Norton Goes to House Floor Second Consecutive Day to Warn Congress Not to Add Riders on DC Budget

Norton Goes to House Floor Second Consecutive Day to Warn Congress Not to Add Riders on DC Appropriations Bill, Expected on House Floor This Week

July 13, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC -- For a second consecutive day, and as the D.C. Appropriations bill heads to the House floor later this week, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) went on the House floor this morning, this time carrying a sign that read "Don't Tread on DC," to warn Congress of exactly that-not to interfere in the District's affairs by including riders on the city's appropriations bill. From the floor, Norton read an excerpt from a letter that national organizations are sending to every Member of the House to prevent riders on the bill: "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." Norton said that the right of a local jurisdiction to spend its own local funds as it sees fit is a Tea Party doctrine and a principle of the Republican Party.

Norton said Congress relinquished its power to run the city when it passed the Home Rule Act in 1973, and that while it still approves the D.C. budget, "Members of Congress, who are unaccountable to the electorate of the District of Columbia, have no right to use the budget process to direct local spending away from matters that may be controversial to you, but are not controversial to our local jurisdiction."

The Rules Committee is expected to approve an open rule for the D.C. Appropriations bill today at 3:00 p.m. in room H-313 of the U.S. Capitol. The bill is expected on the House floor later this week.