National Coalition at Work in Members' Districts to Prevent D.C. Riders

National Coalition at Work in Members' Districts to Prevent D.C. Riders

June 22, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC -- True to their word, national organizations that came forward to go into the districts of Members of Congress to prevent riders on the fiscal year 2012 D.C. Appropriations bill sent a letter today to members of the House Appropriations Committee making good on their promise. The letter warned that if members of the committee persist in interfering with the city's spending of its local funds, "we will make certain that our members - in every district - know how their representatives are spending their time in Washington: meddling in the affairs of D.C. residents rather than focusing on the nation's true, pressing business." With the Appropriations Committee marking up the bill on Thursday, the letter is timely and marks the first time Members across the country will have to answer to their own constituents on attempts to direct spending or laws for the District of Columbia.

Although the letter from the coalition speaks in general home-rule terms, NARAL Pro-Choice America has been especially active in light of the rider in the bill prohibiting the District from spending its local funds on abortion services for low-income women. NARAL Pro-Choice America reports that nearly 19,000 of its activists, in response to a NARAL alert, emailed their Members of Congress over the four-day period after the Appropriations Subcommittee approved the D.C. Appropriations bill. The NARAL alert said, "Historically, D.C. has been a leader in helping women financially who couldn't otherwise afford abortion services. It is outrageous that the same politicians who advocate for ‘smaller government' are interfering in both D.C.'s local affairs and women's personal, private medical decisions."

Norton said, "Without the help of allies, we are caught in a conundrum that allows members of the House and Senate to dictate D.C. local spending and local laws with no accountability." "Members ought to be held accountable for whatever they do in Congress, particularly for thrusting themselves head-on into the day-to-day matters of a district that is not their own.

The full letter from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Human Rights Campaign, AIDS United, and DC Vote is included below:

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Dear Members of the House Appropriations Committee:

The FY'12 Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill before you this week wrongly interferes in the District of Columbia's own local affairs by imposing social-policy riders that usurp the prerogative of Washington, DC's elected mayor and council and the citizens they represent. No other jurisdiction in the country is subject to congressional control of its locally raised revenue or of its locally passed legislation.

We, the undersigned organizations, collectively representing millions of Americans, advocate on diverse issues but are united in our opposition to the inclusion of District of Columbia social-policy riders on the appropriations bill. These proposals are unfair and intolerable.

Should lawmakers continue to advance attacks on DC's autonomy, we will make certain that our members-in every district-know how their representatives are spending their time in Washington: meddling in the affairs of DC residents rather than focusing on the nation's true, pressing business.

We urge you to oppose any effort to force Congress' views on the District of Columbia through the fiscal year 2012 budget or any other bill.

Sincerely,

Paul Helmke

President

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

Nancy Keenan

President

NARAL Pro-Choice America

William McColl

Director of Political Affairs

AIDS United

Joe Solmonese

President

Human Rights Campaign

Ilir Zherka

Executive Director

DC Vote