. bills. If enacted, this bill would be the first since enactment of the Home Rule Act allowing D.C. to spend its local funds without a congressional appropriation of such funds.\n\tThe bill exempts the D.C. government from federal government shutdowns in FY 2022. Norton has gotten annual shutdown exemptions enacted every year since the 2013 federal government shutdown.\n\tThe bill provides $8 million for DC Water for ongoing work to control flooding in the city and clean up the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers and Rock Creek, the same as the enacted FY 2020 level; an extra $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C., the same as the enacted FY 2020 level; and $413,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program for tuition for D.C. National Guard soldiers, the same as the enacted FY 2020 level.\n\tThe bill provides $52.9 million for emergency planning and security costs related to the federal presence in D.C., including the next inauguration.\n\tNorton is disappointed that the bill allows new students to enroll in the private school voucher program Congress imposed uniquely on the District but is pleased that the bill contains her provision requiring participating voucher schools to comply with federal civil rights laws. This Republican-imposed 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. Republicans have repeatedly voted against authorization of a national private school voucher program.\n \nOther Spending Bills Containing D.C. Measures\nIn other appropriations bills, Norton accomplished other priorities for the District. She secured $345 million for the Department of Homeland Security consolidation project at St. Elizabeths and $150 million for Metro. She also secured report language permitting sledding on Capitol grounds; encouraging the National Arboretum to improve public access; directing the Federal Railroad Administration to continue working with the District on the Union Station expansion plan and to consider the feedback of all stakeholders, including residents of affected neighborhoods, in its planning process; encouraging the General Services Administration to give the National Children's Museum and other congressionally designated museums free rent; and prohibiting the Federal Bureau of Prisons from charging subsistence fees for returning citizens in halfway houses and on home conferment.\nThe House Appropriations Committee passed all 12 of the appropriations bills and the House passed 10 of them. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-scores-major-victory-for-a-swimmable-fishable-anacostia-river", "Norton Scores Major Victory for a Swimmable, Fishable Anacostia River", "2020-08-04", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said she was able to include in the House's Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA), the major water infrastructure bill, which the House passed last week, a provision that would help accelerate the cleanup of harmful sediments in and around the federal navigational channel in the Anacostia River. The provision changes the parameters in terms of depth and coordinates of the federal navigation channel.\nThe Congresswoman's provision supports the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment's (DOEE) plan to remediate the Anacostia River, a priority for Norton, by either dredging or capping toxic sediment to make the river safe for wildlife and District residents. This plan is called the Anacostia River Sediment Project.\nAs chair of the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, I am grateful to my colleagues on another subcommittee, the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, for including this important provision for D.C. and the surrounding region in WRDA, and now to the full House for keeping it in the bill Norton said. The Anacostia River has long been a major priority for me, and this provision is necessary to continue the progress being made on cleanup of the river. This provision will allow DOEE to move forward with its plans for sediment remediation in the Anacostia River more quickly and at a lower overall cost.\nDue to sediment accumulation over time, many parts of the federal navigation channel in the Anacostia River do not meet the current formal depth requirements of the federal navigation channel.In the absence of a partial deauthorization, in order to move forward with its plan for sediment remediation, DOEE would have had to dredge all the way down to the full depth of 24 feet in many places, a depth that is inconsistent with existing and anticipated future uses of the Anacostia River. Extensive dredging is not necessary to restore the river and would be very time consuming and expensive and would make the overall remediation project much more difficult.The deauthorization that the Norton got included in WRDA changes the parameters of the federal navigation channel so that DOEE will not have to dredge down quite as far in some areas and can move forward with simply capping toxic sediment in other areas.This would greatly decrease the cost of the project for the District and other stakeholders and avoid unnecessary delay in the District's work to achieve a fishable, swimmable Anacostia River for its residents.\nThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has authority over the federal navigation channel, and, by law, any changes to the federal navigational channel must comply with the depths outlined in the formal coordinates for the channel, unless the depths of the channel are changed through a formal deauthorization or the Army Corps of Engineers grants special permission for non-conforming depths in the form of a waiver.