Norton Introduces Bill to Place D.C. Seal in Library of Congress Alongside State Seals

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a bill to place the official seal of the District of Columbia in the Library of Congress alongside seals of the states. Currently, the stained-glass windows in the historic building contain the seals of all states and territories that existed when the building was constructed, except for the D.C. seal, even though it was readily available at the time and should have been depicted. The bill is part of Norton’s “Free and Equal D.C.” series of bills.

“Pending D.C. statehood, we will continue to work to make D.C. equal in all respects with the states,” Norton said. “While the placement of the D.C. seal may seem trivial to some, it would be an important symbolic step toward equality with the states for the nearly 700,000 residents of the nation’s capital.”

Congress often already includes the District, or has corrected the omission of the District, when honoring the states. For example, the World War II Memorial includes a column representing the District, and D.C. has two statues in the Capitol alongside two statues from each state. Many examples of the District’s current representation in ceremonies and symbols established to honor the states directly result from Norton’s efforts.

In 2013, after a nearly 13-year legislative fight led by Norton, the District’s first statue, depicting Frederick Douglass, was unveiled in the Capitol. In February of this year, D.C.’s second statue, depicting Pierre L’Enfant, was unveiled in the Capitol. The enacted National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 contained a Norton provision requiring the armed services to display the D.C. flag whenever the flags of the states are displayed. In addition, Norton succeeded in getting legislation enacted to give D.C. a coin after it was omitted from legislation creating coins for the states. D.C.’s Duke Ellington coin is in circulation today. Norton also successfully worked with the U.S. Postal Service to create a D.C. stamp, like the stamps for the states. She also got the National Park Service to fly the D.C. flag alongside the state flags at Union Station.

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