{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://norton.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/norton-testimony-establishes-in-record-alternative-meaning-of-dc", "Norton Testimony Establishes in Record Alternative Meaning of D.C. Marijuana Legalization Rider", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Although the House Rules Committee rejected, as expected, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\u2019s (D-DC) amendments to strike the anti-home-rule D.C. marijuana and abortion riders from the fiscal year 2015 omnibus spending bill this evening, she said she accomplished her primary purpose of putting on the record the alternative interpretation of the marijuana rider.\nNorton told the Committee that she was testifying to preserve the District\u2019s options and to allow its lawyers to review and interpret the rider\u2019s effect for itself.\u00a0 Norton also reminded the Committee of the racial justice issues that motivated D.C.\u2019s legalization law and its distinction as the narrowest and strictest marijuana legalization law in the country.\u00a0 Norton said that although the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee interpreted the rider to block Initiative 71, the rider only bars the use of D.C. funds to \u201cenact any law, rule or regulation.\u201d\u00a0 Under the alternative reading, Initiative 71 has already been enacted, is self-executing, that is no further D.C. funds or action are needed, and will take effect after the expiration of the congressional layover period.\nNorton has been told that leading Democrats support the alternative view, including Rep. Jos\u00e9 E. Serrano, ranking member of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction over D.C. affairs, who said \u201cD.C. marijuana rider included in the omnibus appropriations bill does not prevent Washington D.C. from legalizing marijuana as the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee claims it does.\u201d\nEarlier today, Norton said that, contrary to press reports, it is far from certain that the omnibus bill blocks the District of Columbia from legalizing marijuana.\u00a0 Norton said, \u201cBased on a plain reading of the bill and principles of statutory interpretation, the District may be able to carry out its marijuana legalization initiative.\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-testimony-establishes-in-record-alternative-meaning-of-dc"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7991460151970387, "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"}