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Norton Sees Progress Even in the House as D.C. Appropriations Bill Heads to Full Committee

June 11, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) thanked House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member José E. Serrano (D-NY) for strongly defending the District of Colombia's right to self-government at today's subcommittee markup of the fiscal year 2016 D.C. Appropriations bill. Norton said that Appropriations subcommittee markups are usually seen as a "non-events" because amendments usually are not offered until full committee markups. However, Representative Andy Harris (R-MD) told Roll Call today that he will not introduce another D.C. marijuana amendment because he believes the language in the bill, which is identical to the language enacted in fiscal year 2015, blocks implementation of D.C.'s marijuana reform law. Norton, however, found a flaw in the Harris amendment, later confirmed by the D.C. government's lawyers, and marijuana reform is now law in the District. She is encouraged by Congress' rapidly evolving attitude on marijuana. Last week, an amendment to protect states that have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational purposes narrowly failed a House vote, 206 to 222, demonstrating surprisingly progress on marijuana reform. The House went even further in approving an amendment to prevent the federal government from using funds to arrest and prosecute medical marijuana patients or distributors who are in compliance with their state's laws. The bipartisan amendment was passed by a wide margin, 242 to 186.

The full Appropriations Committee markup of the D.C. appropriations bill is expected next week. The two anti-home-rule riders currently in the bill prohibit D.C. from using its fiscal year 2016 local funds on abortion services for low-income women and on legalizing the sale of marijuana.

"With marijuana reform also well under way in the Senate, it will not be long before marijuana reform is settled, led by the most conservative House in memory," Norton said. "We are making every effort not only to prevent any new D.C. riders from being added, but also to remove anti-democratic riders embedded in the House bill on abortion services and on spending to legalize the sale of marijuana. We are fortunate to have subcommittee Ranking Member José Serrano and other strongly committed home-rule allies on the Appropriations Committee. D.C. is not alone in insisting that Republicans mind their own business. D.C. is more than a capable of attending to ours."