Norton to Take to House Floor to Call on Congress for Legislation to Keep D.C. Government Open
09/26/13
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will speak on the floor of the House of Representatives during a Special Order today at around 5:30 p.m. to call on Congress to pass legislation to keep the District of Columbia government open in the event of a federal government shutdown on October 1. Norton's remarks will air live on television on C-SPAN, and on the internet at https://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN/.
"The Mayor has taken steps to keep the city open, but more continuing resolutions could be coming shortly," said Norton. "As we move closer to the Republican government shutdown, the need to free D.C.'s government from the grasp of Congress has never been clearer. Continuing resolutions are having a punitive effect on the District, an innocent party to this federal dispute. Only legislation like budget autonomy and my permanent shutdown avoidance bill can keep the city from being continually embroiled in these federal fights."
The city has submitted a timely, balanced $8 billion local budget to Congress, and the Appropriations committees have approved it. Yet Congress has yet to pass its fiscal year 2014 appropriations bill that approves D.C.'s local budget. Norton's pending District of Columbia Government Shutdown Avoidance Act of 2013 would permanently prevent D.C. government shutdowns by authorizing the District government to spend its local funds in the event of a federal shutdown, just as every other jurisdiction in the country is permitted to do.
Last week, Norton sent letters to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) urging them to bring a bill to the floor that will keep the District government open in the event of a federal shutdown. Norton requested language similar to the legislation she worked on with former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich that allowed D.C.'s government to remain open during the winter 1995-1996 federal government shutdowns.
Published: September 26, 2013