Norton to Meet with Capitol Officials to Discuss Transfer of Union Square to Architect of the Capitol

WASHINGTON, DC – The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced that the Congresswoman will hold meetings with officials of the Capitol and the National Park Service (NPS) to seek clarification on the transfer of Union Square from NPS to the Architect of the Capitol. Norton said that she can understand why the transfer of jurisdiction, buried in an appropriations bill, is causing such great public concern about another round of walling-off public space.

"We fought overreaction after 9/11, with jurisdiction shifts and street closings, and the public is in no mood for a retread of those fights for access to tax-supported public space," Norton said. She said that she was pleased to note that some Capitol officials have sought to reassure the public in published reports. However, her office continues to receive a broad spectrum of calls concerning access to Union Square. She said that in a democracy, a change done without hearings or explanation is bound to stir suspicion and concern, and therefore needs explanation.

Norton said she wants to ensure that the important public and economic benefits of this area are taken into account during this transfer. Along with officials from the Capitol, Norton will meet with NPS officials because she has been working alongside the Trust for the National Mall to understand whether the National Mall Plan will be interrupted by the change.

Norton will re-introduce later this year her United States Commission on an Open Society with Security Act, which would establish a commission to investigate best practices to achieve the necessary balance between openness and security not only in this city, but throughout the country, where security measures continue to be haphazard and often amateurish. Norton said that since the Oklahoma City bombing, and particularly after 9/11, federal authorities often have done a poor job of risk assessment while evaluating the access the public has a right to expect in a free and open democratic society.