Norton Says D.C. Council Resolution Supporting Renaming Chinese Embassy Street and Bill Designating Street Fronting Capitol “D.C. No Taxation Without Representation Way” Are Both Pro-Democracy Vehicles

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today thanked the District of Columbia Council for introducing a resolution supporting federal action to rename a street near the Chinese Embassy for a Chinese activist jailed for supporting democracy and a bill symbolically designating a portion of First Street NE/SE between Constitution Avenue NE and Independence Avenue SE as "D.C. No Taxation Without Representation Way." The city has jurisdiction over First Street NE/SE. The street near the Chinese embassy is under federal control and requires federal action for renaming.

"I applaud the D.C. Council and Chairman Phil Mendelson, the sponsor, for introducing these pro-democracy bills. Both offer new venues for protests against the denial of basic democracy to the residents of the District of Columbia," said Norton. "The United States is a major democracy that publishes annual reports criticizing other countries for denying democracy and often criticizes undemocratic countries, and Congress makes criticism of democracy-denying countries a daily talking point. By renaming the street near the Chinese Embassy for a Chinese, pro-democracy hero, we will not only be reminding the world of the brave protestors at Tiananmen Square, we will be creating a new site for D.C.'s protesters and their democracy movement to point up the hypocrisy of those in Congress who do not apply the same democratic goals to our own nation's capital that they demand of China.

A renamed First Street fronting the Capitol will make a permanent statement every day to the Congress about the need to live up to the pro-democracy words spoken in Congress each day. "D.C. No Taxation Without Representation Way" also will bring national and international attention to our undemocratic status, and will provide a new venue to call Congress to account."

This year marks the 25^th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre. Norton signed onto a letter last month with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Representative Frank R. Wolf (R-VA), and a bipartisan group of congressional Members to Mayor Gray and Members of the D.C. Council requesting that the street in front of the Chinese Embassy be renamed for imprisoned pro-democracy activist and 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo. However, the street is owned by the U.S. State Department, which means Congress has the authority to rename the street.

Published: June 17, 2014