Norton Statement After Committee Passage of Bill to Repeal Local D.C. Traffic Laws
Today’s markup was the third this Congress to repeal D.C.’s use of automated traffic enforcement measures and its law limiting right turn on red.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – After the Committee on Oversight & Government Reform (COGR) marked up and passed a bill introduced by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) to repeal two D.C. traffic laws, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) highlighted the hypocrisy of Rep. Perry’s five year long quest to end D.C.’s use of the same traffic safety measures his home state uses extensively and vowed to fight to prevent the bill from advancing further.
“Today the Oversight Committee, for the second time this Congress, advanced a paternalistic, undemocratic, and frankly petty bill to overturn two traffic safety laws enacted by D.C.,” Norton said. “The hypocrisy behind this legislation is astounding. The bill’s sponsor represents a district in Pennsylvania, a state that uses automated traffic enforcement extensively to improve roadway safety for its own residents. Yet he has spent years attempting to deny the District the same tool his own constituents benefit from.
“D.C.’s elected officials enacted these measures to protect pedestrians, cyclists and drivers in our city. If D.C. residents disagree with those decisions, they can vote their local leaders out of office. That is how democracy works. What is undemocratic is members of Congress from distant states repeatedly trying to override local D.C. laws.
“Congress should focus on the many pressing challenges facing the nation, not continue this pattern of unnecessary and unjustified interference in the District’s local affairs. I’ll work to stop this bill from advancing further.”
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