On MLK Day, Norton Calls on Congress to Pass D.C. Statehood and Other Voting Rights Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) called on Congress to pass her District of Columbia statehood bill (H.R. 51) and other important voting rights legislation. Norton’s bill would give D.C. full local self-government, a cause Dr. King championed, and voting representation in Congress.

"Dr. King spent his life advocating for voting rights for the most disenfranchised members in our society," Norton said. "He supported home rule for D.C. well before the District focused on statehood. His efforts led to passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, allowing people of color to exercise their franchise in states with chronic histories of enacting restrictive voting laws. Although the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013, the Court invited Congress to update the Act. In the absence of responsible action by Congress, states have felt emboldened to pass new voter suppression laws.

“Dr. King's birthday is not only for commemoration of past victories. His birthday should inspire Congress to complete the nation's work on civil rights."

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