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-sends-letter-to-secret-service-department-of-homeland-security", "Norton Sends Letter to Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security Demanding Answers After Improper Arrests of Two D.C. Residents", "2020-08-04", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf and U.S. Secret Service Director James Murray and demanding answers on the arrests of two District of Columbia residents on the National Mall. The women were parked and taking their infants out for an afternoon near the World War II Memorial when their car was hit by a Secret Service vehicle. After the crash, an officer pointed a rifle at one of the women and the women were handcuffed and separated from their children. Neither of the officers wore masks, even in the middle of the current pandemic.\nSuch an incident must not be tolerated anywhere  but it will not be tolerated in our nation's capital, Norton said. I am demanding answers to several specific questions, including why these mothers were arrested at all when it was apparent that their license plate did not match the one on the stolen car and why were they never read their Miranda rights.\nNorton's letter asks for a response in writing within five business days.\nThe letter is below.\nAugust 4, 2020\n\nThe Honorable Chad Wolf                           The Honorable James M. Murray\nActing Secretary  Director\nDepartment of Homeland Security United States Secret Service\n301 7th Street SW 245 Murray Drive SW\nMail Stop 0150   Building T5\nWashington, DC 20528                              Washington, DC 20223\n\nDear Acting Secretary Wolf and Director Murray:\n I write with strong concern regarding the arrests of two District of Columbia residents by officers with the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division on the National Mall. I understand from public reporting that the parked car India Johnson and Yasmeen Winston were sitting in was crashed into by a Uniformed Division cruiser when they were misidentified. Apparently, a car loosely matching the one they were driving, but with different tags, had been stolen by two men. Ms. Johnson and Ms. Winston were stopped even though they and their young children were the only occupants of the vehicle. I understand that after the crash, the officers got out of their car and one pointed a rifle at the women, yelling at them to put their hands in the air. Even with their young children present, the officer pointed the rifle at the head of at least one of the women. Both women were then handcuffed and separated from their babies, neither were read their Miranda rights, and the officers refused to let one of them breastfeed her son, even though the baby continued to cry out. While the women were handcuffed, the officers also conducted a search of the car despite a lack of an imminent threat, a warrant, permission, or, apparently, probable cause, since at that point it was obvious the car was not the stolen one. Additionally, the officers were not wearing masks even in the middle of a global pandemic.\n Please provide a written response to the following within five business days:\n Why did your officers think it appropriate to crash their cruiser into the car, even if they suspected it was stolen, when it appears that the women were not making any attempt to avoid a stop? Did they have their lights and sirens on or anything else to warn the occupants prior to the crash?\n\tDo your officers normally stop a car that your officers claimed matched a stolen car when the licenses do not match and the occupants of the vehicle do not match the description, or gender, of the suspects? How is probable cause or even reasonable suspicion alleged to have been met in that situation?\n\tWhy did your officers not read the women their Miranda rights when it was obvious that they met the legal standard to be considered under arrest?\n\tWhy were your officers not wearing masks in light of the global coronavirus pandemic?\n\tWhy did your officers point their rifle at the head of one of the women, in front of children, when she had apparently made no effort to avoid arrest or in any other way posed a danger? Is it typical for your officers to draw a weapon on an individual who was pulled over just for having a car that might look similar to one that was stolen?\n\tIs there dashboard and body camera footage of the event, and if so, will you immediately release it to the public?\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-thanks-100-national-and-local-groups-dc-vote-for-letter-to", "Norton Thanks 100 National and Local Groups, DC Vote for Letter to Congress Calling for Equal Treatment of D.C. for Coronavirus Funding", "2020-08-04", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) thanked 100 national and local groups for sending a letter calling on Congress to retroactively fix the treatment of the District of Columbia as a territory rather than a state for fiscal relief in the CARES Act, which deprived the District of $755 million, in the next coronavirus relief bill. The letter, led by DC Vote, was signed by leading national civil rights, labor, environmental and democracy reform groups, as well as by local D.C. groups.\nD.C. must be made whole and also treated as a state for future coronavirus fiscal relief, Norton said. I am deeply grateful to DC Vote and the 100 other national and local organizations for showing Congress the strong, across-the-board support for equal treatment for D.C. Collectively, these groups have millions of members and supporters in every state and congressional district, ensuring D.C. is not alone in this fight. With the support of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has made ensuring equal coronavirus funding for D.C. a top priority, allies in the House and Senate, led by Senators Chris Van Hollen and Tom Carper and 100 outside groups, I am increasingly optimistic D.C. will be made whole.