Norton to Hold Press Conference with D.C. Veterans, Without a Vote, as Debate on Syria Begins

WASHINGTON, DC – Just before the congressional debate on a military strike on Syria, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will hold a press conference at the D.C. War Memorial (900 Independence Avenue SW) (directly across from the MLK Memorial), with D.C. veterans on Monday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. Also offering remarks will be Mayor Vincent Gray, DC Vote Executive Director Kimberly Perry, and two D.C. veterans – Herbert Tillery and James Rimensnyder. Participants at the press conference will speak about D.C. residents in the military and D.C. residents at home, now facing another congressional debate and another vote on military action, without their own vote in Congress, while meeting all the responsibilities of citizenship, including paying the federal income taxes that fund the nation's wars.

"We cannot allow debate on yet another military action to proceed without speaking out about one of the greatest injustices remaining in our country today – D.C. residents fighting and dying in wars with no vote on whether to go to war," said Norton. "As Congress is set to debate and vote on military action in Syria, the continuing discrimination against the rights of D.C. residents is amplified. Our residents have been there for their country in all of the nation's wars, including the most recent wars in Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya without a vote only to return to the U.S. still without a vote. The tragedy of this irony must not be smoothed over. We especially need to hear from our veterans, who have shouldered this burden directly and whose repeated sacrifices cry out for remedy."

Featured at the press conference will be two veterans of America's wars, Herbert Tillery, a career officer, and James Rimensnyder, a West Point graduate. Herbert Tillery, currently the Executive Director of the College Success Foundation, was raised in the District, began his service as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1970, and served in the U.S. Army with distinction for over 26 years, retiring with the rank of Colonel. He served one tour in Korea and two tours in Germany. Among the many highlights of his military career is his service as a battalion commander, responsible for 1,500 soldiers stationed in U.S. Army Europe – Germany, in 1990, where he trained and sent troops from Germany to Iraq to participate in the first Gulf War. Tillery also has a son who is currently serving in the U.S. Army, who has had three back-to-back tours in Iraq, and is currently stationed in Germany. James Rimensnyder, currently a D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer, was born and raised in the District and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Between 2005 and 2010, he served in Germany and Iraq, and was involved in combat operations as a tank platoon leader and intelligence officer in Iraq between 2006 and 2009. He left active duty in 2010 as a Captain.

Published: September 6, 2013