June 29, 2005: NORTON SET TO STOP GUN REPEAL ON D.C. APPROPRIATION TODAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2005

NORTON SET TO STOP GUN REPEAL ON D.C. APPROPRIATION TODAY

Washington, DC—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced that she has enough support from appropriators and authorizers to stop a gun repeal rider she expects Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) to attempt to offer today during the debate on the D.C. appropriations bill on the floor. Norton has worked with the authorizing Chairman Tom Davis (R-VA) of the Government Reform Committee, and with Chairman Joseph Knollenberg (R-MI) of the Transportation, Treasury and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia Appropriations Subcommittee.

Norton has been on a gun bill watch to beat back efforts to repeal the city’s gun safety laws that are overwhelmingly supported by the District’s elected officials, residents and business leaders. The rider introduction would come a day after Mayor Anthony Williams, Police Chief Charles Ramsey, two of the co-chairs of the Citizens to Save D.C. Gun Safety Laws Coalition, and other D.C. residents, including the mother of a 15 year old girl killed by gun violence last July, testified at a Government Reform Committee hearing that Norton requested. The hearing was part of the Congresswoman’s strategy “to go on the offensive instead of responding to these senseless repeated attacks on our gun laws.” The hearing allowed Norton to request strong witnesses in an official forum to make the case against repeal. She also has scheduled a town hall meeting featuring residents, the Mayor and the Police Chief on Tuesday, July 26, 2005 as part of the strategy. In addition, Norton is working with residents who have formed the Citizens to Save D.C. Gun Safety Laws Coalition.