url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at 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,,,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. I 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. The Census Bureau's response follows: September 16, 2020 The Honorable Eleanor Holmes-Norton U.S. House of Representatives 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite M-100 Washington, DC 20004 Dear Representative Holmes-Norton: Thank you for sharing your letter regarding Spanish-speaking enumerators and Mobile Questionnaire Assistance (MQA) staff in the District of Columbia (DC). Overall, 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. The 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. On 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. Examples 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. The 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. The 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. Our 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. We extend our utmost appreciation for your continuing support for a complete and accurate 2020 Census count. Sincerely, Fernando Armstrong Regional Director U.S. Census Bureau Philadelphia ###",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,,,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. The 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. I 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. Norton's resolution is below. Resolution Expressing 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''. Whereas 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; Whereas 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; Whereas 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; Whereas States and cities across the country have been encouraged to celebrate National Dance Day with virtual events; Whereas 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; Whereas National Dance Day encourages many forms of dance expression, representing the Nation's rich artistic, regional, ethnic, and racial diversity; Whereas National Dance Day features the full spectrum of dance, from classical, to popular, to line and partner dances; Whereas dance helps improve heart health, burn calories, strengthen muscles, and improve flexibility for people of all ages; Whereas health officials have repeatedly documented an overweight and obesity epidemic in the United States; Whereas dance, in all its variations, is a popular form of physical exercise; Whereas 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; Whereas 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 Whereas National Dance Day has been celebrated annually for the past 10 years: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives (1) supports the designation of National Dance Day'' to celebrate and encourage a national commitment to dance and dance education; (2) acknowledges that dance is making an important contribution to health by encouraging physical fitness and reducing obesity; (3) commends Nigel Lythgoe for his leadership in promoting dance and National Dance Day; and (4) thanks the American Dance Movement for its continuing efforts to spread awareness of National Dance Day. ###",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,,,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. Republicans 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. Estimates 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. Democrats' 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. ###",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,,,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. ""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. ""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."" ###",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,,,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. Will 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. View the playbill for this year's show. ###",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,,,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. When 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. The text of the resolution follows. Recognizing the historic abolitionist events surrounding the Pearl, and honoring its legacy in American history. Whereas 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; Whereas 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; Whereas the escape was initiated by free Blacks Paul Jennings, who had been a slave of President James Madison and Paul Edmonson; Whereas William Chaplin, a White abolitionist, assisted in connecting the slaves with Drayton; Whereas abolitionist Gerrit Smith of New York financed the escape; Whereas 77 slaves, including men, women, and children, sailed on the Pearl down the Potomac River and then into Chesapeake Bay in pursuit of freedom; Whereas 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; Whereas the posse met the Pear near Point Lookout, Maryland, and took the slaves and the ship back to the District of Columbia; Whereas 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; Whereas the owners of the escaped slaves sold the escapees to slave traders who took them to New Orleans, Louisiana; Whereas two of the escapees were purchased and freed in an effort led by Henry Ward Beecher's Plymouth Congregational Church of Brooklyn, New York; Whereas Drayton and two of the other ship workers were arrested for helping in the escape and were represented in court by Congressman Horace Mann; Whereas 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 Whereas 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 Resolved, 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. ###",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,,,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. Senator 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. On 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. ###",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,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released the following statement on Senate Republicans' latest coronavirus response bill. The 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. The bill continues to show that Senate Republicans are out of touch with the assistance that so many in our country desperately need. ###",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,,,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. The 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. The 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. Trump 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. ###",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,,,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. On 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. Without that support, manyschools across the country cannot afford to take necessary safety measures. 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. 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. 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. 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. We 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. ###",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,,,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. Considering 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. Norton wrote to GAO on August 17, 2020, describing DCA's unique circumstances and requesting that the agency include DCA in its study. Norton's letter follows. August 17, 2020 The Honorable Gene Dodaro Comptroller General of the United States 441 G Street NW Washington, DC 20548 Dear Mr. Dodaro: As 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. It 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. I strongly urge you to include DCA in this upcoming study. Sincerely, Eleanor Holmes Norton ###",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,,,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. John 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. ###",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,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) issued the following statement on monuments and public spaces. The 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. With 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. All 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."" ###",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,,,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. We 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. Norton 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. Video of the event will be live streamed atFacebook.com/CongresswomanNorton. ###",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,,,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. Especially 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. In 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. The 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. The bill would do the following: 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. Provides general whistleblower protections and anti-retaliation measures and makes additional Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) retaliation provisions applicable to the legislative branch. Provides subpoena authority to OCWR to conduct inspections and investigations into OSHA violations. Furthers 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. Bolsters 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. ###",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,,,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. Today'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. ###",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,,,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. In 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. Norton 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. Theresolutionfollows. RESOLUTION Expressing support for the designation of September 2020 as National CampusSexualAssaultAwareness Month. Whereas some colleges and universities are now receiving students in person for the academic year, even as the coronavirus pandemic continues; Whereas 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; Whereas freshmen and sophomores in college are at a greater risk of beingsexuallyassaulted than juniors or seniors; Whereas 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; Whereas 3 in 4 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) college students have experiencedsexualharassment and 9 percent of LGBT college students have experiencedsexualassault; Whereas 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; Whereas many college students are survivors of incapacitatedassault, in which they aresexuallyassaulted while drugged, drunk, passed out, or otherwise incapacitated; Whereas these survivors often know their attackers; Whereas less than 5 percent of rapes and attempted rapes of college students are reported to campus authorities or local law enforcement; Whereas collegesexualassaultsurvivors are likely to tell someone they know, most often a friend, about their experience; Whereas 40 percent of collegesexualassaultsurvivors feared reprisal by the perpetrator; Whereas less than 5 percent of college men account for 90 to 95 percent of the rapes on college campuses; Whereas many collegesexualassaultsurvivors fear poor treatment by campus or law enforcement authorities, or even lack knowledge of the reporting process; Whereas approximately 8 percent of colleges and universities still do not allow confidential reporting ofsexualassaults to campus authorities; Whereas 21 percent of colleges and universities provide nosexualassaultresponse training for members of their faculty and staff; Whereas more than 30 percent of colleges and universities do not provide anysexualassaulttraining for students; Whereas approximately 41 percent of colleges and universities have not conducted a singlesexualassaultinvestigation in the last 5 years; Whereas 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; Whereas most colleges and universities fail to provide access to a specially trainedSexualAssaultNurse Examiner (SANE); Whereas law enforcement officials at 30 percent of colleges and universities receive no training on how to respond to reports ofsexualviolence; Whereas 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; Whereas 33 percent of colleges and universities failed to provide training to dispel rape myths to persons adjudicatingsexualassaultclaims; Whereas 43 percent of the Nation's largest colleges and universities have students assisting in adjudicatingsexualassaultcases, which creates privacy and conflict-of-interest concerns; Whereas 22 percent of colleges and universities allow athletic department oversight ofsexualviolence cases involving student athletes; Whereas more than 10 percent of colleges and universities do not have a title IX coordinator, as required by Federal law; Whereas 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; Whereas only 16 percent of colleges and universities reported conducting confidential climate surveys regarding behaviors that constitute or are associated withsexualassault; Whereas only 22 percent of colleges and universities providesexualviolence training targeted at the Greek system and only 37 percent provide training targeted at student athletes; Whereas 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; Whereas only 10 to 25 percent of the perpetrators of collegesexualassaults were permanently expelled; Whereas only 10 percent of reported college rape cases result in criminal charges against the defendant; Whereas 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; Whereas over 90 percent of colleges and universities do not have an affirmative consent policy regardingsexualrelations; Whereas the Trump administration has undermined key protections against campussexualassaultprovided by title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972; and Whereas September 2020, when many students begin or return to college, is an appropriate month to designate as National CampusSexualAssaultAwareness Month: Now, therefore, be it Resolved,That the House of Representatives supports the designation of National CampusSexualAssaultAwareness Month. ###",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,,,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. Today'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. ###",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,,,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. After 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. We 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. On 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. ###",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,,,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. Chuck 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. The full text of the resolution follows. RESOLUTION Expressing 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. Whereas 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; Whereas 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; Whereas Chuck Brown, who taught himself to play guitar, became a virtuoso singer, songwriter, guitarist, and band leader; Whereas 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; Whereas Chuck Brown's musical catalogue spans 22 studio albums over 3 decades; Whereas 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; Whereas 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; Whereas Chuck Brown's go-go has been passed from generation to generation with undiminished popularity; Whereas 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.); Whereas 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; Whereas the District of Columbia has named a street located near the historic, modernized Howard Theatre for Chuck Brown; Whereas the District of Columbia has named a park located at 2901 20th Street, NE, for Chuck Brown; Whereas, in 2020, go-go was designated as the official music of the District of Columbia Whereas go-go serves as the soundtrack for the Don't Mute D.C. movement Whereas Chuck Brown is admired for having risen from humble beginnings and overcoming time in prison to become a devoted father and family man; Whereas Chuck Brown was a great, multitalented musician who brought joy through his music, never stopping until his death; and Whereas August 22, 2020, is Chuck Brown's birthday: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, 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. ###",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,,,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. Norton'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 D.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. Norton's remarks on the House floor today follow: Mr. 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. Almost 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. Mr. 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. ###",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,,,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. The 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. Norton 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. The 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. Key findings of the report include: 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. The 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. ###",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,,,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. Norton's full statement, as prepared for delivery, follows: I 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. We 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. DeJoy 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. We 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. What 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. ###",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,,,legacy,"Norton Issues Second Demand for Answers from Secret Service About the Treatment of Two Women and Their Children on National Mall Norton 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. More information here. Norton Demands U.S. Census Bureau Answer Questions About Preparation to Fully Count D.C. Residents, Especially Spanish Speakers, in 2020 Census Norton, 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. More information here. Norton Introduces District of Columbia Special Elections Home Rule Act Norton 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. Details 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,,,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. I 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. Norton's full statement at thepressconference, as prepared for delivery, follows: As 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. This 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. The 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. Since 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. During 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. I 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. I 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. Trump is trying to sabotage mail-in voting. It falls to the legislative branch to take the action necessary to preserve democratic elections. ###",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,,,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. With 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. Nortonalso 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. WHAT:Nortonparticipates in Postal Servicepressevent with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and regional members of Congress. WHEN:Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 18, at 2:00 pm WHERE:USPS Headquarters, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, D.C. 20260 Norton's letter follows. August 17, 2020 The Honorable Louis DeJoy Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer United States Postal Service 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW Washington, DC 20260-3500 Dear Postmaster GeneralDeJoy: I 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. Sincerely, Eleanor HolmesNorton ###",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,,,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. The 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. Previously, 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. Norton's letter follows. August 14, 2020 The Honorable Steven Dillingham Director United States Census Bureau 4600 Silver Hill Road Washington, DC 20233 Dear Director Dillingham: As 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. We 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. How many MQA staff are assigned to D.C.?How may are Spanish speakers? How many enumerators are assigned to D.C.?How many are Spanish speakers? How many enumerators were assigned to D.C. for the 2010 Census?How many of those were Spanish speakers? How many MQA staff were assigned to D.C. for the 2010 Census?How many of those were Spanish speakers? How many overall Census staff are assigned to count D.C. residents? How many overall Census staff assigned to count D.C. residents are Spanish speakers? Are 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? 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. Sincerely, Eleanor Holmes Norton ###",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,,,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. The 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. Pending statehood, Norton has introduced the following bills to expand D.C. home rule and equality this Congress. The District of Columbia Paperwork Reduction Act (H.R. 735) would eliminate the congressional review period for D.C. bills. The 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. The 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. Abill 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. The 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. The 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. The District of Columbia Zoning Commission Home Rule Act (H.R. 1538) would give D.C. the authority to appoint all members of the Commission. The 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. The 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. 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. A 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). The 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. The 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. The 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. The 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. The McIntire-Stennis Act District of Columbia Equality Act (H.R. 4885) would make D.C. eligible for federal forestry funds. The 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. ###",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,,,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. Members 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. 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 young children. Today's letter asks for a written response by Monday and is below. The original letter follows today's letter. August 12, 2020 The Honorable Chad Wolf The Honorable James M. Murray Acting Secretary Director Department of Homeland Security United States Secret Service 301 7th Street SW 245 Murray Drive SW Mail Stop 0150 Building T5 Washington, DC 20528 Washington, DC 20223 Dear Acting Secretary Wolf and Director Murray: 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. Your 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. Given 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. Sincerely, Eleanor Holmes Norton Norton's original letter to DHS and USSS follows: August 4, 2020 The Honorable Chad Wolf The Honorable James M. Murray Acting Secretary Director Department of Homeland Security United States Secret Service 301 7th Street SW 245 Murray Drive SW Mail Stop 0150 Building T5 Washington, DC 20528 Washington, DC 20223 Dear Acting Secretary Wolf and Director Murray: 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. Please provide a written response to the following within five business days: 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? Do 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? Why 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? Why were your officers not wearing masks in light of the global coronavirus pandemic? Why 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? Is there dashboard and body camera footage of the event, and if so, will you immediately release it to the public? Sincerely, Eleanor Holmes Norton ###",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,,,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. As 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. Therigorousscholarship 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. I 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. More information about CBCF and the scholarships they offer can be foundhere. ###",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,,,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. This 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. Norton'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. Norton's letter follows: August 5, 2020 The Honorable Michael R. Sherwin Acting United States Attorney for the District of Columbia 555 4th Street NW Washington, DC 20002 Dear Acting United States Attorney Sherwin: Given 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. I 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. I 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. I 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. Sincerely, Eleanor Holmes Norton ###",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,,,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. Our 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. The bill would make the following changes: Remove the consent requirement for D.C. Superior Court magistrate judges in certain situations, furthering the efficiency of the judicial process. Authorize magistrate judges to issue search and arrest warrants and give all magistrate judges contempt authority. Ties D.C. Superior Court juror pay to the pay jurors receive in federal court. Currently, Superior Court jurors are paid less than federal jurors. Modernize juror summonses by allowing potential jurors to complete the questionnaire electronically. Allow jurors who are 70 years old or older to be excused from jury service if the individual so chooses. Give 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. Increase 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. Eliminate 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. Move 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. Gives 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. Makes 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. 