Norton Celebrates Senate Passage of Bill to Transfer Control of RFK Stadium Campus to D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) celebrated the early morning Senate passage of her bill with Rep. James Comer (R-KY) to transfer administrative jurisdiction over the RFK Stadium campus from the federal government to D.C. for up to 99 years. The bill is now headed to the president's desk to be signed into law. 

The RFK Stadium bill clears the way for D.C. to use the land where the crumbling old stadium sits for redevelopment, commercial and residential development, or other public purposes. Norton has worked on prior versions of the bill aimed at revitalizing the RFK Stadium campus, which, at 174 acres, is the largest unused tract of land in the District, since 2017. 

“D.C. has scored a victory in its fight for self-determination just in time for the holidays,” Norton said. “When the bill is signed into law by President Biden, D.C. will get to decide for itself what to do with the largest unused tract of land remaining in the District. I look forward to seeing the site transformed from crumbling blight to a productive and bustling complex that will generate significant revenue for the nation’s capital. 

“Throughout my career in Congress, I’ve prioritized transferring unused federal land to D.C. or the private sector, enabling the redevelopment of neighborhoods, generating tax revenue and bringing much-needed space to the District.”

The RFK Stadium bill requires D.C. to reserve 30 percent of the campus for parks and open space and prohibits D.C. from building along the waterfront.

An earlier House-passed version of the continuing resolution to keep the government funded included language to transfer the D.C. National Guard personnel and assets to the Maryland National Guard. In the version of the continuing resolution signed into law, the D.C. National Guard transfer was not included. The RFK Stadium bill was enacted as a stand-alone bill.

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