Norton, Kaine Introduce Bill to Give D.C. Equal Number of Service Academy Nominations and Appointments as States

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced their bill to give the District of Columbia the same number of U.S. service academy nominations and appointments as states. Currently, each member of the House and Senate is allocated five appointments to each of the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy, and is allowed to nominate 15 people for each appointment. However, because D.C. has no senators, the District is deprived of 10 appointments to each of these service academies.

“This bill would bring equality to the residents of the District who choose to serve their country by applying to a service academy,” said Norton. “It is remarkable that D.C. residents volunteer to serve a country that denies them statehood, congressional voting rights and full home rule. Yet, District residents have fought in every American war, and our residents, who pay all federal taxes, including paying more federal taxes per capita than the residents of any state, deserve to have the same access to our prestigious service academies as residents of the states.”

“Every young person, regardless of their zip code, should have the opportunity to compete for a nomination to be considered for admittance to one of our nation’s service academies,” said Kaine. “I’m proud to join Congresswoman Norton to introduce this bill that will ensure all residents of D.C. who hope to pursue military service through attending a military academy have the same access to do so.”

###