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. ###",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,,,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. I 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. Francis 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. Newlands 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. ###",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,,,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. Norton 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. Among 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. Key Provisions in the D.C. Bill: 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. The 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. The 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. The 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. The 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. The 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. The bill provides $52.9 million for emergency planning and security costs related to the federal presence in D.C., including the next inauguration. Norton 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. Other Spending Bills Containing D.C. Measures In 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. The House Appropriations Committee passed all 12 of the appropriations bills and the House passed 10 of them. ###",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,,,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. 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. As 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. Due 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. The 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. ###",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,,,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. Such 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. Norton's letter asks for a response in writing within five business days. The letter is below. August 4, 2020 The Honorable Chad Wolf The Honorable James M. Murray Acting Secretary Director Department of Homeland Security United States Secret Service 301 7th Street SW 245 Murray Drive SW Mail Stop 0150 Building T5 Washington, DC 20528 Washington, DC 20223 Dear Acting Secretary Wolf and Director Murray: 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. Please provide a written response to the following within five business days: 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? Do 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? Why 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? Why were your officers not wearing masks in light of the global coronavirus pandemic? Why 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? Is there dashboard and body camera footage of the event, and if so, will you immediately release it to the public? ###",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,,,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. D.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. The 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. The 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. The letter is here. ###",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,,,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. The 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. Congress 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. The 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. ###",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,,,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. On 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. In 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. Obama 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. As 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. John 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. Last 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. Thank you, President Obama, for taking a moment to spotlight D.C. while remembering our hero and friend John Lewis. ###",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,,,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. Norton 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. The 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. As 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. In 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. The 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. Norton's statement for the congressional record on the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act follows: I 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. This 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. The 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. When 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. I 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. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-says-senate-s-fifth-coronavirus-response-bill-a-nonstarter-for-dc,Norton Says Senates Fifth Coronavirus Response Bill a Nonstarter for D.C.,2020-07-28,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today said that the Republican-led Senate's fifth coronavirus response bill, released yesterday, must be rejected because it fails to address the needs of the residents of the nation's capital and of the nation as a whole. The plan' Republicans released today if you can call it that is a nonstarter, Norton said. In the CARES Act, D.C. was treated in that Senate-led bill as a territory instead of as a state for fiscal relief, depriving the District of $755 million to address the dual coronavirus public health and economic crises. The Heroes Act, which House Democrats passed a full 10 weeks ago, would rectify that injustice, but Republicans in the Senate now refuse to follow suit, providing no retroactive CARES Act fiscal relief to D.C. We support Speaker Pelosi's call for Republicans to come to the table to negotiate a real solution, and we continue to insist that any new bill both make the District whole and treat it as an equal going forward. The bill Senate Republicans have introduced cuts unemployment benefits by $400 per week and does not authorize D.C. to participate in the Federal Reserve's Municipal Liquidity Facility (MLF), which supports short-term borrowing by states, cities and counties. Most glaring in the Republican bill is that it provides no new fiscal relief to state and local governments, which provide direct services to the American public. The Heroes Act provided D.C. with $755 million in retroactive CARES Act fiscal relief, authorized D.C. to participate in the MLF and treated D.C. as a state, city and county for new fiscal relief, since D.C. provides each level of service. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-amendment-to-fund-law-school-clinics-to-address-backlog-of-va,Norton Amendment to Fund Law School Clinics to Address Backlog of VA Disability Claims Passes House,2020-07-24,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced today that her amendment to provide $1 million for law school clinical programs to provide legal assistance to veterans, including filing and appealing claims for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, passed the House of Representatives yesterday. Norton's amendment is now part of the House-passed fiscal year 2021 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Norton, who taught law as a tenured professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, cited the 400,000 veterans waiting for claims to be processed as the reason she offered her amendment. This is an important provision that will help the more than 400,000 veterans who are waiting for their disability claims to be processed by the VA, Norton said. There are already at least 22 law schools that have clinics devoted to veterans' legal needs. There are many other law schools, such as the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, that are interested in starting their own VA-certified clinics. More law schools would likely be interested in assisting veterans once this bill is enacted. I was a tenured professor of law and continued to teach one seminar after being elected to Congress. I saw the expert assistance that clinical programs provide. This amendment has the same effect as Norton's Veterans Legal Support Act of 2019 (H.R. 5019). Norton testified last week at the Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs hearing on her bill that the bill would meet demand for legal services at little cost to the federal government. With the assistance of lawyers and law professors, law school clinical programs provide free legal assistance to veterans. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-on-her-memories-of-john-lewis-as-a-colleague-in-the-student,Norton on Her Memories of John Lewis as a Colleague in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee,2020-07-24,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released excerpts today of Norton's remarks on the House floor about her memories of Representative John Lewis as a colleague in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). *** John and I were elected to the House of Representatives about the same time. Actually, he was elected a couple of years before I was. But we were colleagues before either of us could have hoped to become Members of Congress. We were kids together in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, the youth arm of the Southern civil rights movement. *** It is almost impossible to describe the risks John took in the more than 40 times he was arrested, because, today, we are so used to civil disobedience. People right now are lying down on Pennsylvania Avenue after the George Floyd killing. *** SNCC would kneel and assume other nonviolent postures. On the other side were not counter- demonstrators. On the other side were no other people who were confronting us nonviolently. On the other side were the police leading white mobs. They were befuddled by the tactics of SNCC and the civil rights movement. Because when you kneel and are nonviolent, they didn't quite know what to do with you or about you. *** John, of course, will always be remembered as a Member of the House of Representatives, but as I close, I must say it will be difficult even for John to have done more in the House than he did in the civil rights movement, to do more in Congress than he did for his country. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-holds-press-conference-with-hoyer-carper-and-van-hollen-to-press,"Norton Holds Press Conference with Hoyer, Carper, and Van Hollen to Press for Equal Treatment of D.C. in Next Coronavirus Response Bill",2020-07-23,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today held a press conference with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) to preemptively advocate for equal treatment of the District of Columbia in the next coronavirus response bill. The CARES Act, passed in March, treated D.C. as a territory for fiscal relief instead of as a state, as is usually the case for funding purposes at the insistence of Senate Republicans and the White House, depriving the District of $755 million in fiscal relief to which it was entitled. At the press conference, Norton also alerted Congress that equal treatment in the next coronavirus response bill also includes funding at the state, county and city levels for new fiscal relief since D.C. operates as all three levels of government, as well as access to the Federal Reserve's new Municipal Liquidity Facility. At Norton's request, the Heroes Act contains all of these. Norton's remarks from today, as prepared for delivery, are below. We are holding today's press conference preemptively, as the pandemic continues, to make sure there is no repeat in the next coronavirus bill of the discrimination the District of Columbia experienced in the Senate-initiated CARES Act, where the District was denied the funding to which it was entitled. While the D.C. statehood bill overwhelmingly passed in the House last month, statehood is not necessary for the District to receive funding equal to the states in the next coronavirus response bill. The District gets and has always received equal funding in spending bills because District residents pay federal income taxes, and in fact, pay more federal taxes than the residents of any state. The House has already passed the next COVID-19 bill, the Heroes Act. First, the Heroes Act restores the $755 million the District was shorted in the CARES Act, where D.C. was treated as a territory. Every state got at least $1.25 billion in fiscal relief. The District got only $495 million. Second, the Heroes Act provides new fiscal relief, and we insisted that the District be treated equally for that relief. The Heroes Act provides funding to states, cities and counties. The District, uniquely in the United States, provides state, county and city services and therefore the Heroes Act funds D.C. as each level of government. Finally, the Heroes Act authorizes the District to participate in the new Municipal Liquidity Facility established by the Federal Reserve to support short-term borrowing by states and cities for coronavirus relief. No state or local jurisdiction has been more careful--indeed, more conservative--in following the recommendations of health authorities or in reopening than the District. For example, the city now requires mask-wearing in public by all people 2 years or older. The only reward the District seeks in return is equal treatment in all future funding. The video of the event can be streamed here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-announces-defense-policy-bill-requires-dc-mayor-s-consent-for-out,Norton Announces Defense Policy Bill Requires D.C. Mayors Consent for Out-of-State National Guard Troops to Enter D.C.,2020-07-22,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, which the House passed yesterday, would prohibit governors from deploying their National Guards in another state or the District of Columbia without the consent of the chief executive officer of that jurisdiction Norton celebrated the victory for D.C. and said she considered it especially important after out-of-state National Guard units were deployed to the District last month without the mayor's consent. Under current law, governors, at the request of the president, may deploy their National Guards in another state or D.C. without the consent of the chief executive officer of that jurisdiction. Last month, governors of several states, at the request of President Trump, deployed National Guard units to the District, Norton said. Under the bill, governors would no longer be able to send troops into D.C. without authorization from the mayor. Norton has long fought for equal treatment for D.C. Her District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act would give the D.C. mayor control over the D.C. National Guard. The President controls the D.C. National Guard while the governors of the states and territories control their respective National Guards. Last month, the House passed Norton's D.C. statehood bill, which was the first time either chamber of Congress has passed the D.C. statehood bill. In 1993, Norton got the first-ever floor vote on the D.C. statehood bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-says-nps-parks-in-dc-to-disproportionately-benefit-from-the-great,Norton says NPS Parks in D.C. to Disproportionately Benefit from the Great American Outdoors Act,2020-07-22,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) strongly supported the Great American Outdoors Act, which the House passed today and now heads to the president's desk, pointing out that the District of Columbia is a city of parks, with 20 percent of the District consisting of parkland, almost 90 percent of which is under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service (NPS). The bill will, among other things, provide funding to reduce the $12 billion NPS maintenance backlog, one-sixth of which is in the National Capital Region. Norton said that the NPS parks in the nation's capital go far beyond famous national parks like the National Mall, with most neighborhood parks under NPS jurisdiction Norton submitted the following statement on the bill into the congressional record. I strongly support the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act, which would, among other things, address the National Park Service's (NPS) deferred maintenance backlog, a problem that disproportionately affects the National Capital Region and, especially, the District of Columbia.Twenty percent of the District consists of parkland, almost 90 percent of which is under the jurisdiction of NPS. National parks are some of America's greatest treasures, yet NPS, the agency that maintains our federal parks, has a $12 billion maintenance backlog.One-sixth of all projects in the backlog are in the National Capital Region, with $1.3 billion in D.C. itself.The National Mall and Memorial Parks have the highest number of deferred maintenance projects in the nation, with more than $840 million in needed repairs still outstanding, according to Pew Charitable Trusts.The most significant deferred maintenance projects involve refurbishing memorials and making necessary repairs for supporting infrastructure.Although these parks are located in D.C., they are of national significance.The National Mall and Memorial Parks accommodate more than 36 million visits each year and roughly 30,000 people use their 15 softball fields, eight volleyball courts, two rugby fields and the Washington Monument grounds for sporting events nearly year-round.This heavy use has caused a $13 million repair backlog for the Mall grounds. In addition to the National Mall and Memorial Parks, NPS owns most of D.C.'s neighborhood parks, including 156 small green spaces and many circles, squares and fountains throughout D.C.Also included in the backlog are historic sites such as Ford's Theatre, the FDR Memorial, East and West Potomac Parks, the Carter Barron Amphitheatre and the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument.I support passage of the Great American Outdoors Act so that NPS can properly maintain all of our incredible national parks. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-ocasio-cortez-to-introduce-bill-requiring-all-law-enforcement,"Norton, Ocasio-Cortez to Introduce Bill Requiring All Law Enforcement Officers Uniforms to Identify Their Name, Agency",2020-07-21,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. This week, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) will introduce the Law Enforcement Identification Transparency Act of 2020, requiring all federal and local law enforcement officers to identify their name, agency, and badge number on their uniform at all times while on duty or serving the public. The bill conditions federal funding for local and state law enforcement on the inclusion of identifying information on their uniforms. A number of members from the national capital region and I earlier introduced a bill, the Law Enforcement Identification Act, to require federal police officers to wear identification at demonstrations, Norton said. This week, I am pleased to introduce a bill requiring all officers, including local police, to wear identification at all times. As we have seen, when police are needed, it is often all 'hands on deck.' While local police are often identified, there is no federal statute requiring it. This bill anticipates and seeks to prevent issues we have seen with federal police in recent weeks. Secret police snatching Americans off of street corners and shooting rubber bullets at peaceful demonstrators is something we would expect to see in an authoritarian state, not outside the White House. Yet, that is our current reality, said Ocasio-Cortez. This bill will increase accountability and oversight for law enforcement. Currently, law enforcement can violate an American's First Amendment rightswith complete anonymity. If an officer violates their agency's policies, their victim should have the ability to report them to their agency and demand accountability. Additionally, the bill requires each federal law enforcement agency to implement a policy that is in accordance with the bill's outlined goals and requires data reporting on compliance with that policy. The full bill text is availablehere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-testifying-today-on-her-bill-to-remove-the-albert-pike-statue,Norton Testifying Today on Her Bill to Remove the Albert Pike Statue from the Nations Capital,2020-07-21,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that Norton will testify today at a House hearing on her bill to remove the Albert Pike statue from federal land in the District of Columbia and released her testimony. General Albert Pike was probably the worst of the memorialized Confederates, Norton said. He slaughtered Union troops, a war crime, stole funds and was captured by his own troops. His statue should be preserved in a museum, where it can be properly interpreted. The Pike statue was taken down by a crowd during a demonstration on June 19, 2020, but President Trump has indicated he intends to put the statue back up. The hearing is being held by the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands at 10 a.m. The hearing can be viewed here: https://naturalresources.house.gov/hearings/monumental-decisions-a-long-overdue-reckoning-with-racist-symbols-on-our-public-lands Norton's testimony, as prepared for delivery, follows. Testimony of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Hearing on H.R. 4135, a Bill to Remove the Statue of Confederate General Albert Pike July 21, 2020 Thank you, Chair Haaland, for holding this hearing and for allowing me to testify on my bill to permanently remove the statue of Confederate General Albert Pike from federal land near Judiciary Square in the nation's capital. This statue was authorized, not by the District of Columbia, but by Congress, in 1898, when the District had no home-rule authority. The statue was constructed using both federal and private funds. The Freemasons, of which Pike was a member, donated the majority of the money needed to build and install the statue in 1901. The Freemasons themselves support the statue's removal, given its divisive nature. Although the statue was taken down last month during a demonstration, President Trump reportedly has called for the statue to be put back up. I believe Confederate statues should be placed in museums, as valuable historical artifacts when combined with the story of their meaning in our history. Pike was a Confederate general who served dishonorably and was forced to resign in disgrace. It was found that soldiers under his command mutilated the bodies of Union soldiers, and Pike was ultimately imprisoned after his fellow officers reported that he misappropriated funds. Adding to the dishonor of taking up arms against the United States, Pike dishonored even his Confederate military service. He certainly has no claim to be memorialized in the nation's capital. Even those who do not want Confederate statues removed would have to justify awarding Pike any honor, considering his history. After meeting with the Freemasons in 2017, I decided that the best course of action would be to remove the statue and find a more appropriate place for it. Though my bill does not explicitly say where the statue should be placed, I believe that relocating this statue to a museum and adding historical context would be the most appropriate option. The D.C. Mayor and the D.C. Council also support the removal of the statue. In 2017, the D.C. Council unanimously passed a resolution calling on Congress to remove the statue. Later in this hearing, you will hear testimony from Dr. Frank Smith, Director of the African American Civil War Museum, a tireless advocate for the 209,145 Black Americans who fought for freedom as members of the United States Colored Troops. These brave men fought against the Confederacy and General Albert Pike to end slavery and keep the United States under one flag. Chair Haaland, I appreciate this hearing, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support this legislation. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-highlights-dc-victories-after-committee-passage-of-appropriations,Norton Highlights D.C. Victories After Committee Passage of Appropriations Bills,2020-07-20,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today listed major victories for the District of Columbia in the House Appropriations Committee-passed fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations bills. Among the most important achievements, Norton was able to defeat an amendment that would have blocked D.C. from spending its local funds on abortions for low-income women, as many jurisdictions do. 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. Other top Norton victories include $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. Key Provisions in the D.C. Appropriations Bill: The bill prohibits the president from federalizing the D.C. police department in FY 2021. The D.C. Home Rule Act permits the president to federalize the D.C. police department. Last month, during largely peaceful protests in D.C., the Trump administration threatened to federalize the D.C. police department. The bill provides $40 million for DCTAG, which each of the last five enacted appropriations bills have provided, but, with Democrats in control of the House, it also repeals the provision in the enacted FY 2019 appropriations bill that reduced the family income eligibility limit from $750,000 to $500,000. The bill has no anti-home-rule riders. In particular, it removes the two riders from the enacted FY 2020 appropriations bill prohibitions on the District's use of its local funds on abortion and on recreational marijuana commercialization. The bill provides $52.9 million for emergency planning and security costs related to the federal presence in D.C., including the next inauguration. The 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. The bill exempts D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2022. Norton has gotten annual shutdown exemptions enacted every year since the 2013 federal government shutdown. The bill provides $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, 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. Norton 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. The program has failed to improve academic achievement, as measured by math and reading test scores. The D.C. voucher program is the only federally funded voucher program in the U.S. Non-D.C. Spending Bills In other appropriations bills, Norton accomplished several of her other priorities for the District. She secured funding for the Department of Homeland Security consolidation project at St. Elizabeths and 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; and encouraging the General Services Administration to give the National Children's Museum and other congressionally-designated museums free rent. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-testifies-on-her-bill-to-fund-law-school-clinics-to-address,Norton Testifies on Her Bill to Fund Law School Clinics to Address Backlog of VA Disability Claims,2020-07-19,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released Norton's testimony on her Veterans Legal Support Act of 2019, which would authorize funds for law school clinical programs to assist veterans filing for and appealing Department of Veterans Affairs claims for benefits and with other legal matters. Norton, who taught law as a tenured professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, cited as the need for her bill the 400,000 veterans waiting for claims to be processed. Norton testified Thursday before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Norton testified that the bill would help to meet the demand for legal services at little cost to the federal government. Norton's testimony, as prepared for delivery, follows: Testimony of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs H.R. 5019, the Veterans Legal Support Act of 2019 July 16, 2020 Chair Luria, Ranking Member Bost, and members of the subcommittee, I want to thank you for holding this very important hearing. I am pleased to testify on my Veterans Legal Support Act of 2019 (H.R. 5019). I am also grateful to Chair Takano for his consideration of this bill. My bill would allow the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide financial and other support to law school clinical programs that provide legal assistance to veterans, such as with filing and appealing claims for VA benefits and foreclosures. There are already at least 22 law schools that have clinics devoted to veterans' legal needs, including the William & Mary Law School Veterans Benefits Clinic, which serves as a national model and was the first recipient of a best practice certification from the VA. There are many other law schools, such as the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, that are interested in starting their own VA-certified clinics. We believe that more law schools would be interested in assisting veterans once this bill passes. More than 400,000 veterans are waiting for their disability claims to be processed by the VA. With the assistance of lawyers and law professors, clinical programs provide free legal resources to assist veterans with their VA benefits and other legal needs. Given the huge need, this bill builds on existing experience to meet the demand at little cost to the federal government. I was a tenured professor of law and continued to teach one seminar after being elected to Congress. I saw the expert assistance that clinical programs provide. Again, I appreciate your holding this important hearing on this bill and look forward to working with you to pass it. ###",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-her-friend-and-colleague-civil,"Norton Releases Statement on Passing of Her Friend and Colleague, Civil Rights Leader Congressman John Lewis",2020-07-18,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who was a colleague of the late Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) first in the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and then in the House of Representatives, issued a statement today on the passing of her friend. John's heroic courage came from principled conviction so deep that it led him to repeatedly risk his life to achieve equal treatment for all Americans. So searing was his example that John was elected chair of SNCC -- not because he was strongest but because he was the bravest. John's determination to ""never give up or give in"" was always leavened by his commitment to non-violence and love. In Congress, John Lewis brought the same combination of outspoken opposition on principled matters and reconciliation whenever it could be achieved. There will never be another like him. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-scores-major-victory-for-anacostia-river-in-water-infrastructure,Norton Scores Major Victory for Anacostia River in Water Infrastructure Bill,2020-07-16,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced yesterday that she was able to include in the House's Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA), the major water infrastructure bill, a provision that would help accelerate the cleanup of harmful sediments in and around the federal navigation channel in the Anacostia River. The provision changes the parameters in terms of depth and coordinates of the federal navigation channel. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed WRDA yesterday. 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. As chair of the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, I am very grateful to my colleagues on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee for including this important provision for the District and the surrounding region in WRDA, 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. Due 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 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 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. The 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. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-outlines-major-victories-for-dc-and-the-nation-in-the-moving,Norton Outlines Major Victories for D.C. and the Nation in the Moving Forward Act,2020-07-15,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. In light of interest in the highways and transit provisions of the Moving Forward Act (H.R. 2), which the House passed 233 to 188 earlier this month, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today laid out major wins for the District of Columbia and the nation in H.R. 2. Numerous areas, ranging from typical matters like bridge and highway funding to new funding for congestion reduction, climate change and innovation, make the highways and transit provisions of H.R. 2 a clean break from prior bills. As Chair of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, Norton played a leading role in writing the bill, which, in addition to containing unprecedented provisions on schools, housing and broadband access, is the vehicle for the reauthorization of major programs related to highways, bridges, transit and rail. The bill authorizes $494 billion over five years to strengthen the nation's infrastructure and fund new, innovative projects. $411 billion of this total will come from the Highway Trust Fund and will support highways, bridges, transit, safety and research programs, a 46% increase from FAST Act funding levels. The bill also triples funding for Amtrak and authorizes another 10 years of dedicated federal funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro), but at a higher funding level. The bill also responds to the COVID-19 health crisis by making the first year of federal surface transportation funding (FY 2021; $80 billion) available under current programs and at a 100% federal match. This will eliminate the need for local matching funds and help state and local governments minimize disruptions to transportation programs and preserve employment. The surface transportation policy changes outlined in the bill will take effect on October 1, 2021. I thank my partners in this bill, Chair Peter DeFazio and Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Chair Dan Lipinski, for their leadership and collaboration with me on this legislation from initial drafting to the bill's recent passage in the House, Norton said. This legislation will provide states and regional planning organizations with the certainty they need to confidently plan for the long-term infrastructure investment that is so urgently needed. I am very pleased that my priorities for innovations in climate change, road user safety, and emerging technologies such as shared scooters and Transportation Network Companies like Uber and Lyft are featured prominently throughout this legislation. Equally important are provisions such as the grant program designed to encourage states to combat racial profiling in highway law enforcement and the reauthorization of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program, both of which are important legislative responses to the continuing injustices experienced by minorities on a regular basis. I am proud to have reauthorized long-term, dedicated federal funding for Metro, which is critical to our ongoing work to maintain the system for District residents, as well as for the numerous federal employees from throughout the region who rely on Metro for their daily commutes. We have taken a great step forward by passing legislation that is responsive to, and reflective of, the changing 21st century transportation landscape. I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues in the Senate to move this legislation forward as soon as possible. Below are some of Norton's priorities included in the Moving Forward Act: Increased Long-Term Funding The bill authorizes $411 billion over five years out of the Highway Trust Fund in support of highways, bridges, transit, safety and research programs. This funding level is a 46% increase from FAST Act funding levels. Dedicated Funding for Metro and Increased Autonomy for the Metro Inspector General The bill reauthorizes long-term, dedicated funding for Metro for 10 years. Funding begins at $150 million in year one and gradually increases to $200 million in year 10. This funding is conditioned upon the Metro Board passing resolutions to provide the Metro Office of Inspector General with greater independence in the areas of budget authority, procurement authority, hiring authority, and access to independent legal counsel, along with other reforms. The legislation also requires the Metro Board of Directors to provide at least 30 days written notice to Congress before the removal of the Inspector General along with documentation outlining the cause for removal. Amtrak The bill provides $29 billion for Amtrak over five years, an amount that triples Amtrak funding from prior levels. These funds will support the expansion of the Amtrak network and provide much-needed investments in Amtrak stations, facilities, services and equipment. Amtrak stations throughout the Northeast Corridor, including Union Station, stand to benefit greatly from these investments. Protections Against Assaults on Transit Workers The bill requires transit agencies to address the growing issue of assaults on transit workers in their annual safety plans and requires these safety plans to be approved by a safety committee comprised of representatives from both labor and management. This provision is of particular significance in light of the prevalence of assaults on transit workers throughout the nation and in the District of Columbia, which has seen an increased number of assaults on Metrobus operators in recent years. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program The bill reauthorizes the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program and provides updated information on the continued challenges of race and gender discrimination that make the DBE program necessary. The program ensures minority- and women-owned businesses are able to fairly compete for U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) contracts. Road User Safety Reforms The bill requires states with the highest levels of bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities to allocate funds to improve safety for vulnerable users. The District of Columbia, which has experienced an increase in traffic-related fatalities in recent years, would be required to set-aside funds for improved safety for bicyclists and pedestrians under this rule. This legislation also codifies and expands eligibilities for the Safe Routes to Schools program. This provision includes a clarification that non-infrastructure investments, such as the personal safety initiatives being implemented in the District, are also eligible for funding. Racial Profiling The bill provides $7.5 million in funding to encourage states to enact laws that prohibit the use of racial profiling in highway law enforcement and to collect data on the race and ethnicity of the driver and passengers in motor vehicle stops. Federal Lands Transportation Program The bill significantly increases funding for the Federal Lands Transportation Program for a total of $550 million per year out of the Highway Trust Fund. The Federal Lands Transportation Program includes the National Park Service (NPS), which is of great benefit to the District given the many roads in the District that are owned by NPS. Congestion Reduction The bill creates a $250 million gridlock reduction program for large metro areas, which also includes a set-aside for freight with the goal of increasing urban freight mobility. The District is eligible for this program. Motor Carriers The bill promotes increased motor carrier safety by directing the DOT Secretary to complete a rulemaking to require Automatic Emergency Braking in all newly manufactured commercial motor vehicles. The legislation also directs the Secretary to strengthen rear underride guard standards and consider the feasibility and costs of installing side underride guards. The legislation further requires the Secretary to provide regular updates to Congress on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's implementation of the long-delayed rule on entry-level driver training. Innovation The bill more than doubles funding for technology and innovation deployment, increases funding for the Intelligent Transportation Systems Program and supports research on automated vehicles. Climate Change and Resilience Climate change and resilience provisions, Norton priorities, run throughout the bill. The bill requires states to establish a new greenhouse gas emissions performance measure, provides over $8 billion to support carbon pollution reduction, provides over $6 billion to support resilience and emergency evacuation initiatives and provides $1.4 billion for discretionary grants for Electric Vehicle Charging and Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure grants. Alternative Funding Sources The bill nearly doubles funding for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) pilot programs across the country and establishes a national VMT pilot program. This exploration of alternative funding sources is critical given the ongoing shortfall within the primary source of funding for highways and transit programs, the Highway Trust Fund. The Highway Trust Fund is financed primarily through taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel. However, a confluence of factors, including a federal gas tax that has not been raised since 1993, improved fuel efficiency and the emergence of hybrid and electric vehicles, has caused expenditures from the Highway Trust Fund to greatly outpace revenue. While Congress has maintained the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund through transfers from the U.S. Treasury general fund, the exploration of alternative funding sources such as VMT charges, is critical to Congress' ongoing search for a long-term solution. Intermodal Investments The bill promotes intermodal investments by establishing federal rules for Mobility on Demand that provide transit agencies with greater flexibility to use federal dollars on Mobility on Demand services such as shared bicycles, shared scooters and first mile-last mile Transportation Network Company rides. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-beyer-wexton-call-out-park-police-for-stonewalling-investigation,"Norton, Beyer, Wexton Call Out Park Police for Stonewalling Investigation into 2017 Killing of Bijan Ghaisar",2020-07-10,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), and Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) announced that they received a response this week for the National Park Service (NPS) to their November 2019 letter to the United States Park Police (USPP) asking for an update on the investigation into the 2017killing of Bijan Ghaisar, who was unarmed, by USPP officers. In last November's letter, Norton, Beyer, and Wexton asked for an update on the status of the officers involved in the 2017 shooting, Alejandro Amaya and Lucas Vinyard. Ghaisar was fatally shot by these officers while he was in his car in Fairfax County, Virginia in November 2017.Video of the shooting was made available only because of dashboard footage from the Fairfax County Police Department. NPS's response says the two officers were placed on administrative leave immediately following the incident. The letter continues, As to the timing and scope of an internal investigation, the USPP does not typically comment on the substance or specific aspects of such reviews before they are complete. We can confirm that the Department has begun evaluating next steps in the context of pending cases and possible criminal action by the Fairfax County Prosecutor's Office. This letter, which comes two and a half years after Ghaisar's tragic death and eight months after we initially wrote the Park Police, is entirely unacceptable, Norton said. For far too long, the United States Park Police leadership has been stonewalling, delaying, and in every conceivable way doing what it can to avoid holding its officers accountable. This letter is an insult to members of Congress because it tells us nothing more than we already knew. We must now consider other ways to get accountability for this tragic death, including congressional hearings. For nearly three years Bijan Ghaisar's family and community have sought answers from federal authorities about why these officers killed Bijan and what consequences they will face. This response which tells us nothing after an eight-month delay is an insult to the people we represent, said Beyer. The contempt such a pathetic answer shows for public transparency and accountability is unacceptable and will further damage the standing of the U.S. Park Police at a time when the region's trust in them is already at an all-time low. In a truly brazen disregard for transparency and accountability, Park Police leadership took eight months to answer none of our questions, said Wexton. It's unacceptable that two and a half years since Bijan's death, his family still doesn't have answers. The Ghaisars deserve justice, Bijan deserves justice but it's become abundantly clear that no justice will come from the Park Police. These stalling tactics will not deter us from pressing for the truth. There will be justice for Bijan. The NPS response letter follows. 7/7/20 The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative Norton: Thank you for your letter dated November 15, 2019, co-signed by Representatives Jennifer Wexton and Donald S. Beyer, Jr., wherein you requested the duty status of the officers involved in the Bijan Ghaisar incident; information regarding the timing and scope of the Department of the Interior's (Department) internal investigation into the matter; and the expected date of completion of the investigation. Regarding the duty status of the officers, U.S. Park Police (USPP) Officers Alejandro Amaya and Lucas Vinyard were placed on administrative leave immediately following the incident. On April 29, 2017, they were both reassigned to administrative duties, not related to public contact. As to the timing and scope of an internal investigation, the USPP does not typically comment on the substance or specific aspects of such reviews before they are complete. We can confirm that the Department has begun evaluating next steps in the context of pending cases and possible criminal action by the Fairfax County Prosecutor's Office. This evaluation is taking into account due process concerns, among other legal obligations placed on the USPP and the Department. Additionally, we can confirm we are working with the Department of Justice and relevant offices within the Department as appropriate to ensure thorough and fair consideration to all interested parties. When administrative investigations begin, they are generally completed within 90 calendar days, although extenuating circumstances, such as the complexity and scope of the investigation, may require additional time. In any event, all internal administrative investigations are conducted as expeditiously as possible. A similar response is being sent to Representatives Wexton and Beyer Sincerely, David Vela Deputy Director, Operations Exercising the Authority of Director ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-announces-extension-of-comment-period-for-draft-environmental,"Norton Announces Extension of Comment Period for Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Washington Union Station Expansion Project, Thanks Federal Railroad Administration",2020-07-08,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has extended the comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Washington Union Station Expansion Project until September 28, 2020. Last month, Norton joined a number of District of Columbia stakeholders, including Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6C, Federal City Council, Akridge, the D.C. Department of Transportation, the D.C. Office of Planning, Ward 6 D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson in requesting an extension of the original comment period deadline of July 27, 2020. In requesting the extension, Norton noted that there are a number of significant issues in FRA's Preferred Alternative A-C that should be thoughtfully addressed in consultation with all stakeholders, including members of the surrounding neighborhoods. Norton expressed her opposition to FRA's plans for a parking deck of approximately 1,600 spaces, which the National Capital Planning Commission, the D.C. Office of Planning and numerous community members have identified as excessive and in need of reduction in any final plan. She also noted that many members of the community have emphasized the need to reconsider the design of current plans for pick-up and drop-off areas, as well as to create spaces that are safe for bikers and pedestrians. The amount of material included in the DEIS (approximately 5,000 pages), the ongoing challenges to the region as a result of the COVID-19 public health crisis and the D.C. Council's ongoing review of the District's budget provided additional rationale for an extension. I am very pleased by the Federal Railroad Administration's decision to consider the needs of the community and the unique challenges presented by the current health crisis in extending the comment period for the DEIS, Norton said. The Washington Union Station Expansion Project is an undertaking of great significance to the District of Columbia, our region, and our broader transportation system. Meaningful engagement and collaboration with stakeholders at all levels is critical to the success of this project. The FRA's decision to extend the comment period for this project is an important step towards prioritizing that collaboration. This extension will ensure that the D.C. Council, stakeholders and members of the community have adequate time to analyze the DEIS and provide well-developed alternative solutions to areas of concern. I thank the FRA for this extension, and I encourage the FRA to continue working closely with stakeholders to ensure that the project moves forward in a manner that is responsive to the transportation needs of the District and the region. