Norton Opposes Two Anti-D.C. Home Rule Bills on the House Floor

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her remarks from the House floor where she spoke twice today in fierce opposition to two anti-home rule bills the House will vote on this week to repeal local D.C. laws. The first bill, introduced by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), would prohibit D.C. residents who are not citizens from voting in local D.C. elections. The second, introduced by Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), would repeal parts of D.C.’s 2022 local police accountability and transparency law.

“Last Congress, Republicans introduced 26 bills or amendments to change local D.C. election laws, including 14 to prohibit noncitizens from voting in D.C. or to repeal, nullify or prohibit the carrying out of the local D.C. law that allows noncitizens to vote in local elections,” Norton said. Yet, Republicans refuse to make the only election law change D.C. has requested, which is to make D.C. a state so that it can hold elections for voting members of the House and Senate.

“D.C. allows noncitizens to vote in local elections because it believes that all adult residents deserve a say in their local government. While local D.C. law allows noncitizens to vote only in local elections, 40 states and the federal government allowed noncitizens to vote in local, state, territorial and federal elections at various points, including at the founding. The federal government first prohibited noncitizens from voting in federal elections only 29 years ago. Today, nearly 20 cities allow noncitizens to vote in local elections.”

The second bill Norton addressed on the House floor would repeal parts of D.C.'s 2022 local police transparency law.

"Republicans regularly introduce legislation to repeal local D.C. laws. What is different about this bill is it also overrides the longstanding wishes of the D.C. police department," Norton said. "For at least a quarter century, the D.C. police department had requested increased authority to discipline officers for misconduct. The local D.C. legislature gave the department this authority after the murder of George Floyd. This bill would take away this authority.

“This bill says it is necessary to combat rising violent crime in D.C. and to improve the retention and recruitment of D.C. police officers. This bill has its facts wrong. Last year, violent crime in D.C. reached a more than 30-year low.  This year, violent crime in D.C. is down 22% compared to the same period last year. Police departments throughout the country, in both red and blue states, are struggling to retain and recruit officers, and they have been for many years.

"If Republicans cared about D.C. residents or democracy, they would take up H.R. 51, the D.C. statehood bill. H.R. 51 would admit the residential and commercial areas of D.C. as a state, giving D.C. residents voting representation in Congress and full local self-government.

Norton’s full remarks follow, as prepared for delivery.

Floor Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

H.R. 884, to prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022

June 10, 2025

I strongly oppose this undemocratic, paternalistic bill, which would repeal a law enacted by the locally elected District of Columbia government and impose a new law in D.C.  I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from every member of D.C.’s locally elected legislature, the Council, opposing this bill. I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from D.C.’s locally elected Attorney General, Brian Schwalb, opposing this bill.

Last Congress, Republicans introduced 26 bills or amendments to change local D.C. election laws, including 14 to prohibit noncitizens from voting in D.C. or to repeal, nullify or prohibit the carrying out of the local D.C. law that allows noncitizens to vote in local elections. Yet, Republicans refuse to make the only election law change D.C. has requested, which is to make D.C. a state so that it can hold elections for voting members of the House and Senate. 

While Congress has the authority to legislate on local D.C. matters, it is not required to do so.  In Federalist #43, James Madison said of D.C. residents: “[A] municipal legislature for local purposes, derived from their own suffrages, will of course be allowed them.”  In 1953, the Supreme Court held that “there is no constitutional barrier to the delegation by Congress to the District of Columbia of full legislative power.”

I want to discuss democracy, or lack thereof in D.C. There are over 700,000 D.C. residents. D.C. residents are required to pay federal taxes, register with Selective Service and serve on federal juries in the same manner as residents of states.  Yet, D.C. residents have no voting representation in Congress, and Congress has the ultimate say on local D.C. matters.

The Council has 13 members.  If D.C. residents do not like how the members vote, residents can vote them out of office or pass a ballot measure.  That is called democracy.

