D.C. Targeted by Anti-Choice Bill That Also Strips Its Right to Spend Its Own Local Funds

D.C. Targeted by Anti-Choice Bill That Also Strips Its Right to Spend Its Own Local Funds

February 8, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC -- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today will join other Democrats at a press conference to oppose "a uniquely far-out anti-choice bill that would not only endanger the health of millions of women, but also crosses the line altogether to dictate to the self-governing District of Columbia that it may not spend its own local taxpayer-raised funds as its residents and government desire." The press conference to oppose H.R. 3, the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act," will occur at 3:00 p.m. in 2226 Rayburn House Office Building.

"The new House Republican majority that rode into town on the wings of a promise for jobs has yet to introduce a jobs bill," Norton said. "Instead, they reverted to type, giving top priority to controversial social issues. Two of them are aimed uniquely at one local jurisdiction, the District of Columbia. The anti-home rule targeting of my district began with the introduction of a D.C.-only private school vouchers bill, although our residents have created a large, alternative public charter school system that almost half of our children attend, and is so successful that it has long waiting lists. Now the majority comes with an outrageous provision that would federalize the District of Columbia for purposes of denying the city the right to spend its own local funds on abortions for low-income residents. During the past four years, I worked to carry out the will of D.C. residents by successfully removing all of the appropriations riders banning the District's use of its local funds on behalf of its residents, including for abortion for low-income women. We will not see this autocratic restriction or any of the others re-imposed."