\nThe Republican-led Senate and White House, which primarily drafted the CARES Act, intentionally treated the District as a territory rather than as a state for fiscal relief, even though the District is almost always treated as a state for federal funding. This District is almost always treated as a state for federal funding because it pays the same federal taxes as states. In fact, the District pays more federal taxes than 22 states and pays more per capita federal taxes than any state.\nThe House-passed Heroes Act provided the $755 million in retroactive CARES Act funding, treated D.C. as a state, city and county for fiscal relief, since D.C. operates as each level of government, and authorized D.C. to participate in the Federal Reserve's Municipal Liquidity Facility, which supports short-term borrowing by states, cities and counties.\nThe letter is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-amendment-prohibiting-bureau-of-prisons-from-collecting", "Norton Amendment Prohibiting Bureau of Prisons from Collecting Subsistence Fees from Returning Citizens Passes House", "2020-08-03", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's (D-DC) amendment to prohibit the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) from collecting so-called subsistence fees in fiscal year 2021 from individuals in halfway houses or on home confinement passed the House yesterday. Her amendment was added to the fiscal year 2021 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which passed the House last week.\nThe Department of Justice itself has recognized that these fees individuals in halfway houses and on home confinement must pay are unnecessary and counterproductive, Norton said. For returning citizens lucky enough to find jobs, especially in the midst of a national pandemic and economic crisis, charging up to 25% of their income in unnecessary fees is not only unfair, it is counterproductive. Returning citizens could far better use this money to save for future rent, child support and fines and fees associated with their conviction, such as restitution.\nCongress imposed subsistence fees on returning citizens in halfway houses and on home confinement supposedly to promote fiscal responsibility by requiring returning citizens to pay a portion of their housing costs. The fee is currently 25% of a returning citizen's income.\nThe Department of Justice has recognized how counterproductive subsistence fees are, both for returning citizens and for the BOP. In a November 2016 memo, then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates noted that BOP's process for collecting these subsistence fees is costly and administratively burdensome for both [halfway houses] and [BOP], and called for DOJ to develop a plan to limit the use of counterproductive subsistence' fees imposed on indigent residents. BOP already waives the fees for individuals on home confinement. In light of the pandemic, BOP has also waived the fees for individuals in halfway houses. Norton is the sponsor of a bill, the Ensuring Successful Reentry Act of 2019, that would repeal the requirement that BOP charge subsistence fees.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-thanks-obama-for-marching-orders-in-eulogy-for-lewis-to-pass-the", "Norton Thanks Obama for Marching Orders in Eulogy for Lewis to Pass the D.C. Statehood Bill Now", "2020-08-03", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today expressed profound gratitude to President Barack Obama for including District of Columbia statehood among the marching orders he outlined in his moving eulogy of Congressman John Lewis.\nOn July 30, 2020, Norton traveled with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, other congressional members, former presidents - Clinton, Bush and Obama - and many other distinguished guests to Lewis's funeral at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.\nIn his eulogy, brimming with hope, perseverance, and unity, Obama called on those remembering Lewis to take responsibility for carrying on his legacy and continuing the fight for equality and freedom for all American citizens, including D.C. residents.\nObama stated, [o]nce we pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, we should keep marching to make it even better by guaranteeing that every American citizen has equal representation in our government, including the American citizens who live in Washington, D.C. and in Puerto Rico. They are Americans.\nAs the home of over 705,000 Americans, D.C. pays more federal taxes per capita than any state, pays more total federal taxes than 22 states, has a budget bigger than 12 states, has a triple-A bond rating, and has a larger population than two states.\nJohn risked his life fighting for the right to vote when we both were young people in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Norton said.It is with his courage and humility in mind that we pick up the torch to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act in the Senate.\nLast year, House Democrats passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act, setting the stage to pass historic voting rights legislation this Congress.With passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, the House has followed through on its promises.\nThank you, President Obama, for taking a moment to spotlight D.C. while remembering our hero and friend John Lewis.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-says-bill-to-establish-an-official-commission-on-the-social-0", "Norton Says Bill to Establish an Official Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Builds on Decades of Efforts", "2020-07-28", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today applauded House passage yesterday of the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act, which builds on her D.C. Commission on Black Men and Boys, established almost 20 years ago.The bill, which Norton cosponsored, now heads to the president's desk.