Congress has 535 voting members.  None are elected by D.C. residents.  If D.C. residents do not like how the members vote on local D.C. matters, residents cannot vote them out of office or pass a ballot measure. That is the antithesis of democracy.

The substance of this bill is irrelevant, since there is never justification for Congress to legislate on local D.C. matters. However, I will briefly discuss it.

D.C. allows noncitizens to vote in local elections because it believes that all adult residents deserve a say in their local government.  While local D.C. law allows noncitizens to vote only in local elections, 40 states and the federal government allowed noncitizens to vote in local, state, territorial and federal elections at various points, including at the founding. The federal government first prohibited noncitizens from voting in federal elections only 29 years ago. Today, nearly 20 cities allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. 

As the House has considered this bill, Republicans have repeatedly said the franchise is a right of citizenship.  If that is what Republicans believe, I hope they will finally grant the American citizens who live in D.C. the right to vote for voting representation in Congress.  I have introduced H.R. 51 to do so.  Pursuant to the Admissions and District clauses of the Constitution, H.R. 51 would admit the residential and commercial areas of D.C. as a new state.  Statehood would not only give D.C. voting representation in Congress, it would also give D.C. full local self-government.

I urge members to respect the will of D.C. residents by voting NO on H.R. 884.

Floor Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

H.R. 2096, the Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act

June 10, 2025

I strongly oppose this antidemocratic bill, which would repeal provisions of a law enacted by the locally elected District of Columbia government.  The over 700,000 D.C. residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are capable and worthy of local self-government.

I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from D.C.’s locally elected chief executive, Mayor Muriel Bowser, opposing this bill.  I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from every member of D.C.’s locally elected legislature, the Council, opposing this bill.  I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from D.C.’s locally elected Attorney General, Brian Schwalb, opposing this bill.

Republicans regularly introduce legislation to repeal local D.C. laws.  What is different about this bill is it also overrides the longstanding wishes of the D.C. police department. 

For at least a quarter century, the D.C. police department had requested increased authority to discipline officers for misconduct.  The Council gave the department this authority after the murder of George Floyd. This bill would take away this authority. 

I will discuss the justification and timing of this bill, though it is always wrong and never the right time for Congress to legislate on local D.C. matters.  This bill says it is necessary to combat rising violent crime in D.C. and to improve the retention and recruitment of D.C. police officers.  This bill has its facts wrong.

Last year, violent crime in D.C. reached a more than 30-year low.  This year, violent crime in D.C. is down 22% compared to the same period last year. Police departments throughout the country, in both red and blue states, are struggling to retain and recruit officers, and they have been for many years.

The timing of the introduction and consideration of this bill is stunning.  It was introduced the same day Congress cut the local D.C. budget by more than $1 billion. This fiscal sabotage did not save the federal government any money, since the local D.C. budget consists entirely of locally raised revenue.  The Senate immediately passed the D.C. Local Funds Act to reverse this cut.  Although President Trump and the National Fraternal Order of Police called for the House to immediately pass the D.C. Local Funds Act, the D.C. Local Funds Act has been sitting in the House for three months. 

I will close by discussing democracy, or lack thereof in D.C.  The Revolutionary War was fought to give consent to the governed and to end taxation without representation.  Yet, D.C. residents cannot consent to any action taken by Congress, whether on local D.C. or federal matters, and they pay full federal taxes while being denied voting representation in Congress.

If Republicans cared about D.C. residents or democracy, they would take up H.R. 51, the D.C. statehood bill.  H.R. 51 would admit the residential and commercial areas of D.C. as a state, giving D.C. residents voting representation in Congress and full local self-government. 

Congress has the authority to admit this new state. The Admissions Clause of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to admit new states.  All 37 new states were admitted by an act of Congress.  The District Clause of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to reduce the size of the federal district, which it has previously done. 

I urge the House to vote NO on H.R. 2096 and to pass the D.C. statehood bill and the D.C. Local Funds Act.

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