{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://norton.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/norton-releases-remarks-from-press-conference-to-defend-dc-marijuana", "Norton Releases Remarks from Press Conference to Defend D.C. Marijuana Laws", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released Norton\u2019s remarks following her press conference at 3:30 p.m. today to respond to press reports that the fiscal year 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill may block the District of Columbia from legalizing marijuana.\u00a0 Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Sam Farr (D-CA), and Jared Polis (D-CO) also made remarks at the press conference.\nNorton\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery follow: \u201cI am not here to speak about rumors that I hope are not true.\u00a0 Despite media reports that the omnibus may block D.C. from legalizing marijuana, I am told that negotiations on the bill are ongoing, and we are still fighting and talking to the relevant leaders to do all we can to protect D.C.\u2019s marijuana legalization law, Initiative 71, which was approved by 70 percent of D.C. voters in November.\nI continue to speak with House and Senate Democratic leaders and the White House about Republican efforts to interfere with D.C.\u2019s local laws, although most of our leaders are not in the negotiations and have seen no language.\u00a0 I do know Democratic leaders have been pushing back against Republican attempts to take down the D.C. ballot initiative and even to wipe out marijuana decriminalization.\u00a0\nI would be at a loss to explain why Democrats would agree to block D.C. marijuana legalization on their watch \u2013 we control the White House and the Senate and House Democratic votes may be needed to pass the omnibus.\u00a0 Republicans will control Congress in less than a month.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know why Democrats would give them a head start in interfering with the District\u2019s local laws.\nAmong the issues I have emphasized in my discussions with the leaders, none have been more important than the necessity of legalization to combat racial injustice.\u00a0 I am a co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys, and the findings of two independent studies showing racial disparities in the enforcement of marijuana laws are very hard to live with \u2013 Blacks in D.C. are eight times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than non-Blacks, and 91 percent of all marijuana arrests are of Blacks, even though Whites and Blacks in D.C. use marijuana at the same rates.\u00a0 If the city can do something about the stigmatization of Blacks, particularly a \u201cdrug conviction\u201d for possession of small amounts of marijuana, it must do it.\u00a0 Otherwise, D.C. itself would be complicit in the unemployment and underemployment that we know is the fate of African Americans who carry marijuana convictions.\u00a0 Legalization can make a dent in this racial injustice.\nSome may be ready to give up on legalization on the basis of press reports.\u00a0 I cannot afford that kind of defeatism.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["http://norton.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/norton-releases-remarks-from-press-conference-to-defend-dc-marijuana"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9935838170349598, "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"}