Norton Hails Removal of Anti-DC Amendment in Conference (10/29/09)

Norton Hails Removal of Anti-D.C. Amendment in Conference

October 29, 2009

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who worked to ensure stimulus funding for Marvin Gaye Park in Ward 7 and other District of Columbia parks, today said that the House had removed an amendment in the final bill that would have stripped the District of Columbia of federal stimulus funds for the parks. The amendment to the Department of Interior appropriations bill was offered on the Senate floor by Sen. John Barrasso (D-WY) and marked the first time that either house of Congress has reversed any of the president's economic stimulus grants. Specifically, Sen. Barrasso's amendment sought to strip $2.8 million that was designated for the District through the U.S. Forrest Service to provide technical and financial assistance to protect forested areas, to reduce the risks of vegetation mortality, to increase landscape resilience, to prevent future disease and insect outbreaks and, like all stimulus funds, to create jobs in economically distressed areas.

Sen. Barrasso argued that the federal government should not spend the money on the District of Columbia because there are no national forests in D.C. However, the grants were to be made for lands owned by states, local governments, private organizations and private individuals. Moreover, there are several cities and states around the country receiving the same funding, which, like D.C., do not have national forests. Norton said, "Actions like this highlight the vulnerability of our nation's capital, the only federally taxed jurisdiction without Senate representation. We will always do whatever it takes to keep the Senate from taking advantage of our disempowerment in the Senate."

The District's funding will go primarily to a local organization, Washington Parks & People, which plans to hire people to cut down invasive weeds and plants in local parks, and turn debris-strewn dumping grounds into public facilities, like farmers markets and outdoor classrooms. The funding will be used to renovate parks in the District that are currently too dangerous to walk in. Norton expects other stimulus funding to be used for the National Park Service's ongoing priority to clean and preserve the local parks in the District, both for residents and for visitors.

The House today voted to approve the final bill by a vote of 247 to 178.