Norton Condemns Three Anti-D.C. Bills Ahead of Rules Committee Consideration

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ahead of today’s Rules Committee consideration of three anti-D.C. home rule bills, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that the bills’ advancement is another example of paternalistic, undemocratic incursions by Congress on the democratically expressed will of more than 700,000 D.C. residents. The Committee will consider a bill introduced by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) to prohibit D.C. residents who are not citizens from voting in local D.C. elections, a bill introduced by Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) that would repeal parts of D.C.’s 2022 local police accountability and transparency law, and a bill introduced by Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) to nullify locally-enacted D.C. laws, policies and practices regarding D.C. exchanging information about the citizenship and immigration status of individuals. Higgins’ bill would require D.C. to comply with requests by the Department of Homeland Security regarding immigration detainers.

“Republicans introduced 14 bills or amendments to prohibit noncitizens from voting in D.C. or to repeal, nullify or prohibit the carrying out of D.C.’s law that permits noncitizens to vote last Congress,” Norton said. “Despite being fixated on the subject of D.C. elections, Republicans refuse to make the only election law change D.C. residents have asked Congress to make, which is the right to hold elections for voting members of the House and Senate by passing my D.C. statehood bill.

“It is always wrong and never the right time for Congress to legislate on local D.C. matters, but I’ll address Rep. Garbarino’s bill to repeal parts of D.C.’s police transparency law. This bill was introduced three days after House Republicans passed a continuing resolution that cut D.C.’s local budget by one billion dollars. That was an act of fiscal sabotage, which did not save the federal government any money. It’s been almost three months since the Senate passed the D.C. Local Funds Act to reverse the cut and over two months since President Trump called for an immediate House vote on it. The D.C. Local Funds Act is still just sitting in the House. Like President Trump and the National Fraternal Order of Police, I call on the House immediately to pass the D.C. Local Funds Act.

“Like states, cities and counties across the country, D.C. has passed laws to support and protect the safety of all its residents, regardless of immigration status. In passing those laws, D.C. followed its values, the evidence on the benefits of such laws for the entire city, and the democratic process to enact policy consistent with its goals. Congress has no business overturning D.C.’s democratically enacted local laws and should keep its hands off D.C.”

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