Markup of Bill Targeting D.C. Home Rule and Reproductive Rights Renews GOP War on Women, Wednesday

WASHINGTON, DC – The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that she will attend tomorrow's House Judiciary Committee markup of an abortion bill that contains a provision specifically targeting the District of Columbia, on which she was denied the usual courtesy to testify at a hearing by Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), chair of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. The markup of H.R. 7, which would, among other things, permanently prohibit only the District of Columbia from spending its local funds on abortion services for low-income women, and define the D.C. government as part of the federal government for the purposes of abortion, will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, January 15, 2014, at 10:15 a.m., in 2141 Rayburn House Office Building. The bill is sponsored by Representative Christopher Smith (R-NJ) and has 151 cosponsors, and appears to be a top priority for the Republicans, as bills numbered one through 10 are reserved for the Speaker of the House for legislative priorities. The Senate companion bill (S. 946) is sponsored by Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) and has 24 cosponsors.

"The GOP's War on Women II is kicked off with this bill, despite their loss on this issue in the 2012 elections," said Norton. "The rush to get this anti-choice bill done before the annual anti-choice march this month, for a base they already have, does the opposite for women who voted against the GOP in state and national elections. Instead, this anti-choice bill will invigorate women – not only D.C.'s low-income women and their government, but also many others, like military women serving their country, but are denied the right even to pay privately for abortion services in a military hospital. Chairman Franks and his all-male Republican colleagues on the subcommittee could deny me the traditional courtesy to testify on the D.C.-only provision, but he cannot prevent the voices of the District's women, our supporters and women throughout the country from being heard."

Last week, Norton was denied the courtesy to testify by Chairman Franks at the subcommittee's hearing on H.R. 7. Even though Norton's constituents would alone be affected by a provision in the bill and despite the long-standing, bipartisan tradition of allowing members to testify on bills affecting their constituents, along with the usual invited witnesses, Franks not only denied Norton's formal request to testify, he denied a motion to allow her to testify made at the hearing by Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. On the morning of the day of the hearing, Norton held a press conference with D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray and Representative Nadler to speak out against the bill and Franks' denial of traditional courtesy.

Norton's office has received an outpouring of support, especially on social media, from Senators, Members of the House, and women and groups across the country who have spoken out not only against the bill itself, but also on the failure of House Republicans to observe congressional courtesy to allow the Congresswoman to testify at a hearing on a bill that targets only her district. Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) at her weekly press conference, following the hearing, spoke out in support of Norton.

Last Congress, Chairman Franks denied Norton the right to testify not only on this bill but also on a bill that would have banned abortions after 20 weeks in D.C., but in no other jurisdiction. Franks' denial of the courtesy to a member to testify on a provision of a bill affecting only her district created a national controversy that caught the attention of women and the media throughout the country. Consequently, last year, in the first session of the 113th Congress, the subcommittee scheduled a hearing on the D.C. 20-week abortion ban bill, and Norton was offered the ability to testify. Norton declined the offer because Chairman Franks thereafter announced before the hearing that he would amend the bill and extend the ban nationwide. Yesterday, the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal to revive a law in Franks' home state of Arizona that prohibited most post 20-week abortions. Norton noted that while this does not mean the Supreme Court has entirely ignored any future legal changes, it is a good sign for the pro-choice community.

Published: January 14, 2013