releases: https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-releases-remarks-hands-dc-rally
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-releases-remarks-hands-dc-rally | Norton Releases Remarks from “Hands Off D.C.” Rally | 2023-03-08 | 2023 | 2023-03 | Democrat | House | DC | Eleanor Holmes Norton | N000147 | norton.house.gov | norton | https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) spoke at a “Hands Off D.C.” rally today, emphasizing that the federal government should leave local D.C. laws to D.C. residents and D.C.’s own duly-elected public officials. The Senate is expected to vote on a disapproval resolution that would nullify local D.C.’s Revised Criminal Code Act (RCCA) today. “We have come together today with one simple message for Congress and President Biden: keep your hands off D.C. You either support D.C. home rule or you don’t. There are no exceptions and there is no middle ground on D.C.’s right to self-government,” Norton said. “Although these last few weeks have been deeply disappointing, this attack on home rule is also an opportunity to make the case to the country that D.C. needs statehood. I will continue to fight with you to protect home rule and to make D.C. the 51st state.” Norton’s remarks follow in full, as prepared for delivery. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton Speech for Hands Off DC Rally March 8, 2023 Thank you very much for being here today. I am grateful to the many groups across the District of Columbia that helped organize this event. We have come together today with one simple message for Congress and President Biden: keep your hands off D.C. You either support D.C. home rule or you don’t. There are no exceptions and there is no middle ground on D.C.’s right to self-government. Later today, the Senate is expected to pass a disapproval resolution that would nullify D.C.’s Revised Criminal Code Act. The president went out of his way to announce he will sign it. It would be the first D.C. disapproval resolution enacted into law since 1991 and only the fourth disapproval resolution enacted since D.C. achieved the limited home rule it has today 50 years ago. The Revised Criminal Code Act was duly enacted by D.C.’s elected government. Nonpartisan experts spent many years drafting it. After holding three hearings on the bill, the D.C. Council passed it by votes of 12-0 and 13-0. The mayor vetoed the bill. The Council voted to override the veto by a vote of 12-1. The bill, in short, was the product of a democratic process. What is happening in Congress is undemocratic. None of the 535 voting members of Congress were elected by D.C. residents. None of them are accountable to D.C. residents. Yet if they vote in favor of the disapproval resolution, they are choosing to substitute their policy judgments for the judgment of D.C.’s elected leaders. They will choose to govern D.C. without its consent. The nearly 700,000 D.C. residents, a majority of whom are Black and Brown, are worthy and capable of self-government. I am deeply concerned that the president’s decision to sign the disapproval resolution, along with the large bicameral, bipartisan majorities that are expected to pass the disapproval resolution, will only embolden Republicans to interfere in D.C.’s local affairs. We expect Republicans to not only try to pass more standalone bills overturning D.C. policies, but also to try to use must-pass legislation, such as the debt limit and appropriations bills, to attack D.C. policies. They may also try to limit D.C.’s general authority to legislate, including abolishing home rule altogether. I thank you all for making your voices heard to defend D.C. home rule. Although these last few weeks have been deeply disappointing, this attack on home rule is also an opportunity to make the case to the country that D.C. needs statehood. I will continue to fight with you to protect home rule and to make D.C. the 51st state. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z | 2026-04-07T23:30:02Z |