November 18, 2005:NORTON HAILS ANOTHER DEFEAT OF GUN REPEAL AS D.C APPROPRIATION GETS FINAL APPROVAL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2005

NORTON HAILS ANOTHER DEFEAT OF GUN REPEAL AS D.C. APPROPRIATION GETS FINAL APPROVAL

Washington, DC—After weeks of quiet, behind the scenes work with several congressional allies to protect D.C.’s gun safety laws, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) shepherded the final portion of the District’s budget to final approval by Congress today with D.C. gun safety laws unchanged. Norton beat back two different measures that threatened to bring more guns to D.C. streets: a bill for total repeal of handgun laws that was originally introduced that she worked successfully to block on the House floor; and a weakened rider provision to allow loaded shotguns and rifles that the House passed, but Norton was able to keep off the Senate appropriations bill and ultimately the final conference report approved today. For months, the Congresswoman worked with residents, officials and gun safety groups, angered by the attack on the city’s gun safety laws in recent years, to free the final $603 million federal portion of the D.C. appropriation of both riders.

Norton earlier got $5 billion in D.C. taxpayer-raised funds released on time on October 1, allowing D.C. to spend at next year’s (2006) levels rather than at the usual continuing resolution levels, which only allows the city to function on last year’s budget. For the third year in a row, Norton convinced appropriators to use this procedure to free the entire local budget from the delayed federal budget process. She has strenuously argued that until the city gets budget autonomy, this exception is necessary to allow the city to meet increased expenditures, operate new programs and keep its agencies running smoothly.

Nevertheless, Norton strongly criticized the conference report retention of several "inexcusable and unacceptable riders." She has been able to get the Senate to lift the amendment keeping D.C. from spending its own local funds for a needle exchange program to quell the spread of HIV/AIDS as well as the restriction on the use of local funds to lobby for full democratic rights for D.C. citizens. However, the House has refused to agree. Both houses have shamefully refused to allow the city to spend local funds for abortions for poor women, the Congresswoman said.

Despite the tense atmosphere and divisions in Congress as members grapple with controversial tax cut measures, budget cuts, and Katrina relief, Norton has been able to work with appropriators to get extra funding for D.C. projects and organizations. Norton worked especially hard for $650,000 for the Whitman-Walker Clinic, which serves people with HIV and AIDS and is recovering from a funding crisis. She got $1 million for Washington Hospital Center’s Bioterrorism Preparedness Program, a project Norton began working on after 9-11 with continuing appropriations each year.

Other Norton priorities in the appropriation include funding for the D.C. TAG college tuition assistance program, reimbursement for emergency planning and security costs, a bioterrorism and forensics lab, and sewer overflow funding to repair and upgrade the District’s antiquated combined sewer system. The list of extra funds for D.C. projects and groups includes the following:

American Community Partnerships $250,000
Arena Stage Camp 100,000
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington 300,000
Capital Area Food Bank 1,300,000
Center for Inspired Teaching 450,000
City Year 150,000
DC CARES 103,000
DC Jumpstart 200,000
DC Primary Care Association 500,000
Metro DC Arthritis Foundation 300,000
Perry School Community Services Center Inc. 150,000
Second Chance Employment Services 450,000
Sewall-Belmont House and Museum 100,000
Washington Hospital Center 1,000,000
Whitman-Walker Clinic 650,000