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-pledges-to-defeat-harris-effort-to-block-dc-ballot-initiative-on,Norton Pledges to Defeat Harris Effort to Block D.C. Ballot Initiative on Natural Hallucinogens,2020-07-08,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today pledged to defeat the latest effort by Congressman Andy Harris (R-MD) to interfere with the District of Columbia's right to pass its own local laws free from congressional interference. After advocatesyesterday submitted apparently enough signatures to the D.C. Board of Elections to get an initiative on the November ballot to make the possession of natural hallucinogens among the D.C. police department's lowest enforcement priorities, Harris said he would offer an amendment to block the initiative at the House Appropriation Committee's markup of the fiscal year 2021 District of Columbia Appropriations bill. Norton expects the amendment will be defeated. Norton says defeat is warranted on home-rule grounds, which gives the District the right to decide its own laws. After my D.C. statehood bill passed in the House last month and has shown momentum in the Senate, Republicans have become increasingly fearful, Norton said. Representative Andy Harris, who has been a chronic abuser of home rule, is the latest example. Republicans are right to be nervous. We will continue to fight any and all attempts to overturn D.C. laws, regardless of the policy, as D.C. has a right to self-government. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-praises-subcommittee-passage-of-spending-bill-blocking-president,"Norton Praises Subcommittee Passage of Spending Bill Blocking President from Federalizing D.C. Police, Providing $40 Million for DCTAG",2020-07-08,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that the House's fiscal year (FY) 2021 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, which contains most of her top policy and funding priorities, was passed today by the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. The bill, among other things, prohibits the president from federalizing the D.C. police department; contains no anti-home-rule riders; abides by D.C.'s local budget autonomy law; and provides $40 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), a Norton priority, with a $250,000 increase in the family income eligibility limit for DCTAG. The full Appropriations Committee is expected to mark up the bill next week and the bill is expected to be on the House floor later this month. Until our D.C. statehood bill passes in the Senate, I will continue to use the tools I have to propose what the city needs from the federal government, Norton said. Among my priorities in the bill are blocking the president from being able to federalize the D.C. police after he considered it last month, and full funding for DCTAG, which allows thousands of District students to attend colleges and universities in all 50 states because D.C. doesn't have a typical state university system. Key Provisions: The bill prohibits the president from federalizing the D.C. police department in FY 2021. The D.C. Home Rule Act permits the president to federalize the D.C. police department. Last month, during largely peaceful protests in D.C., the Trump administration threatened to federalize the D.C. police department. The bill provides $40 million for DCTAG, which each of the last five enacted spending bills have provided, but, with Democrats in control of the House, repeals the provision in the enacted FY 2019 spending bill that reduced the family income eligibility limit from $750,000 to $500,000. The bill has no anti-home-rule riders. In particular, it removes the two enacted FY 2020 D.C. ridersprohibitions on the District's use of its local funds on abortion and on recreational marijuana commercialization. The bill provides $52.9 million for emergency planning and security costs related to the federal presence in D.C., including the next inauguration. The 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 that D.C. could spend its local funds without a congressional appropriation of such funds. The bill exempts D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2022. Norton has gotten annual shutdown exemptions enacted every year since the 2013 federal government shutdown. The bill provides $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, 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. Norton is disappointed that the bill allows new students to enroll in the private school voucher program Congress imposed on the District but is pleased that the bill requires participating voucher schools to comply with federal civil rights laws. The program has failed to improve academic achievement, as measured by math and reading test scores. The D.C. voucher program is the only federally funded voucher program in the U.S. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-announces-spending-bill-blocks-president-from-federalizing-dc,"Norton Announces Spending Bill Blocks President from Federalizing D.C. Police, Contains No Anti-D.C. Riders, Provides $40 Million for DCTAG",2020-07-07,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that the House's fiscal year (FY) 2021 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, released today, contains most of her top policy and funding priorities. The bill, among other things, prohibits the president from federalizing the D.C. police department; contains no anti-home-rule riders; abides by D.C.'s local budget autonomy law; and provides $40 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), with a $250,000 increase in the family income eligibility limit for DCTAG. The bill will be marked up by the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee at 1 p.m. tomorrow, July 8, 2020, in 2118 Rayburn House Office Building. Until the Senate passes our D.C. statehood bill, we are on guard to protect the city's local autonomy and priorities, Norton said. I am grateful to Subcommittee Chairman Mike Quigley and Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey for their continued support for D.C.'s right to self-government. I also particularly appreciate that they provided $40 million for DCTAG, my program that allows thousands of D.C. students each year to attend colleges and universities across the United States in the absence of the typical state university system in the District. Key Provisions: The bill prohibits the president from federalizing the D.C. police department in FY 2021. The D.C. Home Rule Act permits the president to federalize the D.C. police department. Last month, during largely peaceful protests in D.C., the Trump administration threatened to federalize the D.C. police department. The bill provides $40 million for DCTAG, which each of the last five enacted spending bills have provided, but, with Democrats in control of the House, repeals the provision in the enacted FY 2019 spending bill that reduced the family income eligibility limit from $750,000 to $500,000. The bill has no anti-home-rule riders. In particular, it removes the two enacted FY 2020 D.C. ridersprohibitions on the District's use of its local funds on abortion and on recreational marijuana commercialization. The bill provides $52.9 million for emergency planning and security costs related to the federal presence in D.C., including the next inauguration. The 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 that D.C. could spend its local funds without a congressional appropriation of such funds. The bill exempts D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2022. Norton has gotten annual shutdown exemptions enacted every year since the 2013 federal government shutdown. The bill provides $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, 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. Norton is disappointed that the bill allows new students to enroll in the private school voucher program Congress imposed on the District, but is pleased that the bill requires participating voucher schools to comply with federal civil rights laws. The program has failed to improve academic achievement, as measured by math and reading test scores. The D.C. voucher program is the only federally funded voucher program in the U.S. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-releases-her-senate-testimony-on-dc-statehood-to-commemorate-july,Norton Releases Her Senate Testimony on D.C. Statehood to Commemorate July 4th,2020-07-04,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released her testimony from last week's Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Committee hearing on District of Columbia statehood. The hearing was held three business days after the House passed her D.C. statehood bill, which was the first time either chamber of Congress had passed the D.C. statehood bill since the District was established 219 years ago. In her testimony Norton said, Your hearing demonstrates the readiness of Senate Democrats to ensure our statehood bill gets immediate attention. In a few days, Americans will celebrate Independence Day here where the nation's oldest slogan, no taxation without representation,' still applies. This hearing is important because it lays the groundwork for a Senate Democratic majority to pass the D.C statehood bill. Norton's testimony follows. Chairwoman Stabenow, thank you for holding this timely and important hearing so soon after last Friday, when the House of Representatives passed H.R. 51 decisively, marking the first time either chamber of Congress had passed the District of Columbia statehood bill. Your hearing demonstrates the readiness of Senate Democrats to ensure our statehood bill gets immediate attention. In a few days, Americans will celebrate Independence Day. However, the nation's oldest slogan, no taxation without representation, and the principle of consent of the governed still do not apply to the Americans living in the nation's capital. This hearing is important because it lays the groundwork for a Senate Democratic majority to pass the D.C statehood bill next Congress. Since D.C. was created 219 years ago, the Senate has never even voted on the D.C. statehood bill. I also want to thank Senator Tom Carper, the Senate sponsor of and my longtime partner on the D.C. statehood bill for his extraordinary work. Senator Carper has achieved a record 40 cosponsors of the bill, including the Democratic leadership, and he is adding Senators at an impressive pace. The United States is the only democratic country that denies both voting rights in the national legislature and local autonomy to the residents of the nation's capital. The Senate has both the moral obligation and constitutional authority to end this injustice. D.C. statehood has both the facts and Constitution on its side. The Constitution does not establish any prerequisites for new states, but Congress generally has considered three factors in admission decisions: resources and population, support for statehood and commitment to democracy. D.C. pays more federal taxes per capita than any state and pays more federal taxes than 22 states. D.C.'s population of 705,000 is larger than those of two states, and the new state would be one of seven states with a population under one million. D.C.'s $15.5 billion budget is larger than those of 12 states, and D.C.'s triple-A bond rating is higher than those of 35 states. D.C. has a higher per capita personal income and gross domestic product than any state. Eighty-six percent of D.C. residents voted for statehood in 2016. In fact, D.C. residents have been fighting for voting rights in Congress and local autonomy for 219 years. The Constitution's Admissions Clause gives Congress the authority to admit new states, and all 37 new states have been admitted by an act of Congress. The Constitution's District Clause sets a maximum size of the federal district of 100 square miles. It does not set a minimum size. Congress previously has changed the size of the federal district, including reducing it by 30 percent in 1846. Over the last few months, the world has witnessed the discriminatory and outrageous treatment of D.C. residents by the Republican-controlled Senate and the Trump Administration. In March, Congress passed the CARES Act, which deprived D.C. of $755 million in coronavirus fiscal relief by treating D.C. as a territory rather than a state. I have gotten these funds replaced in the House-passed Heroes Act. Last month, federal police and out-of-state National Guard troops occupied D.C. to respond to largely peaceful protests. This occupation occurred solely because the President thought he could get away with it here. He was wrong. I seek statehood for the Americans I am honored to represent. At the same time, D.C. statehood is deeply personal for me. My great-grandfather Richard Holmes, who escaped as a slave from a Virginia plantation, made it as far as D.C., a walk to freedom but not to equal citizenship. For three generations my family has been denied the rights other Americans take for granted. The Senate has two choices. It can continue to exercise undemocratic, autocratic authority over the 705,000 American citizens who reside in our nation's capital, treating them, in the words of Frederick Douglass, as aliens, not citizens, but subjects. Or the Senate can live up to this nation's promise and ideals and pass the D.C. statehood bill. The mission during the remainder of this Congress for D.C. officials, D.C. residents and our millions of allies across the country is clear. We need to educate the American public about D.C. statehood, and we need to build support for the D.C. statehood bill in the Senate. Today's hearing is a great start. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-thanks-van-hollen-carper-for-filing-amendment-to-give-dc-mayor,"Norton Thanks Van Hollen, Carper for Filing Amendment to Give D.C. Mayor Control Over D.C. National Guard",2020-07-02,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today thanked Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tom Carper (D-DE) for filing an amendment to the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which the Senate is considering on the floor this week, to give the District of Columbia mayor control over the D.C. National Guard.The President controls the D.C. National Guard, while the governors of the states and territories control their respective National Guards. This issue was raised again when the Trump administration deployed federal police, the D.C. National Guard and out-of-state National Guard troops on D.C. streets, without the mayor's consent, in response to largely peaceful protests. Norton, whose D.C. statehood bill passed in the House on Friday, has long fought for D.C. to have control over its local affairs, including the D.C. National Guard, a home-rule issue that does not require statehood. Thank you, Senator Van Hollen and Senator Carper, for your amendment giving D.C. control of its own National Guard, Norton said. The NDAA provides a useful vehicle for this much-needed change to enhance local control and public safety. The D.C. mayor and National Guard have the most experience handling protests and demonstrations in the country because the nation's capital is the most important venue for airing national issues."" Norton is the sponsor of D.C. National Guard Home Rule Act, which would give the D.C. mayor control over the D.C. National Guard.Van Hollen and Carper are the sponsors of the bill in the Senate. Van Hollen and Carper have long been active supporters of D.C. statehood, voting rights and home rule. Norton said she looks forward to working with them to pass the statehood bill in the Senate, but in the meantime, she is grateful for this amendment, which achieves an element of statehood. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-to-testify-at-senate-dpcc-hearing-on-dc-statehood-wednesday,"Norton to Testify at Senate DPCC Hearing on D.C. Statehood, Wednesday",2020-07-01,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. The Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) will hold a virtual hearing entitled Statehood and Equality for Washington, D.C. tomorrow, Wednesday, July 1, 2020, at 3:00 p.m. on the heels of House passage of the District of Columbia statehood bill (H.R. 51) last Friday. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), the author of H.R. 51, will testify. Also testifying will be D.C. Mayor Muriel Bower; Monica Hopkins, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of D.C.; Rick Lee, owner of Lee's Flower and Card Shop; and James Nelson Rimensnyder, veteran and lifelong D.C. resident. Within three working days of House passage of the D.C. statehood bill, Senate Democrats will be holding a hearing on D.C. statehood, Norton said. This initiative of the DPCC Chair, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Senate Democrats signals not only the importance of the bill, but the resolute seriousness of Democratic Senators to mounting a strategy for Senate consideration. I very much appreciate the DPCC, a Senate Democratic leadership committee, for prioritizing this issue. This hearing is part and parcel of our work to build support for D.C. statehood in the Senate and with the public. I want to particularly thank Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) for his continued leadership on D.C. statehood. As the sponsor of the D.C. statehood bill in the Senate, Senator Carper's energetic work continues to add Senate cosponsors. When the House passed H.R. 51, it marked the first time a chamber of Congress had passed the D.C. statehood bill. The Senate version of the bill has a record 40 cosponsors. The hearing will be livestreamed at https://www.youtube.com/senatedemocrats. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-s-open-letter-to-dcs-lgbtq-community-celebrates-victories-and,Nortons Open Letter to D.C.'s LGBTQ Community Celebrates Victories and Presses for More,2020-06-30,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today sent an open letter to the District of Columbia's LGBTQ community in celebration of Pride Month. Norton, who is celebrating this month's Supreme Court decision prohibiting employers from discriminating against employees for being gay or transgender, has participated in the District's Pride festivities since 1990. Norton has been an outspoken ally of the LGBTQ community since being elected to Congress. Norton marked the progress the community has made on marriage equality and employment non-discrimination but said that until the Senate passes the House-passed Equality Act, a comprehensive ban on discrimination against LGBTQ individuals, we will be short on what the community deserves. Despite the importance of this month's Supreme Court victory, it alone cannot satisfy us, she said, It must energize us. Norton's open letter to the LGBTQ community follows: An Open Letter to the LGBTQ Community Eleanor Holmes Norton June 29, 2020 Last June, when we celebrated Stonewall's 50th anniversary, we could not have anticipated that this Pride Month, we would have a second landmark Supreme Court victory for the LGBTQ community to herald.The Supreme Court holding that employers cannot discriminate against employees or applicants because they are gay or transgender compounds our joy after the Supreme Court holding for marriage equality five years ago.The Supreme Court ruling this month erases the indefensible anomaly that a couple could be married by exercising their constitutional rights but could be fired the next day. Despite the importance of this victory, it must not satisfy us; it must energize us. Only the Equality Act, passed by the House of Representatives on March 17, 2019, can make LGBTQ Americans equal to other Americans. Unlike prior antidiscrimination laws, the Equality Act is not a piecemeal approach to discrimination.It bans discrimination across key areas of life, including employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs and jury service. I have participated in Pride festivities ever since I was elected to Congress. In marching with you in the Parade, I have seen the movement grow from the gay pride block party of 1975, long before I came to Congress, to a festival on Pennsylvania Avenue within sight of the U.S. Congress. I fully intend on marching with you again in the future. As we adapt to a Pride Month unlike any in recent memory this year, our social distancing must not make us socially unaware. My best wishes for a brighter future to all celebrating Pride. Sincerely, Eleanor Holmes Norton",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-dc-statehood-bill-decisively-momentum-building-for-passage,"House Passes D.C. Statehood Bill Decisively, Momentum Building for Passage in Senate",2020-06-26,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. After managing the debate on the District of Columbia statehood bill (H.R. 51) on the House floor, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) celebrated House passage of the bill today with House leadership and her colleagues following overwhelming support by 232 Democrats, most of them cosponsors of the bill. The bill had 227 cosponsors, more than enough to guarantee passage. Neither chamber of Congress had passed the bill before. We are buoyed by the priority the House gave D.C. statehood at a time when COVID-19 has meant that only essential bills are coming to the floor this year, Norton said. We are undaunted by the lack of support in the Republican-controlled Senate, and the White House. We are certainly not discouraged by President Trump's outspoken opposition to home rule and his attempts to control the District of Columbia and the city's police force in acts of brazen presidential irresponsibility. Far from underestimating the work to come, however, our strategy is in place for full speed ahead. That strategy will soon become apparent, but today we celebrate. Shortly after being elected, Norton got D.C.'s first-ever vote on the D.C. statehood bill in 1993, but despite control of the House by Democrats, many from the South, the bill did not prevail. Norton's opening remarks, delivered this morning on the floor of the House, can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-manages-house-floor-debate-on-her-dc-statehood-bill-releases,"Norton Manages House Floor Debate on Her D.C. Statehood Bill, Releases Opening Statement",2020-06-26,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today managed the historic debate on the House floor on her District of Columbia statehood bill (H.R. 51). In her opening statement on the bill, Norton said, As we approach July 4th, it is long past time to apply the nation's oldest slogan, no taxation without representation' and the principle of consent of the government to D.C. residents. Norton's opening statement, as prepared for delivery, follows. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton Floor Remarks on H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act June 26, 2020 The United States is the only democratic country that denies both voting rights in the national legislature and local autonomy to the residents of the nation's capital. As we approach July 4th, it is long past time to apply the nation's oldest slogan, no taxation without representation, and the principle of consent of the governed to District of Columbia residents. H.R. 51 would do so, and Congress has both the moral obligation and constitutional authority to pass the bill. H.R. 51 would admit the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth into the Union and reduce the size of the federal district. The state would consist of 66 of the 68 square miles of the present-day federal district. The reduced federal district, over which Congress would retain plenary authority, would consist of two square miles. The reduced federal district would consist of the Washington that Members of Congress and visitors associate with the nation's capital, including the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court and the principal federal monuments. H.R. 51 has both the facts and Constitution on its side. The Constitution does not establish any prerequisites for new states, but Congress generally has considered three factors in admission decisions: resources and population, support for statehood and commitment to democracy. D.C. pays more federal taxes per capita than any state and pays more federal taxes than 22 states. D.C.'s population of 705,000 is larger than those of Wyoming and Vermont, and the new state would be one of seven states with a population under one million. D.C.'s $15.5 billion budget is larger than those of 12 states, and D.C.'s triple-A bond rating is higher than those of 35 states. D.C. has a higher per capita personal income and gross domestic product than any state. Eighty-six percent of D.C. residents voted for statehood in 2016. In fact, D.C. residents have been fighting for voting rights in Congress and local autonomy for 219 years. The Constitution's Admissions Clause gives Congress the authority to admit new states, and all 37 new states have been admitted by an act of Congress. The Constitution's District Clause, which gives Congress plenary authority over the federal district, sets a maximum size of the federal district of 100 square miles. It does not set a minimum size. Congress previously has changed the size of the federal district, including by reducing it 30 percent in 1846. Over the last few months, the nation, and even the world, has witnessed the discriminatory and outrageous treatment of D.C. residents by the federal government. In March, Congress passed the CARES Act, which deprived D.C. of $755 million in coronavirus fiscal relief by treating D.C. as a territory rather than a state. This month, federal police and out-of-state National Guard troops occupied D.C., without the consent of the D.C. mayor, to respond to largely peaceful protests. Prior to this occupation of the city, there had been much more looting and property destruction in other cities, but the federal government did not occupy those cities. The federal occupation of D.C. occurred solely because the President thought he could get away with it here. He was wrong. For me, H.R. 51 is deeply personal. My great-grandfather Richard Holmes, who escaped as a slave from a Virginia plantation, made it as far as D.C., a walk to freedom but not to equal citizenship. For three generations my family has been denied the rights other Americans take for granted. Congress has two choices. It can continue to exercise undemocratic, autocratic authority over the 705,000 American citizens who reside in our nation's capital, treating them, in the words of Frederick Douglass, as aliens, not citizens, but subjects. Or Congress can live up to this nation's promise and ideals and pass H.R. 51. I would like to thank Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Majority Whip James Clyburn, Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, the late Chairman Elijah Cummings, our millions of allies across the country and, most importantly, generations of D.C. residents and officials who have refused to simply accept their treatment as second-class citizens for bringing us to this historic day. I urge all of my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 51. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-achieves-public-private-partnership-to-restore-historic-golf,Norton Achieves Public-Private Partnership to Restore Historic Golf Courses in D.C.,2020-06-23,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who has long 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) will begin negotiations with National Links Trust (NLT) to operate the three historic golf courses here in the District. NPS will negotiate a long-term lease for the East Potomac, Langston and Rock Creek golf courses to ensure an optimum recreational experience for golfers and capital improvements. I have long sought long-term investment to operate and maintain D.C.'s historic golf courses, Norton said. The public-private partnership we have finally achieved will infuse desperately needed capital into these golf courses to maintain and preserve their historic features, not to mention reverse decades of deterioration. From the time Congress created the first of the courses in the 1920s, they have been underfunded. I introduced legislation in 2014 for the public-private partnership announced today to increase use by our residents and our many tourists. East Potomac Golf Course was built in 1920 and was initially segregated with African Americans permitted to play only on Mondays. The course was desegregated in 1941 by the then-Secretary of the Interior, Harold Ickes, following pressure from an African American women's golf club, the Wake Robin Golf Club. Langston Golf Course, named for John Mercer Langston, the first African American elected to Congress, opened in 1939 as a segregated course for African Americans, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Rock Creek Golf Course opened in 1923 as a nine-hole course, and an additional nine holes were added to it in 1926. With this partnership between NPS and NLT, the District's three golf courses will have access to the funding necessary to preserve their historic features, while modernizing them with amenities necessary to serve the public today. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-to-introduce-legislation-removing-andrew-jackson-statue-from,Norton to Introduce Legislation Removing Andrew Jackson Statue from Lafayette Park,2020-06-23,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced today that she will introduce legislation to remove the Andrew Jackson statue from Lafayette Park in the District of Columbia, citing Jackson's ownership of slaves and genocide of Native Americans. My bill to remove this statue of an unabashed racist from Lafayette Park will be introduced next week, Norton said.Lafayette Park itself has a painful past as a slave market. The statue of Andrew Jackson, who himself enslaved African Americans, compounds this insult. This prominent location in the nation's capital, right outside of the White House, should never have honored a man who owned slaves and was responsible for the deaths of roughly 4,000 Native Americans. Jackson's entire tenure is a shameful part of our history, and I will see to it that he is no longer honored with a statue in Lafayette Park. Because Lafayette Park is National Park Service (NPS) land, I will work with NPS to see whether NPS has the authority to remove the statue without an act of Congress, and if so, we will seek its removal without a bill. I believe this statue should be preserved and placed in a museum, not displayed prominently in the nation's capital. The next generation can learn from this painful chapter in our history without celebrating it. The land that comprises Lafayette Park has been used as a racetrack, a showplace for caged animals, a graveyard, a slave market, an encampment for soldiers and now for political protests and celebrations. Jackson was a Tennessee slaveholder and signed a law that forced Native Americans to move west of the Mississippi River. During this forced expulsion by the federal government, roughly 4,000 Cherokees died in what is now known as the Trail of Tears.The statue, the first in Lafayette Park, was dedicated on January 8, 1853, on the 38th anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans, which the statue depicts. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-to-introduce-legislation-removing-emancipation-statue-from,Norton to Introduce Legislation Removing Emancipation Statue from Lincoln Park,2020-06-23,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced today that she will introduce legislation to remove the Emancipation Statue from Lincoln Park in the District of Columbia, a federal park, citing its problematic depiction of the fight to achieve emancipation. You will soon see my bill to remove this problematic statue from Lincoln Park, Norton said. Although formerly enslaved Americans paid for this statue to be built in 1876, the design and sculpting process was done without their input, and it shows. The statue fails to note in any way how enslaved African Americans pushed for their own emancipation. Understandably, they were only recently liberated from slavery and were grateful for any recognition of their freedom. However, in his keynote address at the unveiling of this statue, Frederick Douglass also expressed his displeasure with the statue. Because Lincoln Park is National Park Service (NPS) land, I will work with the NPS to see whether NPS has the authority to remove the statue without an act of Congress, and if so, we will seek its removal without a bill. This statue has been controversial from the start. It is time it was placed in a museum. The Emancipation Memorial was dedicated on April 14, 1876, the 11thanniversary of President Lincoln's assassination.The statue originally faced the Capitol, with a direct line of vision to the nation's most powerful building. But when a statue celebrating African American educator Mary McLeod Bethune was erected in the eastern half of Lincoln Park, in 1974, the Emancipation Memorial was rotated 180 degrees so the two statues would face each other. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-to-testify-at-rules-committee-hearing-on-historic-dc-statehood,"Norton to Testify at Rules Committee Hearing on Historic D.C. Statehood Bill on Behalf of House Democrats, Tomorrow",2020-06-23,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will testify tomorrow on behalf of House Democrats at the Rules Committee hearing on her District of Columbia statehood bill, H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act. Members of Congress will be the only witnesses at the hearing. The Rules Committee will vote on a rule that sets the parameters for consideration of H.R. 51 on the House floor on Friday. The Rules Committee will meet virtually at 11 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, June 24, 2020, to consider H.R. 51 and four other bills. The meeting will be streamed live on rules.house.gov. Tomorrow's Rules Committee hearing and vote will take the first step in a historic three days for D.C. statehood and democracy in America, Norton said. I look forward to using the House proceedings on the D.C. statehood bill this week to inform the American public that D.C. residents pay more federal taxes per capita than any Americans and more federal taxes than the residents of 22 states, but that D.C. residents are denied congressional voting representation and full local autonomy. This week is the beginning of the end of taxation without representation for D.C. residents. When the House passes H.R. 51, which has 226 cosponsors, on Friday, it will be the first time either chamber of Congress has passed the D.C. statehood bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-files-amendment-to-police-reform-bill-to-repeal-president-s,Norton Files Amendment to Police Reform Bill to Repeal Presidents Authority to Federalize the D.C. Police Department,2020-06-22,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that today she filed an amendment at the Rules Committee to H.R. 7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020, that would repeal the President's authority to federalize the D.C. police department. The Rules Committee will consider amendments to H.R. 7120 on Wednesday, and the House will vote on H.R. 7120 on Thursday. The District of Columbia Home Rule Act gives the President the authority to federalize the D.C. police department. When Congress debated D.C. home rule in the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was opposition to giving D.C. control over its police department because it was a majority-black city. This month, the Trump Administration contemplated federalizing the D.C. police department in response to the protests against police brutality. No local police department in the country is at risk of having the President federalize their officers, no matter the circumstances, except the District of Columbia's, Norton said. Even under the Home Rule Act, the District police department should be treated no differently from any other jurisdiction. The citizens of the District deserve to know that their police department cannot be taken over by the federal government. After witnessing the Trump Administration's response to the protests, where peaceful protesters were sprayed with tear gas, it is terrifying to think of what the President would do if he federalized the D.C. police department. The Mayor of this city is fully capable, just like every other mayor, of managing the D.C. police department. The amendment is identical to Norton's District of Columbia Police Home Rule Act (H.R. 3092). Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tom Carper (D-DE) have introduced the bill in the Senate. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-opposes-large-parking-garage-at-union-station-calls-on-house,"Norton Opposes Large Parking Garage at Union Station, Calls on House Appropriators to Instruct FRA to Reduce Size",2020-06-22,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today wrote a letter to Chairman David E. Price and Ranking Member Mario Diaz-Balart on the Transportation, Housing, Urban Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee under the House Committee on Appropriations asking the committee to include report language expressing concern with the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) plans for a parking deck as part of the Union Station Expansion Project. In addition, she requested that FRA work with DC government to develop a revised plan with fewer unnecessary parking places. The Union Station project currently calls for 1,575 parking places, a number which many stakeholders at the regional and local levels find concerning. According to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), much of the planned parking spots will be used for non-federal commercial use and asked FRA to ""substantially reduce"" the number of parking spaces in the plan before the next state of review. On April 30, 2020, Andrew Trueblood, Director of the D.C. Office of Planning (OP), wrote FRA recommending between 295 and 375 parking spaces total. Trueblood further noted that the sought-after number of parking places in the thousands would undermine the District's key goals for the project and provide less space for safe pedestrian and bicyclist mobility. The parking spaces also limit the area that could be used for more revenue-producing ventures like stores or restaurants. ""While I am strongly in favor of the project and the extensive development it will bring to one of the most significant multimodal hubs in our city and region,"" Norton said, ""I am deeply concerned by FRA's reluctance to modify its plans in light of concerns from both NCPC and community leaders. For this project to be successful, FRA must be responsive to the concerns of the community and respectful of the Comprehensive Plan, which calls for reductions in congestion and the creation of safer environments for pedestrians and bicyclists."" The letter ends with Norton asking for report language reflecting the above to be put in the bill. The letter follows. June 22, 2020 The Honorable David E. Price The Honorable Mario Diaz-Balart Chairman Ranking Member Transportation, and Housing and Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Urban Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee Agencies Subcommittee House Committee on Appropriations House Committee on Appropriations Dear Chairman Price and Ranking Member Diaz-Balart: As you continue developing the FY 2021 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, I write to request that you include report language expressing the committee's concern with the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) plans for an extensive parking deck as part of its plans for the Washington Union Station Expansion project (project). I also request that the committee include report language instructing FRA to work with the District of Columbia government to develop a revised plan for parking that would significantly reduce the number of parking spaces associated with the project. A number of stakeholders at the regional and local levels have expressed concern with FRA's plan for parking in its Preferred Alternative A-C, which would dedicate 1,575 spaces at Union Station. While this plan would reduce the existing 2,200 parking spaces at Union Station, many stakeholders say that the amount of parking FRA seeks to maintain is still far more than needed. On January 9, 2020, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the agency with approval authority over the project, conducted a preliminary review of the concept plans for the FRA's Preferred Alternative A-C. NCPC noted that much of the parking at Union Station is for non-federal commercial use. NCPC also noted that the proposed 2019 federal Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital (Comprehensive Plan) says that federal agencies should take into account the parking policies of local jurisdictions to develop standards for parking for non-workplace uses. NCPC asked FRA to substantially reduce the number of parking spaces in the plan and to work with all relevant parties, including the District government, before the next stage of review to evaluate and determine the appropriate amount of parking in light of the mix of uses, traffic and urban design impacts and the transit-oriented nature of the project. On April 30, 2020, Andrew Trueblood, Director of the D.C. Office of Planning (OP), sent a letter to FRA leadership noting that after an analysis of comparable U.S. facilities, D.C. policies, and projected parking demand at Union Station, OP recommended between 295 and 375 parking spaces. Director Trueblood further noted that FRA's desired number of parking spaces (1,575) would undermine the District's key goals for the project, including prioritizing intermodal effectiveness and efficiency, providing continued and enhanced quality of life for people who live in, work in, and visit the Union Station area and promoting pedestrian mobility. Director Trueblood further noted that the elimination of unnecessary parking would pave the way for tax revenue-generating projects such as hotels, office space and retail. D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen, who represents the Union Station area, and several members of the local community have echoed Director Trueblood's concerns, noting the potential for FRA's preferred plan to exacerbate traffic patterns in an already congested area and make it difficult for bicyclists and pedestrians to safely enjoy the station. After three meetings of the Parking Working Group, which includes all relevant parties and was formed at NCPC's request, FRA remains unwilling to propose any reduction in the 1,575 parking spaces in its Preferred Alternative A-C. Additionally, FRA released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on June 4, 2020, which also identifies Alternative A-C as the Preferred Alternative and proposes approximately 1,600 parking spaces despite the concerns expressed by NCPC and the community regarding the number of parking spaces. While I am strongly in favor of the project and the extensive development it will bring to one of the most significant multimodal hubs in our city and region, I am deeply concerned by FRA's reluctance to modify its plans in light of concerns from both NCPC and community leaders. For this project to be successful, FRA must be responsive to the concerns of the community and respectful of the Comprehensive Plan, which calls for reductions in congestion and the creation of safer environments for pedestrians and bicyclists. I therefore request that the following language be included in the report accompanying the bill: The Committee recognizes the importance of Union Station as an intermodal transportation hub for the National Capital Region and also supports the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) plan to expand rail capacity at the station as part of a broader station expansion project that will include a mixture of residential, retail, office and hotel space. The Committee is aware that the National Capital Planning Commission has requested that FRA reduce the number of parking spaces in its Union Station redevelopment plans, noting that the majority of the station's approximately 2,200 spaces appear to be used by monthly pass holders rather than daily retail or rail users and that FRA's proposed 1,575 parking spaces is excessive. Similar concerns about the impact of this number of parking spaces on the viability of the expansion project, congestion and traffic patterns in the local area and access for pedestrians and bicyclists have been raised by the local community. Despite these concerns, FRA released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on June 4, 2020, which also identifies Alternative A-C as the Preferred Alternative and proposes approximately 1,600 parking spaces. The Committee shares concerns regarding parking and does not support FRA's proposal to retain 1,575 parking spaces in its Preferred Alternative A-C. The Committee instructs FRA to continue working with the District of Columbia government to substantially reduce the parking spaces for this project. In making a determination on the number of parking spaces, FRA should consider parking models at comparable transit stations, data-driven analysis of projected parking needs and the planning goals and policies of the District of Columbia, including the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. The Committee further instructs FRA to incorporate the feedback of all stakeholders, including residents of affected neighborhoods, into its planning process. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-tells-washington-football-team-owner-dan-snyder-changing-racist,"Norton Tells Washington Football Team Owner, Dan Snyder, Changing Racist Team Name is Past Due",2020-06-22,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today called on the owner of the National Football League's (NFL) Washington team, Daniel Snyder, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to change the team's racist name, an issue she has long pressed. I again call on Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington football team and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to recognize this historic moment and change the offensive, racist name of the team, Norton said. The name has cost Snyder far more than it could possibly be worth. The racist name stands in the way of the team playing in the nation's capital at the RFK Stadium site, Snyder's preferred venue. My bill (H.R. 1883) would allow the District of Columbia to buy the RFK Stadium site, which is federally owned. However, the Congress has been clear it will not approve the bill to sell this site to the District as long as there is a chance the Washington football team, with its current name, would use the site. Today's climate to strip the nation of its racism not only guarantees no change in the opposition of the Congress. It deepens contempt for the name in Congress. At the same time, the uproar that is fast compelling owners and parties of all descriptions to update their views and practices offers the same possibility to Snyder and Goodell and surely signals that the Washington football team name has no future in the District. Any team associated with the nation's capital should elicit pride, not a recoil of disgust. In 2020, it is beyond time for Snyder and Goodell to stop treating Native Americans derisively and create a name that all can unite behind. Norton's bill, the RFK Memorial Stadium Campus Conveyance Act (H.R. 1883), would sell the RFK stadium site, unused federal land, to the District for fair market value. Currently, the RFK stadium site, which is 190 acres, is the largest track of unused land in the District. Norton, long opposed to the name of the Washington football team,introduced legislation in 2015 to prohibit the NFL from receiving an exemption from federal antitrust laws as long as it allows the Washington football team name.In 2013 and 2014, Norton introduced legislation to prohibit granting tax-exempt status to professional sports leagues that promote or allow a member club or franchise connected to that league to benefit from the Washington football team name. Subsequently, the NFL voluntarily gave up its tax-exempt status. Norton has also written directly to Snyder, Goodell, team sponsor FedEx and the 31 other NFL franchises, urging them to support a change to the name of the Washington football team. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-thanks-van-hollen-carper-for-introducing-critical-dc-home-rule,"Norton Thanks Van Hollen, Carper for Introducing Critical D.C. Home-Rule Bills After Occupation of D.C. Streets by Federal Police and Troops",2020-06-19,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today thanked Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tom Carper (D-DE) for introducing bills this week to give the District of Columbia mayor control over the D.C. National Guard and to repeal the president's authority to federalize the D.C. police department. Norton is the House sponsor of these bills. The senators introduced the bills after the president deployed D.C. National Guard and out-of-state National Guard troops on the streets of D.C. and considered federalizing the D.C. police department earlier this month during protests for racial justice. The District of Columbia is fortunate to have extraordinary allies like Senators Van Hollen and Carper, who are champions not only of D.C. statehood and home rule, but also of equal federal funding for D.C., Norton said. The District and I could not ask for better partners. As we move to achieve statehood, we need not wait to obtain the elements of statehood that are within reach now through legislation. The president controls the D.C. National Guard, while the governors of the states and the three territories with National Guards control their respective Guards. The D.C. Home Rule Act gives the president the authority to federalize the D.C. police department. Norton has called on the House to give the D.C. mayor control over the D.C. National Guard as part of the upcoming fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act and to repeal the president's authority to federalize the D.C. police department as part of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020, which the House will vote on next week.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-press-conference-remarks-announcing-date-for-historic-dc-0,Norton Press Conference Remarks Announcing Date for Historic D.C. Statehood Bill Floor Vote,2020-06-16,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced today the date of the House floor vote on her District of Columbia statehood bill (H.R. 51) in a joint press conference with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) this morning. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, and D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson also spoke. The House's vote, scheduled for June 26th, will be the first time either chamber of Congress has voted on the D.C. statehood bill since 1993. Norton got the first-ever vote on the D.C. statehood bill in 1993. The bill currently has 224 cosponsors. Norton's remarks follow. It is surely worth noting as our country prepares to celebrate its birth as a nation on July 4ththat the House of Representatives will acknowledge on June 26ththe equal citizenship of the residents of the nation's capital by voting for statehood for the District of Columbia. The significance, first and foremost, is for the residents of the nation's capital, who have worked for 219 years for this imprimatur, opening the path to all the elements and the full meaning of citizenship. For me, today is also personal, not because I am the author of the bill. It is personal because for three generations my family has yet to attain the rights other Americans take for granted. The D.C. statehood bill will always have a personal acknowledgement from me in the name of Richard Holmes, my great grandfather, who escaped as a slave from a Virginia plantation. Richard Holmes made it as far as the District of Columbia, a walk to freedom but not to equal citizenship. For the first time, statehood will put an end to our oldest slogan: taxation without representation. To crown that denial, D.C. residents pay the highest federal taxes per capita without equal representation. Coming in this, the third century of our nation, however, statehood means much more to us than dollars and cents. Statehood is priceless. Statehood assures that living in our nation's capital is about pride, not prejudice. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/to-mark-flag-day-norton-celebrates-respect-for-dc-flag-achieved-even,"To Mark Flag Day, Norton Celebrates Respect for D.C. Flag, Achieved Even Before Statehood",2020-06-12,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. In recognition of Flag Day, Sunday June 14th, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) celebrated progress in gaining the same respect for the District of Columbia flag that state flags receive as an appropriate prelude to the vote on the House floor later this year on her D.C. statehood bill. Even without statehood, Norton has made considerable progress in achieving equal treatment for D.C. with respect to flags. In February, the House Judiciary Committee passed Norton's bill adding the D.C. Mayor to the list of principals for whom the president can order the U.S. flag be flown at half-staff upon their death. Currently, governors of the states and territories are on the list. The National Park Service now flies the D.C. flag across from Union Station along with state flags. Norton got a bill enacted into law that requires the armed services to display the D.C. flag when state flags are displayed. Today, when Americans are demanding the removal of Confederate statues, Norton said, Americans who reside in the nation's capital celebrate Flag Day because we have achieved equal treatment and recognition of the D.C. flag in our country. State flags give recognition to the importance of the state itself in the union. The D.C. flag demands no less. Norton said that the importance of respecting the D.C. flag at the same level as state flags is particularly tied to military service by D.C. residents, who continue to fight and die for their country without equal congressional voting representation. She pointed to the service of District residents in every war, including the Revolutionary War, which created the nation itself. More than 5,000 D.C. residents have died in major wars since World War I. Honoring the D.C. flag is an important way of honoring their sacrifices, Norton added. This week, Norton also announced two new cosponsors for her D.C. statehood bill: Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI). The Senate and House D.C. statehood bills have a record number of cosponsors36 and 224, respectively. Yesterday, Norton introduced legislation, along with Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-OH), that would change the titles of officials in the D.C. government. Under this bill, the Mayor would become the Governor and the D.C. Council would become the Legislative Assembly. Norton said the D.C. government is already doing the work of a state government and should be recognized as such. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fudge-norton-introduce-bill-to-redesignate-dc-mayor-as-governor-and-dc,"Fudge, Norton Introduce Bill to Redesignate D.C. Mayor as Governor and D.C. Council as Legislative Assembly",2020-06-11,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced the District of Columbia Government Title Equality Act, which would redesignate the Mayor of the District of Columbia as the Governor, the D.C. Council as the Legislative Assembly, the D.C. Councilmembers as Representatives, and the Chair of the Council as the Speaker. These are the titles used in the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth constitution, which the District adopted in 2016 in anticipation of passage of a bill to make D.C. the 51ststate. Fudge and Norton introduced the redesignation bill to highlight to the American people and Members of Congress that there would be a seamless transition to D.C. statehood because D.C. already operates as the functional equivalent of a state, providing state-, county- and city-level services, despite being denied congressional voting rights and full local self-government. D.C. residents have been denied full participation in this country's legislative process for far too long, said Rep. Fudge.Without having a vote in Congress, residents in the District have no say in policies affecting their communities,which further opens the door to federal interference in local matters.Last week's stunt by the President is evidence of the federal government's ability to overstep its authority with little or no warning for D.C. leadership. I am proud to support Rep. Norton in taking the necessary steps toward obtaining statehood and guaranteeing the residents in our nation's capital receive the freedoms and representation all Americans deserve. I thank my good friend Congresswoman Fudge for reaching out to me to introduce this bill in light of the events of the past week, when the Trump administration deployed federal police and out-of-state National Guard troops on the streets of D.C., without D.C.'s consent, and contemplated federalizing the D.C. police department, Norton said. Members of Congress have been horrified by the administration's actions and have been contacting me to indicate their support for D.C. statehood and ask how they can help. Fudge is an original cosponsor of Norton's D.C. statehood bill, which has a record 224 cosponsors and is expected to pass on the House floor this year for the first time in the nation's history. The District of Columbia Government Title Equality Act would not change any legal authorities. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-ensured-the-new-surface-transportation-reauthorization-bill-the,"Norton Ensured the New Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill, the INVEST in America Act, Contained Long-Sought D.C. Priorities",2020-06-11,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), chair of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, who helped write the House's new surface transportation reauthorization bill, the INVEST in America Act, today pointed out the portions of the bill that are critical for the District of Columbia. The bill reauthorizes 10 years of funding for Metro, increasing the funding level each year until it reaches $200 million in the final year. The bill triples funding for Amtrak over five years, more than doubles the funding for technology development, supports research on greener and safer freight movement, reauthorizes the grant program that stimulates enforcement of a law that prohibits racial profiling, increases protections for transit workers against assaults, expands eligibility for safe routes to schools, and provides increased independence or the Metro Inspector General. As important as the INVEST in America Act is for the nation, I also used my role in writing the bill to ensure that our own jurisdiction received its most urgent priorities, Norton said. The District and this region need another full 10 years of funding to fix WMATA, whicha significant number of federal workers use to get to work here. In fact, 40% of Metro's peak ridership is comprised of federal workers. The use of technology in transportation and the bill's many climate change innovations make this a break from prior bills to become the nation's first 21st century transportation and infrastructure bill. As chair of the subcommittee that wrote the bill, it was my obligation to ensure that this nationwide bill begins here in the nation's capital. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-calls-on-house-to-repeal-president-s-authority-to-federalize-dc,Norton Calls on House to Repeal Presidents Authority to Federalize D.C. Police Department in New Police Reform Bill,2020-06-10,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today called on the House to add her District of Columbia Police Home Rule Act (H.R. 3092), which would repeal the President's authority to federalize the D.C. police department, to the sweeping police reform bill the House is expected to pass soon, the Justice in Policing Act of 2020.Last week, the Trump administration contemplated federalizing the D.C. police department in response to the protests in D.C. against police brutality. The President of the United States has no authority to federalize state and local police departments, and the President should have no authority to federalize the D.C. police department, Norton said. This is not only about D.C.'s right to self-government. After the Trump administration ordered federal police officers to attack peaceful protestors in D.C. last week, it is frightening to think what the Trump administration would do with a large local police force under its command. The District of Columbia Mayor, not the executive branch of the federal government, knows best how to deploy the D.C. police department. The Home Rule Act gives the President the authority to federalize the D.C. police department. When Congress debated giving D.C. home rule in the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was opposition to giving D.C. control over its police department because it was a majority-black city. Last week, Norton called on the House to add her District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act (H.R. 1090), which would give the D.C. Mayor control over the D.C. National Guard, to the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which the House is expected to pass next month. The President controls the D.C. National Guard, while the governors of the states and the three territories with National Guards control their respective Guards. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-carper-announce-new-dc-statehood-bill-cosponsors,"Norton, Carper Announce New D.C. Statehood Bill Cosponsors",2020-06-09,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), sponsors of the District of Columbia statehood bill in the House and Senate, respectively, said the addition of new Senate and House cosponsors of the bill in the last few days undoubtedly speaks to the effect of the unprecedented occupation of the District by federal police and out-of-state troops last week. They thanked the new cosponsors, Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI), and said that the bill, which House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) reiterated last week will go to the House floor this year, already has enough cosponsors alone to pass in the House, and is cosponsored by over three quarters of Senate Democrats. Norton and Carper pointed to the role of federal police officers and out-of-state National Guard troops, without the consent of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, as real-time evidence that only statehood could remedy such interference. We have never had more momentum for D.C. statehood than we have had this Congress, Norton said. However, the occupation of our city in the last week by federal police and out-of-state National Guard troops, which did not occur elsewhere, was the physical manifestation of the District's disenfranchisement. These recent events add to compelling evidence of the District's unequal, undemocratic status and demand passage of our statehood bill. Last week, the nation watched as federal agents and the U.S. military were deployed against Americans practicing their constitutional rights to peacefully protest in the District of Columbia. President Trump didn't need approval to carry this action out because the District of Columbia is not a state and therein lies the problem we need to fix. What the President did is contrary to who we are as Americans and what we stand for as a nation, and the issue of statehood is something both Democrats and Republicans can no longer ignore, Carper said. Today, I am so proud that Senator Rosen has joined my Senate bill to ensure D.C. has full authority over its police force and grant its residents equal representation in their government. For Americans who may be unsure about whether or not the District of Columbia should be granted statehood, I urge you to think about it this way: think about paying taxes to the federal government and then not having a vote to help determine how that government functions. Imagine the military being sent to your communities to patrol your neighborhoods without approval from the state you live in. That is the current reality for the more than 700,000 Americans living in the District of Columbia. This is an issue of fairness, and it is incumbent upon those of us who enjoy the right and the privilege of full representation in Congress to take up the cause of our fellow citizens in the District of Columbia and right this wrong now. The more than 700,000 residents of the District of Columbia pay full federal taxes but have no voting representation in Congress, and Congress has the ultimate authority over the District's local affairs.The population of the District is larger than that of two states, and the District pays more federal taxes per capita than any state and more in total federal taxes than 22 states. The D.C. statehood bill has not gone to the House floor since 1993 and has never gone to the Senate floor. The bill has never passed in either chamber. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-beyer-federal-police-body-camera-bill-included-in-house-s-police,"Norton, Beyer Federal Police Body Camera Bill Included in Houses Police Reform Bill, Expected to Pass Soon",2020-06-08,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today announced that their Federal Police Camera and Accountability Act of 2019 (H.R. 3364), which would require uniformed federal police officers to wear body cameras and have dashboard cameras in marked vehicles, was included in the House's new sweeping police reform bill, the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. The House is expected to pass the Justice in Policing Act as soon as this month. Norton and Beyer introduced their bill after U.S. Park Police officers shot and killed 25-year-old Bijan Ghaisar, who was unarmed, in November of 2017. The events of last week virtually mandate passage of our bill requiring that federal police officers have body and dashboard cameras, just as local police throughout the United States do, Norton said. Last week, the world witnessed U.S. Park Police and other federal police officers forcibly remove peaceful protestors outside the White House so President Trump could hold a photo op. We also saw federal policer officers, many of whom were not wearing any identification, swarm the streets of the nation's capital. As the House works to reform policing across the country, we appreciate that today's bill includes the body camera provision. Recent events have sadly shown how important body cameras are for transparency and accountability following acts of police violence, said Rep. Beyer. Both the death of George Floyd and the violent treatment of people who peacefully protested that injustice have again underscored the need for our legislation requiring body cameras for all federal police. I am also mindful that the event which originally inspired this legislation, the killing of Bijan Ghaisar in 2017 by U.S. Park Police, has never been justified or explained. I hope that the Justice in Policing Act, in which our legislation was included, will help prevent similar injustices in the future. Ghaisar was fatally shot in his car by Park Police officers in Fairfax County, Virginia, after he fled a car crash and was pursued by officers down George Washington Parkway. Footage of the shooting was released by the Fairfax County Police Department, which captured it on a cruiser's dashboard camera. Without that footage, Ghaisar's family and the public would have had no access to the circumstances surrounding Ghaisar's death. The District of Columbia and Fairfax County both require officers to wear body cameras and have dashboard cameras in marked vehicles. Both officers involved are on administrative duty pending an internal investigation, which will not start until Fairfax County decides whether to prosecute the officers. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-authors-a-firsthand-account-of-trump-s-walk-to-st-john-s-church,Norton Offers A Firsthand Account of Trumps Walk to St. Johns Church from Inside the National Guard,2020-06-07,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) was briefed by a member of the D.C. National Guard who was on duty last Monday evening when federal police pushed aside peaceful demonstrators to allow President Trump and his staff to go to St. John's Church for a photo op. What follows is an eyewitness account given to Norton by a National Guard member who was on duty. Three warnings were given, but the peaceful crowd was too large for most to hear the warnings. The sudden use of smoke and pepper balls caused pandemonium. A horse cavalry pushed the crowd from H street to Connecticut Avenue. The D.C. National Guard member spoke to Attorney General Barr, who was in charge, and explained that the crowd was peaceful, but troops from federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Prisons, remained. At the time the horse cavalry cleared the way for the president and his entourage to go to the church, no additional assets had been found to be necessary and the D.C. National Guard has remained able to handle the peaceful crowds since. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-condemns-senator-lee-s-attack-on-dc-mayor-frequent-home-rule,"Norton Condemns Senator Lees Attack on D.C. Mayor, Frequent Home-Rule Violator",2020-06-05,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today condemnedSenatorMikeLee's (R-UT) statements that District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser is ungrateful and must be stopped from allegedly evicting the Utah National Guard and other state guards from D.C. hotels. Norton noted that state national guards have been deployed in D.C. by state governors at the request of the federal government, without Bowser's consent, even though Bowser, like governors, has the authority to request the assistance of out-of-state guards under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. Norton said she is not surprised byLee's comments because he has spent considerable time in the Senate introducing legislation to overturn local D.C. laws.Lee, who professes to support local control over local affairs, has been a chronic abuser of Congress' anti-democratic power over D.C., introducing legislation to overturn D.C.'s occupational licensing laws and create a new D.C. Council committee on occupational licensing; to ban abortions after 20 weeks in the District; and to allow discrimination against D.C.'s LGBTQ residents. Norton has defeated all of these bills. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser can respond toSenatorMikeLeefor herself, but I felt compelled to call outSenatorLee's offensive and autocratic comments, just as I have called out his previous attacks on D.C. home rule, Norton said. Since passage of the Home Rule Act in 1973, we have never seen the executive branch of the federal government try to impose its will on the District like we have seen over the past week. I applaud Mayor Bowser for sending a letter to the president yesterday calling for all the extra federal police and troops to be removed from D.C. The Trump administration has not imposed its will on other jurisdictions in the last week, and it should not do so in the District. If Mayor Bowser, like any governor or mayor, desires the assistance of the federal police and troops with non-federal matters, she knows how to ask for it. She has not done so, so they need to leave. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletters/congresswoman-nortons-weekly-enewsletter-2,Congresswoman Norton's Weekly eNewsletter,2020-06-04,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Norton Releases Statement on President Trump's Evening of Violence Norton released a statement after President Trump's erratic and violent evening holding a press conference in the Rose Garden while peaceful protesters were being shot with tear gas and rubber bullets nearby. After the press conference, during which his rhetoric became increasingly violent, President Trump went to nearby St. John's Episcopal Church, which had been damaged by rioting the night before. When he arrived, the President held up a Bible and stood for photos. Full statement here. Davis and Norton, Co-Chairs of Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys, Say Caucus Hearings Will Hear Directly From the Community Whose Only Outlet has Been the Streets Norton and Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL), co-chairs of the longstanding Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys, said that the police killing of George Floyd compels congressional hearings on police and criminal justice reform and needed legislation. However, they said that those are not enough. They will hold 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 killing of Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by white police officers and of Ahmaud Arbery, an African American jogger killed by two armed white men in Georgia. In both cases videos exposed attacks, marking a new era for seeking racial justice. More information here. Norton Says Key Fixes to Paycheck Protection Program Passed by House are Critical for D.C. Small Businesses Norton said a critical, bipartisan bill passed by the House would deliver much-needed relief for District of Columbia small businesses. The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, of which Norton is a cosponsor, would addresses urgent issues with the Paycheck Protection Program facing small businesses in D.C. and across the country, which are the businesses struggling the most as a result of the coronavirus. Read more information here. Norton Says Trump's Nominee for U.S. Attorney for D.C. is Contaminated by Political Interference at a Time When Increase in Homicides Should be Focus Norton released a statement upon learning of President Trump's intention to nominate a new U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia: The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia prosecutes both federal and local crime, but importantly, the largest part of his jurisdiction is local felonies. Because D.C. has no representation in the Senate, it is customary for the President to consult with me on this nomination, when we are of the same party, or at least to have the nominee visit with me, as President Trump's first U.S. Attorney, Jessica Liu, and the current Acting U.S. Attorney, Tim Shea, did. Full statement here. Norton Thanks Parole Commission for Reducing Inmate Population, Says More Needs to be Done Norton noted that the United States Parole Commission (USPC) has reduced the danger to inmates and staff by releasing people under its jurisdiction in custody, including releasing half of its inmates at the District of Columbia's Central Detention Facility and Correctional Treatment Facility since March 19, 2020. However, Norton continues to request that USPC release those appropriate for release under its jurisdiction to reduce inevitable exposure to COVID-19 in tight, crowded spaces. Norton has pressed for the release of D.C. residents incarcerated under federal jurisdiction during the coronavirus, consistent with public safety, because the risk of transmission is much higher in jails and prisons. Most of USPC's population consists of D.C. Code felons. Full statement here. Norton Says Report from Protect Our Defenders Finding Racial Disparities in Courts-Martial, Nonjudicial Punishments Breaks New Ground Norton, a past chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, said that the findings of a report by Protect Our Defenders (POD), a national organization dedicated to ending rape, sexual assault, misogyny, sexual harassment, and retribution in the military, has broken new ground for congressional oversight on equal treatment. The POD report found the Air Force had suppressed data showing substantial and persistent racial disparities in its military justice system that appear to be system-wide in the armed forces. More information here. Norton Resolution Recognizes D.C. Servicemembers on Memorial Day, Calls for Statehood for Them Norton introduced a resolution recognizing District of Columbia servicemembers on Memorial Day. Her resolution also calls for statehood for the District to ensure these servicemembers and veterans enjoy the full rights of American democracy given to other American citizens. D.C. servicemembers have served in every war since the Revolution, all without the full and equal rights that can come only with statehood. Read more here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-introduces-resolution-designating-june-as-national-gun-violence,Norton Introduces Resolution Designating June as National Gun Violence Awareness Month,2020-06-04,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a resolution designating June as National Gun Violence Awareness Month and calling on the Senate to pass important national gun violence prevention legislation that has already passed the House. In previous Congresses, Republicans have introduced legislation to eliminate the District's gun violence prevention laws, in contravention of home rule. Norton was able to defeat all these measures, and, as a result, none have been introduced this Congress. The District of Columbia has worked to protect its citizens by enacting common-sense gun violence prevention measures, including banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, Norton said. It is incredible that Republicans would attempt to override the laws of the duly elected D.C. Council when they do not represent the residents of the District of Columbia, and I will continue my efforts to defeat these anti-home-rule measures. My resolution calls on the Senate to follow the District's example and pass the common-sense gun violence prevention legislation that the House has already passed. Norton's resolution follows: 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. __ Expressing support for the designation of June 2020 as National Gun Violence Awareness Month, and calling on Congress to address gun violence. