President Issues Strong Defense of D.C. Home Rule as Norton Prepares for House Floor
President Issues Strong Defense of D.C. Home Rule as Norton Prepares for House Floor
July 13, 2011
Washington, DC-The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said the Congresswoman was particularly pleased that the Obama Administration today condemned the D.C. abortion rider in the fiscal year 2012 D.C. Appropriations bill as a violation of "states' rights," recognizing the equivalency of D.C. to a state in spending its own funds. The Congresswoman also said it was very helpful that the Administration criticized the restriction on the use of federal funds for D.C. needle-exchange programs as "contrary to current practice and the Administration's policy to allow funds to be used in locations where local authorities deem needle exchange programs to be effective and appropriate." Norton is working to make sure that the rider that prohibited D.C. from spending local funds on needle-exchange programs, which she got removed when Democrats controlled Congress, does not return this session. However, the ban on federal funds for needle-exchange programs in all jurisdictions, which the Administration removed last Congress, is also at risk. The Statement of Administration Policy said the D.C. abortion rider "undermines the principle of states' rights and of D.C. home rule." The D.C. Appropriations bill, which is part of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill, is expected on the House floor this week.
"The strength of the Administration's statement supporting the District's home-rule rights is an indication that the Administration heard D.C. and is responding to D.C. following the reaction of residents and officials to the fiscal year 2011 budget deal," Norton said. The Statement of Administration Policy adds to the progress we have made so far, with no new D.C. riders added in the Appropriations Committee. This success owes a great deal to the work of an expanded national coalition of 100 organizations, which is in Members' districts alerting their constituents about any Members who spend time interfering with D.C. business instead of attending to their own constituents."