\n\nNorton said that this bill takes the issues facing Black men and boys to the next level, establishing government responsibility for the first time.The bill creates a Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys within the United States Commission on Civil Rights that will have responsibility for addressing important issues, such as disparities in employment and incarceration rates for African-American men and boys.\n\nThe bill mandates government action to help improve the condition of African-American men and boys for the first time, Norton said. I hope that the record of testimony from the D.C. Commission on Black Men and Boys and the Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys can assist the official commission in seeking legislation.Both commissions are operating and will continue to do so.\n\nAs co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys along with Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL), Norton has pressed Congress and the executive branch to take more responsibility for addressing disparities facing Black men and boys.The caucus has created a platform for public dialogue among leaders, legislators and individuals most impacted by the daily realities of Black males in the U.S.\n\nIn 2001, Norton established the D.C. Commission on Black Men and Boys. That commission has focused the D.C. community on discussion and action on difficult and controversial issues that affect Black men, such as incarceration.\n\nThe success and demand following the establishment of the D.C. Commission on Black Men and Boys led Norton to establish, along with Davis, the Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys in 2013, with the aim ofbringing matters affecting African-American men and boys to the forefront of congressional and national public attention in order to address the myriad issues facing Black males.\n\n\nNorton's statement for the congressional record on the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act follows:\n\n\nI am a cosponsor of the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act (H.R. 1636), which passed the House on July 27, 2020.The social disparities that impact Black men and boys have long needed special attention.In light of these challenges and the demand for community-based solutions, I established the first D.C. Commission on Black Men and Boys in 2001 to educate Members of Congress and staff on issues and problems Black men and boys face and to support ideas and community initiatives that improve their quality of life.\n\nThis commission stoked so much interest in Congress that in 2013, Congressman Danny Davis and I established the Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys, which seeks to bring the myriad issues facing African-American men and boys to the forefront of congressional and public attention.\n\nThe Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act would create government responsibility for the first time.It would create a Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys within the United States Commission on Civil Rights that would have responsibility for addressing important issues, such as disparities in employment and incarceration rates for African-American men and boys.\n\nWhen Members are able to meet once COVID-19 subsides, ourCongressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys has called for a Caucus hearing to hear directly from the African-American community on the state of justice in America for African-American men and boys following the killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by white police officers and Ahmaud Arbery, an African-American jogger killed by two armed white men in Georgia.In both cases videos exposed attacks, marking a new social media era for seeking racial justice in real time.The bill I am supporting today would help further address these important issues.\n\nI stand in strong support of the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act because it makes improving conditions for Black men and boys an official government responsibility.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 282, "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 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "DC", "p1": "2020"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=DC&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 282, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=DC&year=2020&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=DC&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 222, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=DC&year=2020&chamber=House", "selected": false}, {"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 60, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=DC&year=2020&chamber=Senate", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=DC&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "DC", "label": "DC", "count": 282, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?year=2020", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=DC&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "2020", "label": "2020", "count": 282, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=DC", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2020-07-28,https~3A~2F~2Fnorton~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Fpress-releases~2Fnorton-says-bill-to-establish-an-official-commission-on-the-social-0", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=DC&year=2020&_next=2020-07-28%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fnorton~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Fpress-releases~2Fnorton-says-bill-to-establish-an-official-commission-on-the-social-0&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 52.26554675027728, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}