Norton Says a Dozen House Republicans Call for Hearings on Repealing D.C. Home Rule Act if D.C. Does Not Repeal COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Students

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today highlighted a letter a dozen House Republicans sent yesterday that called for hearings on repealing the District of Columbia Home Rule Act if D.C. does not repeal its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students. The letter follows statements from Representative Andrew Clyde (R-GA) that he would introduce legislation to repeal the Home Rule Act, as well as statements from other Republicans, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), that they intend to interfere in D.C.'s local affairs if they are in the majority next Congress. House and Senate Republicans have tried eight times this Congress to overturn D.C. vaccine policies. Norton has defeated each attempt.

"Until D.C. has statehood, which is closer than ever, Congress will have complete, undemocratic legislative authority over D.C. and its nearly 700,000 residents," Norton said. "However, we will never allow D.C.'s limited self-government to be eliminated. We will never return to the days when Congress was D.C.'s sole legislature."

The Home Rule Act, which was signed into law in 1973 by President Richard Nixon, gave D.C. an elected chief executive and legislature and gave D.C. the authority to legislate on local matters, with limited exceptions.

D.C. has a larger population than two states, D.C. pays more federal taxes per capita than any state and D.C. pays more federal taxes than 23 states.

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