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Ms. Norton submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on _______________ RESOLUTION Expressing support for the designation of June 2020 as National Gun Violence Awareness Month, and calling on Congress to address gun violence. Whereas summer is the season with the highest rates of gun violence in the United States; Whereas 100,000 Americans suffer gunshot wounds in the United States every year; Whereas approximately 96 people die and approximately 200 are injured from gun violence each day in the United States; Whereas more than 60 percent of all gunshot victims in the United States are under 30 years old; Whereas every 70 minutes, one American under the age of 25 loses his or her life to gun violence; Whereas 5 percent of gun dealers (approximately 3,000 dealers nationwide) supply nearly 90 percent of all crime guns that show up in American streets; Whereas more children have been killed by guns in the United States since the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting than the total number of American soldiers killed in overseas combat since September 11, 2001; Whereas more Americans have died from gunshot wounds in the past three decades than the sum total of combat deaths in all the wars in United States history; Whereas half of all suicides are a result of gunshot wounds; Whereas 90 percent of homicides of law enforcement officers are the result of firearms; Whereas firearms used during a robbery are 3 times more likely than knives and 10 times more likely than other weapons to result in the death of a victim; Whereas 20 percent of female homicide victims are killed by a current or former partner using firearms; Whereas gun violence declined in the 1990s after the enactment of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act in 1993, which created a national background check system, and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which placed a 10-year ban on the sale of assault weapons and large capacity ammunition magazines; Whereas the ban on the sale of assault weapons and large capacity ammunition magazines expired in 2004; Whereas according to a 2014 study, of the 16 States that then required background checks of private gun sales, there were 38 percent fewer fatal shootings of women by their partners, 39 percent fewer police murdered by firearms, 17 percent fewer firearm-aggravated assaults, and 49 percent fewer suicides using firearms; Whereas almost 40,000 deaths in the United States were due to guns in 2017; and Whereas June would be an appropriate month to designate as National Gun Violence Awareness Month: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives (1) supports the designation of National Gun Violence Awareness Month; and (2) calls on the Senate to pass gun violence prevention legislation, including (A) H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, to require a background check on every gun sale or transfer, which passed the House of Representatives on February 27, 2020; and (B) H.R. 1112, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019, to close the Charleston Loophole by providing the Federal background check system additional time to make a final determination on a potential gun purchaser before a licensed dealer can transfer a gun, which passed the House of Representatives on February 28, 2020. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-thanks-hoyer-for-reaffirming-his-commitment-to-bring-the-dc,Norton Thanks Hoyer for Reaffirming His Commitment to Bring the D.C. Statehood Bill to the House Floor This Year,2020-06-04,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today issued a statement after Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) reaffirmed his intent yesterday to bring the District of Columbia statehood bill to the House floor during the coronavirus pandemic. I know that D.C. officials and residents join me in appreciating Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's announcement that he still intends to bring the D.C. statehood bill to the House floor this year. At a time when the pandemic has assured that only bills of great significance can receive a vote this year, Leader Hoyer's decision reflects his longstanding, outspoken support for equal rights for the residents of the District of Columbia, including in a Washington Post op-ed in support of statehood he authored last year. With Leader Hoyer's support and Speaker Nancy Pelosi's continuing leadership, we are now assured that the House will make history this year with passage of the D.C. statehood bill for the first time in either chamber in the District's 219-year history. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-commends-bop-for-starting-to-release-dc-inmates-from-prison-to,"Norton Commends BOP for Starting to Release D.C. Inmates from Prison to Home Confinement in Light of Coronavirus, Calls for More Releases",2020-06-03,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said today she appreciates the Federal Bureau of Prisons' (BOP) action to begin to release D.C. inmates, both federal and D.C. Code offenders, from prison to home confinement pursuant to its new authority under the CARES Act, in light of the coronavirus. The BOP informed Norton that 84 D.C. inmates have been placed on home confinement under the CARES Act, of whom 59 are D.C. Code offenders and 25 are federal offenders. Norton has requested regular updates from BOP on the number of inmates released to home confinement, which the BOP has promised to provide. I am pleased that the Federal Bureau of Prisons has started to release eligible D.C. inmates to home confinement in light of the coronavirus, Norton said. While I hope that the BOP picks up the pace and begins releasing more qualified inmates, this is a positive first step. I look forward to continuing to work with BOP to ensure D.C. residents in their custody are protected from the coronavirus. Norton previously wrote to BOP urging them to prioritize eligible D.C. Code inmates for release to home confinement. Norton also worked with BOP to release many Hope Village halfway house residents to home confinement, with all but 30-40 being released to home confinement. She also worked with the U.S. Parole Commission to reduce the number of inmates in its custody during the coronavirus. Norton was also successful in getting passed her amendment to the House-passed HEROES Act clarifying that D.C. Code inmates would be eligible for the coronavirus-related early release provisions in the bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-says-today-s-peaceful-protesters-have-found-their-own-way,Norton Says Todays Peaceful Protesters Have Found Their Own Way,2020-06-03,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Following President Trump's use of federal authority to tear gas peaceful protestors in the nation's capital, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a veteran of the civil rights movement, today said peaceful protesters are finding ways of their own to protect themselves from blame for disruptive tactics and violence by interlopers and the police. Innocent, peaceful protestors are showing that they can take steps to protect themselves against violence and blame for violence done by rioters and looters and that they can take peaceful steps against the use of violent or disruptive tactics by the police. There are precedents that have proved useful under even more dangerous conditions and could be useful today. During the civil rights movement, nonviolent protesters were often confronted with formidable opponents. Armed Southern racists and violent Southern police had the power. But they were confounded, even bewildered, by nonviolent resistance. The peaceful tactics used by civil rights protesters made clear who was engaged in violence and who was not. Among the tactics used by the civil rights movement were kneeling in prayer instead of running or confronting, standing our ground with hands up or simply sitting down in the streets with open hands on our laps. They have simply stood their ground peaceably, often long after curfew. The reaction here has been the same as police from the 1960s: No response. There are ways to fight back without fighting. The three groundbreaking civil rights acts of the 1960s, the result of sit-ins and other nonviolent actions by the civil rights movement, are the nation's best evidence that nonviolent resistance not only works but also produces results. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-calls-on-house-to-immediately-pass-her-bills-giving-dc-control,Norton Calls on House to Immediately Pass Her Bills Giving D.C. Control over National Guard and Preventing Federalization of D.C Police,2020-06-02,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today called on the House to include her District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act, which would give the D.C. mayor control over the D.C. National Guard, in the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which the House Armed Services Committee is expected to pass as soon as this month and the House is expected to pass next month. The governors of the states and the three territories with National Guards control their respective National Guards. Currently, the President controls the D.C. National Guard. Norton also called on the House to pass her D.C. Police Home Rule Act, which would repeal the President's authority federalize the Metropolitan Police Department. The D.C. mayor knows best where and when to deploy the D.C. National Guard and to decide whether they should be armed, Norton said. Under my bill, the President would retain the authority to federalize the D.C. National Guard in the same manner the President can federalize the National Guards of the states and territories, but D.C.'s mayor would have the same authority governors have to deploy the National Guard troops. The past week, and particularly last night, were a manifestation of what happens when D.C. officials are denied full authority to govern our city. Incidents spread across the District from upper Northwest to Georgetown and Northeast. Forebodingly, Mayor Bowser's office confirmed that the White House asked yesterday about its authority to federalize the Metropolitan Police Department, clearly showing this President's unchecked thirst for power. Local officials governors, and in this case, the D.C. mayor have an expert, ground-level view of rapidly unfolding events and are best positioned to determine whether National Guard troops are necessary to keep the peace. Last night demonstrated that D.C. local officials must have the authority to determine for themselves whether and when to call in the D.C. National Guard. The best way to accomplish this is for the House Armed Services Committee to include my bill in the upcoming fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. D.C. residents, facing mostly peaceful protests, are at the mercy of a President whose judgment he has shown cannot be trusted. Under the authority of this President, peaceful protestors have been assaulted with tear gas and rubber bullets. The President has threatened to further escalate the clashes by calling in the military. Last night it was reported that Mayor Bowser sought to deploy National Guard troops to specific areas and was denied. Although the overall problem can only be solved by D.C. statehood, the D.C. National Guard Home Rule Act would afford badly needed control and protection for this city immediately. Norton has also introduced legislation to remove the President's authority over the Metropolitan Police Department and local prosecutions. Norton's D.C. Police Home Rule Act would repeal the provision in the Home Rule Act that gives the President the authority federalize the Metropolitan Police Department. While this authority appears never to have been used, questions about its use were raised by the Trump administration recently. The Home Rule Act provides that, whenever the President of the United States determines that special conditions of an emergency nature exist which require the use of the Metropolitan Police force for Federal purposes, he may direct the mayor to provide him, and the mayor shall provide, such services of the Metropolitan Police force as the President may deem necessary and appropriate. Norton has also introduced legislation, the District of Columbia Local Prosecutor Home Rule Act of 2019, to give D.C. the exclusive authority to prosecute all local crimes. Currently, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia has the exclusive authority to prosecute most local crimes committed by adults. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-releases-statement-on-president-trump-s-evening-of-violence,Norton Releases Statement on President Trumps Evening of Violence,2020-06-02,2020,2020-06,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released the following statement after President Trump's erratic and violent evening holding a press conference in the Rose Garden while peaceful protesters were being shot with tear gas and rubber bullets nearby. After the press conference, during which his rhetoric became increasingly violent, President Trump went to nearby St. John's Episcopal Church, which had been damaged by rioting the night before. When he arrived, the President held up a Bible and stood for photos. President Trump cemented his image in history as he ordered the use of force against peaceful protesters and then stood on the steps of a historic church in the Nation's Capital holding a Bible in the air. His stance in front of St. John's church across from the White House gave the appearance of a provocateur, protected, of course, by police from harmless protestors, who had threatened no one. If he was concerned about the church, why didn't he ask the rector of St. John's to stand with him? Did he think America would see him as a religious figure? Did he foresee that the pictures and surrounding context paint him more accurately as a dictator, suppressing free speech and using the symbols of faith to manipulate his followers? We will never know what President Trump was thinking, but we do know this: He ordered violence against peaceful protestors, many of whom were walking with their hands in the air. We know that President Trump stood in front of one of the most historic churches in our city and misused the symbols of faith to make himself look powerful. We know a publicity stunt when we see one. The American people saw President Trump for what he actually is: A small man who uses aggression, insults, violence and fear to make himself feel powerful. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/davis-and-norton-co-chairs-of-congressional-caucus-on-black-men-and-boys,"Davis and Norton, Co-Chairs of Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys, Say Caucus Hearings Will Hear Directly From the Community Whose Only Outlet has Been the Streets",2020-05-31,2020,2020-05,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), co-chairs of the longstanding Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys, said that the police killing of George Floyd compels congressional hearings on police reform, criminal justice, and needed legislation. However, they said that those are not enough. They will hold 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 killing of Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by white police officers and of Ahmaud Arbery, an African American jogger killed by two armed white men in Georgia. In both cases videos exposed attacks, marking a new era for seeking racial justice. MLK once stated, Congressman Davis said, ""Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' African American men want and demand the exact same pathway for fair and just treatment as any other American taxpayer, Davis continued.I am hopeful for justice for the Floyd family and a further reduction of these incidents. Congresswoman Norton said, Congressman Davis and I established our Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys seven years ago because official hearings, which we believe are mandatory, are not designed to capture the views of the community on the ground or those who speak for them. Technology has erased doubt about responsibility and now enables the community to be eyewitnesses to criminal acts by police, placing an unavoidable burden on law enforcement for swift justice. The response we see in the streets has become a spontaneous demand. However, in our system, justice requires due process and is an inherently slow response. In the past, our Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys has provided a useful platform following police violence. The actions we have seen in the streets following the killing of George Floyd calls out for a Caucus hearing to hear from the people. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-says-key-fixes-to-paycheck-protection-program-passed-by-house-are,Norton Says Key Fixes to Paycheck Protection Program Passed by House are Critical for D.C. Small Businesses,2020-05-29,2020,2020-05,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said a critical, bipartisan bill passed by the House yesterday would deliver much-needed relief for District of Columbia small businesses. The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, of which Norton is a cosponsor, would addresses urgent issues with the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) facing small businesses in D.C. and across the country, which are the businesses struggling the most as a result of the coronavirus. Small business owners in D.C. have been contacting my office in desperate need of assistance as the coronavirus crisis continues to take its toll on our city's economy, Norton said. The ongoing crisis requires us to fix the PPP program so the most vulnerable small businesses, especially those owned by women, veterans, and minorities, have the flexibility to get the assistance they urgently need. Many small businesses in the District of Columbia and across the country have reported that the current limit in the PPP program allowing only 25 percent of loan proceeds to be used for nonpayroll expenses such as rent to qualify for loan forgiveness prevents them from applying for PPP loans. For many small businesses, such as small independent restaurants, rent or mortgage interest tend to be significantly more than 25 percent of their total monthly expenses. To address this concern, this bill raises that percentage from 25 percent to 40 percent. The overwhelming scale of this health and economic crisis demands that we take decisive action to protect the health and safety of our communities and the economic well-being of workers and small businesses. The bill would increase flexibility and access to PPP loans by: Allowing loan forgiveness for expenses beyond the 8-week covered period to 24 weeks and extending the rehiring deadline; Increasing the current limitation on nonpayroll expenses (such as rent, utility payments and mortgage interest) for loan forgiveness from 25 to 40 percent; Extending the program from June 30 to December 31; Extending loan terms from two to five years; and Ensuring full access to payroll tax deferment for businesses that take PPP loans. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-says-report-from-protect-our-defenders-finding-racial-disparities,"Norton Says Report from Protect Our Defenders Finding Racial Disparities in Courts-Martial, Nonjudicial Punishments Breaks New Ground",2020-05-28,2020,2020-05,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a past chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, today said that the findings ofa reportbyProtect Our Defenders(POD), a national organization dedicated to ending rape, sexual assault, misogyny, sexual harassment, and retribution in the military, has broken new ground for congressional oversight on equal treatment. The POD report found the Air Force (USAF) had suppressed data showing substantial and persistent racial disparities in its military justice system that appear to be system-wide in the armed forces. In response to a previous investigation in 2017, the USAF said it was taking a series of steps to identify and address the causes of the disparities. However, the POD report found that the USAF's working group met only briefly and issued only superficial recommendations. The U.S. District Court in Connecticut referred to the USAF's investigation as a ""mystery"" and questioned whether it conducted any ""real governmental decision-making process."" The court also accused the USAF of trying to change its story. POD's findings are particularly important because the USAF has the highest racial disparities of any military service branch for courts-martial and nonjudicial punishments. However, Norton said that the Department of Defense itself is implicated and says she will work with the Committee on Oversight and Reform, on which she serves, and other committees of jurisdiction for annual oversight of racial disparities in the armed forces. As the nation commemorated Memorial Day this month, said Norton, there was timely justice in the release of the Protect Our Defenders report documenting the suppression of racial disparities by the Air Force. Although backed up by official findings of a Government Accountability Office report requested by Congress, it took federal court litigation by POD to get release of the Air Force working group's findings and recommendations. The POD report was so convincing that this year Congress, for the first time, passed legislation requiring both reform and transparency in addressing racial disparities in the military. As a former chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, I am astonished that racial disparities in federal agencies, long subject to corrective legal action by the EEOC and other federal agencies, as well as by federal courts, are only now caving under similar scrutiny in the military system. We are indebted to POD for breaking open a new area of oversight for racial justice. As a senior member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, the main investigative committee of the House of Representatives, I intend to ask our committee and other committees of jurisdiction to follow the recommendation for annual oversight of the military to identify corrective action needed. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-thanks-parole-commission-for-reducing-inmate-population-says-more,"Norton Thanks Parole Commission for Reducing Inmate Population, Says More Needs to be Done",2020-05-27,2020,2020-05,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) noted today that the United States Parole Commission (USPC) has reduced the danger to inmates and staff by releasing people under its jurisdiction in custody, including releasing half of its inmates at the District of Columbia's Central Detention Facility and Correctional Treatment Facility since March 19, 2020. However, Norton continues to request that USPC release those appropriate for release under its jurisdiction to reduce inevitable exposure to COVID-19 in tight, crowded spaces. Norton has pressed for the release of D.C. residents incarcerated under federal jurisdiction during the coronavirus, consistent with public safety, because the risk of transmission is much higher in jails and prisons. Most of USPC's population consists of D.C. Code felons. In two letters to USPC during the coronavirus, Norton urged USPC to reduce arrests, release individuals awaiting hearings and release vulnerable individuals serving sentences, all consistent with public safety. In a letter to Norton, USPC indicated that it has limited the number of arrests and has released individuals awaiting hearings. USPC said it is now reviewing the cases of those serving sentences. I appreciate USPC's efforts to reduce the number of individuals in custody during this public health crisis, and I thank Acting Chair Patricia Cushwa for her responsiveness to my concerns, Norton said. The population I have asked the Commission to focus on releasing poses a very low public safety risk to the community, and reducing the number of people in custody helps protect both the inmates and the staff at correctional facilities. I reiterate my request for USPC to review expeditiously the cases of those serving sentences. Norton's March 20, 2020, letter to USPC. Norton's April 21, 2020, letter to USPC. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-resolution-recognizes-dc-servicemembers-on-memorial-day-calls-for,"Norton Resolution Recognizes D.C. Servicemembers on Memorial Day, Calls for Statehood for Them",2020-05-22,2020,2020-05,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced that she has introduced a resolution recognizing District of Columbia servicemembers on Memorial Day. Her resolution also calls for statehood for the District to ensure these servicemembers and veterans enjoy the full rights of American democracy given to other American citizens. D.C. servicemembers have served in every war since the Revolution, all without the full and equal rights that can come only with statehood. Memorial Day recognizes servicemembers who have died in service to our nation., Norton said. However, it is especially timely this year to recognize District of Columbia servicemembers, whose equal service has never come with the equal benefits of American democracy. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform passed my D.C. statehood bill in February, marking the first time the D.C. statehood bill has been passed in a committee since 1993. The bill, which is expected to pass on the House floor this year, will afford the District's servicemembers, veterans and all its citizens equal citizenship. Norton's D.C. statehood bill has a record number of cosponsors in the House (223), more than enough to pass in the House this year, and the Senate (35). The House-passed H.R. 1, theFor the People Act, contained extensive findings supporting D.C. statehood, marking the first time in history either chamber of Congress has endorsed D.C. statehood; Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)strongly endorsed D.C. statehoodupon introduction of H.R. 51; House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), a cosponsor of the statehood bill,endorsed D.C. statehood in a strong op-ed; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)unveiled a sweeping proposalto combat voter disenfranchisement, including restoring the Voting Rights Act, establishing national, automatic voter registration laws, and supporting D.C. statehood; and the bill is endorsed by more than 100 national advocacy groups. The text of Norton's resolution follows: Recognizing on Memorial Day, May 25, 2020, the denial of full participation in their Government through statehood by active duty servicemembers, National Guard members, reservists, veterans, and their families who are residents of the District of Columbia. RESOLUTION Recognizing on Memorial Day, May 25, 2020, the denial of full participation in their Government through statehood by active duty servicemembers, National Guard members, reservists, veterans, and their families who are residents of the District of Columbia. Whereas, on the last Monday of May, our Nation observes Memorial Day, a Federal holiday commemorating the men and women who died in the service of their country; Whereas the service and sacrifice of active duty servicemembers, National Guard members, reservists, veterans, and their families are unparalleled; Whereas a voluntary military gives the American people the privilege and honor of being protected by active duty servicemembers, National Guard members, and reservists, instead of through use of conscription; Whereas active duty servicemembers, National Guard members, reservists, and veterans have risked life and limb to protect the American people and uphold the rights and freedoms of the people of the United States; Whereas approximately 30,000 veterans are residents of the District of Columbia and do not have voting rights and full representation in the Congress of the United States or full self-governance in the District of Columbia; Whereas residents of the District of Columbia fought in the Revolutionary War, which resulted in the creation of the United States, under the slogan of no taxation without representation, and have served in every war since; Whereas 635 District of Columbia residents were casualties of World War I, a casualty figure greater than that observed by 3 different States during that war; Whereas 3,575 District of Columbia residents were casualties of World War II, a casualty figure greater than that observed by 4 different States during that war; Whereas 547 District of Columbia residents were casualties of the Korean war, a casualty figure greater than that observed by 8 different States during that war; Whereas 243 District of Columbia residents were casualties of the Vietnam war, a casualty figure greater than that observed by 10 different States during that war; Whereas almost 200,000 District of Columbia residents have served in the military since World War I; Whereas Congress should pass the Washington, D.C. Admission Act,which would grant full and equal voting representation, as well as democratic control over local affairs, to the residents of the District of Columbia by making Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, the 51st State; and Whereas the Washington, D.C. Admission Act has a record 223 cosponsors in the House and a record 35 cosponsors in the Senate: Now, therefore, be it Resolved,That District of Columbia residents have earned full and equal representation in the United States House of Representatives and United States senate; and on Memorial Day, May 25, 2020, the House of Representatives recognizes that active duty servicemembers, National Guard members, reservists, veterans, and their families who are residents of the District of Columbia deserve passage of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act by the House of Representatives in 2020. ###",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-may-18-2020,"Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Nortons eNewsletter: May 18, 2020",2020-05-20,2020,2020-05,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Norton Scores Her Top Three Priorities for D.C. in Heroes Act Passed by House Norton announced she successfully got three provisions vital to the District of Columbia included in the Heroes Act, the phase-five coronavirus response bill passed in the House on Friday. Norton secured state-, city-, and county-level funding 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; and authorization for D.C. to participate in the Municipal Liquidity Facility (the Federal Reserve is establishing. More information here. Norton Amendment Making D.C. Code Offenders in Federal Prison Eligible for Early Release During the Coronavirus Passes in the Rules Committee Norton announced that the House Rules Committee passed her amendment to the House's fifth coronavirus response bill, the Heroes Act, clarifying that District of Columbia Code offenders in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) are eligible for early release during the coronavirus. The version of the Heroes Act initially made individuals meeting certain age and health criteria eligible for early release during the coronavirus, but was silent on whether this provision applied only to federal offenders in BOP or to both federal and D.C. Code offenders in BOP. Norton thanked House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) for working with her on the amendment. The House passed the Heroes Act, including Norton's amendment, on Friday. More information here. Norton Statement on Death of Barbara Babcock, Legendary Lawyer: A Remembrance Norton issued a remembrance upon learning of the passing of Barbara Babcock on April 18. Babcock had an unequaled career as a public official, law professor, and lawyer dedicated to justice for poor defendants. Read the full statement here. Norton Thanks Postal Service for Timely Response to Letter Regarding Ward 8 Mail Delivery Norton thanked the United States Postal Service (USPS) for its timely response to her letter regarding mail delivery in Ward 8, which she sent after being notified by constituents of late mail deliveries. Read Norton's response here. Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter by email here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-says-trump-s-nominee-for-us-attorney-for-dc-is-contaminated-by,Norton Says Trumps Nominee for U.S. Attorney for D.C. is Contaminated by Political Interference at a Time When Increase in Homicides Here Should be Focus,2020-05-19,2020,2020-05,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released the following statement upon learning of President Trump's intention to nominate a new U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia: The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia prosecutes both federal and local crime, but importantly, the largest part of his jurisdiction is local felonies. Because D.C. has no representation in the Senate, it is customary for the President to consult with me on this nomination, when we are of the same party, or at least to have the nominee visit with me, as President Trump's first U.S. Attorney, Jessica Liu, and the current Acting U.S. Attorney, Tim Shea, did. Further, it is particularly concerning that this nominee, Justin Herdman, has no apparent ties to the District, unlike Tim Shea, who resides in the District, as required of U.S. attorneys elsewhere. The District needs focused attention from the U.S. attorney at a time when homicides here have been increasing. This appointment comes at the time of unprecedented political interference with the usual independence of officers who administer criminal justice. President Trump has been openly interfering in the Justice Department's probes of Michael Flynn and Roger Stone, both closely associated with Russian interference in the 2016 election. Norton has introduced a bill that would allow D.C. to prosecute all local crimes. Norton has also introduced a bill that would require the U.S. Attorney for D.C. to reside in D.C. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-scores-her-top-three-priorities-for-dc-in-heroes-act-passed-today,Norton Scores Her Top Three Priorities for D.C. in Heroes Act Passed Today by House,2020-05-15,2020,2020-05,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that Norton successfully got three provisions vital to the District of Columbia included in the Heroes Act, the phase-five coronavirus response bill passed today in the House. Norton secured state-, city-, and county-level funding 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; and authorization for D.C. to participate in the Municipal Liquidity Facility (MLF) the Federal Reserve is establishing. According to estimates, 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 a total of $2.5billion, to address the coronavirus health and economic s crisis. Norton argued, D.C. uniquely provides state-city-county services to residents, so it should follow that the District receives funding at all three levels. The MLF is being established to support short-term borrowing by states, cities and counties for coronavirus relief. Norton got a fix in the Heroes Act authorizing D.C.'s participation in the MLF. We do not yet know when or whether D.C. will need to participate in the MLF, but we could not. afford to wait to get this authorization, Norton said. Norton retrieved the $755 million Senate Republicans and the White House took from D.C. in the CARES Act, the phase-three coronavirus response bill passed on March 27. The CARES Act intentionally discriminated against D.C. by treating us as a territory rather than a state in the Coronavirus Relief Fund, depriving the District of $755 million. We could not let that stand, Norton said. D.C. is almost always funded at the same level as the states, even without statehood, because the District pays the same federal income taxes as the states and, in fact, pays more per capita federal taxes than any state. Norton thanked Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) for their strong support for the D.C. provisions and reaffirmed her commitment to continue working with allies in the Senate to maintain these provisions in any final bill negotiated by the White House, Senate, and House. Thank you, Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer, for working so hard with me to ensure equal treatment for D.C. residents, Norton said. I look forward to working with allies in the Senate, led by Senators Van Hollen and Carper, to ensure these provisions are enacted into law. In March, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) gave an impassioned speech on the Senate floor criticizing the Senate's denial of $755 million for the District. On April 1, Van Hollen and Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) sent a letter, signed by 25 senators, to Senate leadership asking that D.C. be made whole in an upcoming coronavirus bill. On April 20, 250 members of the D.C. regional business community sent a letter to congressional leadership expressing concern that the District did not get full coronavirus funding when it was needed most and asked that any future legislation make the District whole. Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) led a letter signed by 97 other House members almost half the Democrats in the House calling on House leadership to retroactively fix the coronavirus funding for the District. On April 14, 102 national and local organizations, led by D.C. equality champion DC Vote, sent a letter calling on Congress to retroactively fix the treatment of the District as a territory rather than a state in the CARES Act. In addition to the D.C. provisions, the Heroes Act contains many other priorities Norton pressed for, including hazard pay for workers who risk their lives, 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. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-amendment-making-dc-code-offenders-in-federal-prison-eligible-for,Norton Amendment Making D.C. Code Offenders in Federal Prison Eligible for Early Release During the Coronavirus Passes in the Rules Committee,2020-05-14,2020,2020-05,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that the House Rules Committee today passed her amendment to the House's fifth coronavirus response bill, the Heroes Act, clarifying that District of Columbia Code offenders in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) are eligible for early release during the coronavirus. The introduced version of the Heroes Act made individuals meeting certain age and health criteria eligible for early release during the coronavirus, but was silent on whether this provision applied only to federal offenders in BOP or to both federal and D.C. Code offenders in BOP.Norton thanked House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) for working with her on the amendment.The House is expected to vote on the Heroes Act, as amended by Norton's amendment, tomorrow. I want to thank my good friend Jerry Nadler for working with me to ensure that D.C. Code offenders are eligible for early release from federal prison during the coronavirus, Norton said. We need to do everything we can, consistent with public safety, to protect all individuals in federal custody from the coronavirus. Early release may be the best option for many. I look forward to continuing to work with Chairman Nadler to ensure that the D.C. Code offender early release provision is enacted into law. D.C. Code felons are housed by BOP and are the only local offenders BOP is required by law to house.During the coronavirus, Norton has successfully worked to get most D.C. Code felons out of halfway houses and placed on home confinement instead. She has also achieved a reduction in the number of D.C. Code felons incarcerated under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Parole Commission, which has jurisdiction over D.C. Code felons on parole and supervised release. Norton continues to work to ensure that D.C. Code felons are eligible for the early release provisions under the First Step Act, as Congress intended. Despite repeated requests by Norton since the First Step Act was enacted in 2018, the Department of Justice has yet to rule on whether D.C. Code felons are eligible for the early release provisions. The First Step Act is a major federal criminal justice reform law that provides such benefits as good time credit, early release by participating in recidivism reduction programs and additional phone privileges and visitation, among other things. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-statement-on-death-of-barbara-babcock-legendary-lawyer-a,"Norton Statement on Death of Barbara Babcock, Legendary Lawyer: A Remembrance",2020-05-13,2020,2020-05,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today issued the following remembrance upon learning of the passing of Barbara Babcock on April 18. Babcock had an unequaled career as a public official, law professor, and lawyer dedicated to justice for poor defendants. I have just learned of the passing of one of America's great lawyers, Barbara Babcock, Norton said. She happened to be my law school roommate and one of my best friends since, but I had not seen her for several years. Any survey of her accomplishments as a lawyer would verify my evaluation of her life and accomplishments. Barbara spent her life as a criminal law practitioner and as a Stanford law professor transforming criminal law to more equitably treat people accused of crimes. She began in the District of Columbia, the region where she was born, remaking legal services for the poor by establishing the D.C. Public Defender Service, which she made into the premier agency in the country representing indigent criminal defendants, a reputation it has maintained ever since. Barbara led her public defenders in getting 12,000 Vietnam War protestors free from jail and from criminal arrest records following mass arrests found to be unconstitutional. Her reputation led President Carter to appoint Barbara to head the Justice Department's largest division, the Civil Division. Her accomplishments in the law were enhanced by other breakthroughs as one of the first female tenured law professors and her efforts at scholarship advancing women in the legal profession.Barbara Babcock's career earned her reputation as a legendary lawyer. I will always remember Barbara and our lasting friendship. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-announces-fifth-coronavirus-response-bill-includes-retroactive,"Norton Announces Fifth Coronavirus Response Bill, Includes Retroactive CARES Act Funding for the District of Columbia",2020-05-12,2020,2020-05,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that in the fifth coronavirus response bill, the Heroes Act, introduced by House Democrats today, she has gotten $755 million in retroactive CARES Act funding for the District of Columbia, in addition to prospective equal funding for D.C. at the state, city, and county, levels in the Heroes Act. In addition, the bill authorizes D.C.'s participation in the Municipal Liquidity Facility the Federal Reserve is establishing to support short-term borrowing by states, cities and counties in response to the coronavirus. Norton thanked Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), saying, Our efforts together will ensure D.C. is treated fairly equally to the states, as is usual for funding purposes. The Heroes Act will help ensure that D.C. can fully respond to the dual coronavirus public health and economic emergencies going forward. Norton said she was particularly grateful to Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer, who worked tirelessly on this bill, and said she will work with allies in the Senate, led by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Senator Thomas Carper (D-DE), to protect the D.C. provisions. The enacted third coronavirus response bill, the CARES Act, which was drafted by the Republican Senate, treated D.C. as a territory rather than a state in the Coronavirus Relief Funding, defying precedent. I pledged to fight not only for resources for the District going forward, but to retroactively address this treatment. The Heroes Act does both. In addition, the Heroes Act provides nearly $1 trillion to state and local governments to pay essential first responders, healthcare workers, and teachers. It establishes hazard pay for workers who risk their lives and provides additional direct cash payments of $1,200 per family member and up to $6,000 per household. In addition, this bill provides unemployment and housing benefits and provides a much-needed 15 percent increase to the maximum SNAP and nutrition programs that help feed families, which I have particularly sought. We have fought for each of these provisions because of the escalating needs of our cityand country. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-thanks-postal-service-for-timely-response-to-letter-regarding,Norton Thanks Postal Service for Timely Response to Letter Regarding Ward 8 Mail Delivery,2020-05-11,2020,2020-05,Democrat,House,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today thanked the United States Postal Service (USPS) for its timely response to her May 1, 2020, letter regarding mail delivery in Ward 8, which she sent after being notified by constituents of late mail deliveries. USPS noted the urgency of Norton's request for an investigation due to the public's increased reliance on mail delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staffing shortages, coupled with a slower hiring and onboarding process due to social distancing protocols, were identified as the causes of delayed deliveries. In her letter, Norton had underscored that postal workers are declared essential frontline workers and recognized their service, but said that because D.C. residents are social distancing, it is imperative that mail deliveries are consistent. Norton's letter to USPS can be found here. The USPS response, received today, follows: Dear Congresswoman Norton: This responds to your May 1 letter to Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan regarding mail delivery service in Congress Heights. We understand your concerns about the timely delivery of mail and parcels during the COVID-19 pandemic. The vital services we provide to the American people are only possible due to the collective and individual efforts of the dedicated public servants who work for the U.S. Postal Service. We appreciate your support and the opportunity to provide information on how the Postal Service will continue its essential function in providing prompt delivery of mail and packages. The Postal Service is working diligently to meet the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the safety and well-being of our employees and customers is our highest priority. We have established a dedicated COVID-19 Command Response leadership team to direct employee, operational, business, and customer continuity efforts during this time of national emergency. We are following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health authorities and adapting our processes as necessary to ensure the safe and efficient delivery of mail. In regard to your specific question about the Congress Heights Station, that facility is experiencing a personnel shortage coupled with an increase in parcel volume. In response, the workload is being redistributed daily among the available carriers, and even managers and supervisors are being utilized as carriers and retail clerks until staffing levels improve. We are working to hire additional carriers but this process is complicated by the need to follow social distancing protocols, in accordance with CDC guidance, when administering training and new employee orientations. Please know that we working to manage this complex problem in a way that provides the best possible service while protecting our employees, our customers, and the community as a whole. In addition, we regret that your constituents have been unable to speak by phone with Congress Heights Station staff. Management will ensure that all customer inquiries and phone calls are responded to in a timely manner. They can be reached at (202) 523-2122. Should your constituents believe that their concerns are not being sufficiently addressed locally, they may contact the Capital District Consumer and Industry Contact office at (202) 636-1200. District officials have administrative responsibility over postal operations in the area and ensure that local Post Offices are meeting national standards. We regret any inconvenience or frustration your constituents may be experiencing during this time, and we appreciate their patience as we work to restore consistent service. Moreover, we understand the extent to which the American public depends upon us for high-quality, reliable service. Thank you for writing. If I can be of assistance in other postal matters, please let me know. Sincerely, James Cari Government Relations Representative ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z