Norton Welcomes Visible Mayor and Council Efforts to Help Move D.C. Vote Bill - 1/19/2007

Norton Welcomes Visible Mayor and Council Efforts
to Help Move D.C. Vote Bill by March
January 19, 2007

Washington, DC-Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today issued the following statement today at a press conference with city officials:

I thank Mayor Adrian Fenty for his willingness to lead a city-wide campaign for the D.C. Vote that Rep. Tom Davis and I have reintroduced. He will find, already on the ground for years now, an expert partner, DC Vote, the citizens lobby that has carried the issue with great energy and professionalism, attracting many new recruits to D.C.'s cause. The time has come to attract the city itself, however. That is a job ready made for a new mayor. I appreciate that Mayor Fenty has lobbied a number of members of Congress for our bill. These efforts are always useful and helpful. However, most Democrats and some Republicans already support the bill. It is time for their expression of support to come in the only form that matters now, in a vote for H.R. 328, the Fair and Equal House Voting Rights Act. The Mayor's announcement today signals that the 200 year struggle of District citizens for their vote has entered a new stage where public officials must lead the people themselves in coming forward for their rights. Everywhere I go in the city, residents ask me what they should be doing to be helpful, but Members of Congress may not organize lobbying operations, marches or demonstrations, and of course, they should not have to, if the cause is worthy. Our cause indeed is worthy.

Visible support from citizens will help meet the two final challenges facing the bill: ¹⁾ to make sure that the bill moves quickly to mark-up and to the floor, and ²⁾ to make sure the bill allows the District a vote in the 110^th Congress this year for the first time in our history.

Our good friend, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, said recently that the timing should be by March and Members of Congress working with me caution that the February - March time frame should be targeted for action on our bill. Otherwise, the spring defense appropriations followed by 13 other appropriations and bills from committees will command the floor agenda. The Mayor and the Council can play an important role in rallying our residents beginning next month.

Many will recall that Mayor Sharon Pratt led a number of street demonstrations that were important in getting citizen involvement and congressional response when we achieved a two day debate and vote on statehood for the House in the 1990s. Mayor Fenty's announcement today signals his personal commitment to lead in raising the visibility of our cause and to summon citizens to do their part. A bill to remedy the denial of a vote to American citizens gets action from Congress when they hear from the citizens in whose name that vote will be cast.