Norton to Speak at Planting of D.C. Tree on Capitol Grounds in Recognition of Residents, Monday

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will speak at a special ceremony to commemorate the planting of a tree on Capitol Grounds in honor of the District of Columbia on Monday, May 21, 2018, at 11:30 a.m., at the northwest corner of the U.S. Capitol Grounds (First St. and Constitution Ave. NW). The event is open to the public. At the dedication ceremony, Norton will be joined by Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers and Chaplain of the House of Representatives Patrick Conroy, who will offer a blessing for the tree. Norton had requested a tree be planted on Capitol Grounds "in recognition of the District of Columbia and the 700,000 Americans who live here and have no voting representation in Congress." More than 30 states have had trees planted on Capitol Grounds.

The District's tree will be a Tulip Poplar tree from George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate that descends from one of the original Tulip Poplar trees that still grow there. Although the District's state tree is the Scarlet Oak, there are already several of these on Capitol Grounds, so Norton worked with Mount Vernon's arborist to select the Tulip Poplar, which has significant historical ties to the nation's capital.

"Once again, we are ensuring that, pending statehood, District residents have the same recognition, small or large, as residents of the 50 states," Norton said. "Our residents are number one per capita in taxes paid to support the federal government and have fought and died in every war. The symbols of statehood mean something to our residents because they indicate the District is entitled to the respect and rights that come with statehood."

Norton has successfully fought to correct many instances where D.C. residents were denied representation in fundamental symbols of American citizenship. A 2013 Norton bill placed a statue of Frederick Douglass in the Capitol to represent the District, making D.C. the only jurisdiction that is not a state with a statue in the Capitol. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 requires the armed services to display the District flag whenever the flags of the states are displayed. Legislation was also enacted to give D.C. a coin after it was omitted from legislation creating coins for the 50 states. Norton also successfully worked with the U.S. Postal Service to create a D.C. stamp, like the stamps for the 50 states, and worked with the National Park Service to add the D.C. flag alongside the state flags across from Union Station.