Norton Announces Same Sex Marriage Reception on the Capitol Hill to Sned "Hands Off' Message

Norton Announces Same-Sex Marriage Reception on Capitol Hill to Send "Hands-Off" Message Following Signing Today

WASHINGTON, D.C. - To send a strong "hands-off D.C." message to Congress, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced today that she will kick-off the new year with a reception in the U.S. Capitol following today's signing of the D.C. same-sex marriage bill, now on its way to Congress. "My slogan is simple," Norton said. "What happens in D.C. must stay in D.C." The reception is planned for the first week of January. The Congresswoman will invite the LGBT community, city officials, residents, and champions of civil rights and human rights who, like the Congresswoman, want to help assure that there are "no red lights" at the last stop for the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act, introduced by D.C. Councilman David Catania, approved 11-2 by the D.C. City Council, and signed by Mayor Adrian Fenty today.

The Congresswoman, who this month got a clean D.C. budget, free from congressional riders for the first time in many decades, said she has assurances from House and Senate leaders that Congress will not interfere with the District's new same-sex marriage bill. However, Norton was alerted to attempts to try to nullify the same-sex marriage bill through the appropriations process even before it became law. She had further discussions that assured her that these attempts would not gain traction.

The Congresswoman is building on the momentum that started with three controversial bans removed from the District's budget earlier this month. After years of effort, the Congresswoman was successful in removing bans that kept D.C. from using its local funds for abortions for poor women, syringe exchange to help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, and medical marijuana. She had to fight the syringe ban again this year after getting it removed two years ago. It edged back onto the D.C. Appropriations bill in the House, requiring a major effort to remove it again in the Senate, where sometimes deals are made, which have been known to thwart issues facing a jurisdiction, notwithstanding otherwise favorable agreement.

"The second attempted take-down of needle exchange points up the necessity to constantly stand guard in the Congress," Norton said. "We are well on our way to D.C. Voting Rights, but not close enough to full statehood; the only way to get Congress fully out of our lives. Not until then will we be able to take down our guard."