Press Releases
February 14, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced a bill to amend title 1 of the United States Code to deem D.C. as both a state and political subdivision of a state – such as a city or county – for federal funding eligibility.
February 14, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) celebrated what is recognized as famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass' 206th birthday. (Like many enslaved, Douglass did not know his birthday, but he celebrated it on Valentine’s Day.) Norton’s D.C. statehood bill would name the 51st state “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth” in honor of Douglass’, a longtime D.C. resident, advocacy of equal rights for the District.
February 14, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced today that the National Park Service (NPS) will be hosting various public events throughout Northeast and Southeast D.C. to share proposed plans to improve NPS recreational facilities at the Alabama Avenue playground, Battery Ricketts and Fort Stanton Park, Kenilworth Park, Randle Circle Park, Lanham Estates and Ridge Road picnic areas at Fort Dupont Park, and River Terrace Park at Anacostia Park.
February 7, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the federal tax filing season kicks off, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) issued a statement reminding the public that the District of Columbia pays more federal taxes per capita than any state and more federal taxes overall than 19 states, while being denied the same voting representation in Congress or full local self-government accorded to residents of the 50 states. Norton said that the remedy is for Congress to pass her D.C. statehood bill.
February 6, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that the bill that the Committee on Oversight and Accountability passed today to repeal parts of D.C.’s local police accountability and transparency law represents a paternalistic, undemocratic incursion on the will of nearly 700,000 D.C. residents. The bill, the Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act of 2023, was introduced by Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY).
February 5, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) today introduced the Reducing the Effects of the Cyberattack on OPM Victims Emergency Response Act, or the RECOVER Act, to provide free lifetime identity protection coverage to current, former and prospective federal employees and contractors whose personal information was compromised by Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data breaches in 2015. Following the data breaches, Congress approved a version of this bill as part of an appropriations bill. However, Congress has only required OPM to provide identity protection coverage to affected individuals through fiscal year 2026. The Norton-Ruppersberger bill would require OPM to provide the coverage for the remainder of the life of the affected individuals.
February 5, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, introduced a bill today to establish a grant program for the design and construction of barriers to mitigate rail activity that may harm homes and their occupants, including derailments, noise and vibrations.
January 29, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced her Universal Prekindergarten and Early Childhood Education Act to provide federal funds for states to establish and expand prekindergarten programs in public and public charter schools for every child, regardless of income. The bill would afford the benefits of early childhood education to all families, many of whom are currently not able to access it due to cost.
January 29, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill today to allow individuals who are 70 and older to opt out of jury duty in the D.C. Superior Court.
January 25, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Marijuana in Federally Assisted Housing Parity Act today to permit the use of marijuana in federally assisted housing, including public housing and Section 8 housing, in compliance with the marijuana laws of the state (including the District of Columbia) where the property is located. Under current federal law, users of drugs that are illegal under federal law, including marijuana, are prohibited from being admitted into federally assisted housing. Federal law also allows landlords to evict residents of federally assisted housing for illegal drug use. Adult-use marijuana, medical marijuana or both are currently legal in D.C., New Jersey and 37 other states, and over 90 percent of Americans support legalized medical marijuana.