Norton Releases Markup Statement on Bill to Revitalize RFK Stadium Campus

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her statement, as prepared for delivery, for today’s markup of Chairman James Comer (R-KY)’s and Norton’s bill to direct the federal government to lease the RFK campus to D.C. for 99 years, allowing D.C. to use the land for stadium redevelopment, commercial and residential development, or other public purposes. Norton previously introduced legislation to allow the federal government to sell the land, which at 174 acres is the largest unused track of land in the District, to D.C. for fair market value.

“This committee has a long history of working in a bipartisan manner to redevelop unused and underutilized federal land in D.C.,” Norton said. “For example, I partnered with then-Oversight Committee Chair Tom Davis on a bill that transferred, among other things, Reservation 13, which is next to the RFK campus, from the federal government to D.C. The 67-acre Reservation 13 is now being turned into a mixed-use development. I also worked with then-Oversight Committee Chair Darrell Issa on a bill that enabled the Wharf, a 3.5 million square foot development on the Southwest Waterfront. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.”

Throughout her career in Congress, Norton has 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.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

Committee on Oversight and Accountability Markup

H.R. 4984, the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act

September 20, 2023

               I thank Chairman Comer for his leadership on introducing the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act and for working closely with me on this bill.  This bill would allow the District of Columbia to revitalize the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium campus, which is 174 acres of underutilized federal land in D.C.  At least as far back as 2006, the National Capital Planning Commission, the central planning agency for the federal government in D.C., called for the revitalization of the RFK campus.

               D.C. currently leases the RFK campus from the federal government, but the campus may be used only for recreation, a stadium and open space, and the lease expires in 2038.  Currently, the RFK campus primarily consists of parking lots, a stadium that is being demolished, and sports fields.  This bill would direct the federal government to lease the RFK campus to D.C. for up to 99 years and permit the campus to be used for commercial and residential development, recreation, a stadium and open space.

               This committee has a long history of working in a bipartisan manner to redevelop unused and underutilized federal land in D.C.  For example, I partnered with then-Oversight Committee Chair Tom Davis on a bill that transferred, among other things, Reservation 13, which is next to the RFK campus, from the federal government to D.C.  The 67-acre Reservation 13 is now being turned into a mixed-use development.  I also worked with then-Oversight Committee Chair Darrell Issa on a bill that enabled the Wharf, a 3.5 million square foot development on the Southwest Waterfront. 

               I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

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