Norton Goes to House Floor Third Consecutive Day to Fend Off Riders on D.C. Appropriations Bill

Norton Goes to House Floor Third Consecutive Day to Fend Off Riders on D.C. Appropriations Bill

July 14, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC -- For the third consecutive day, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) went on the House floor to ask her colleagues to respect D.C. home rule by foregoing any policy riders to the fiscal year 2012 D.C. Appropriations bill. In her remarks, Norton cited the Tea Party Republican intention "to disperse power from Washington back to regions, states, local government, and individuals. Your principle. Please honor it." Norton said that, although the bill may be considered contentious, "one section should be a piece of cake because it only requires Members to vote on the local budget of a city, the District of Columbia, already voted on locally and funded by the only elected officials accountable to D.C. residents, and the only officials who have familiarity with that local budget. I ask my colleagues to give the local budget of my city the same respect you demand for yours. Please do not tell local people how to spend local money."

Yesterday, the Obama Administration issued a strong Statement of Administration Policy condemning the D.C. abortion rider in the D.C. Appropriations bill as a violation of "states' rights." The D.C. Appropriations bill is expected on the floor as early as tomorrow.