Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today condemned an amendment filed by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) to the Respect for Marriage Act that would prohibit the District of Columbia from enforcing D.C. laws that protect same-sex couples from discrimination. Specifically, the amendment would prohibit D.C. from taking certain adverse actions, such as denying grants or contracts, against individuals and entities that otherwise unlawfully discriminate against same-sex couples if such individuals and entities have a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction that marriage is a union of individuals of the opposite sex. While the amendment is framed as prohibiting the federal government from taking adverse action for violations of federal law, it defines the term federal government and federal law to include the D.C. government and D.C. law, respectively.

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.

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will introduce Todd Edelman, whom Norton recommended to President Biden to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, at his Senate confirmation hearing tomorrow, Tuesday November 15, 2022. The hearing will begin at 10:00 a.m. and will be livestreamed.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — With the Senate returning from recess today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) called on the Senate to confirm the eight pending judicial nominees for the local District of Columbia courts. Currently, there are 14 vacancies out of 62 authorized judges on D.C.’s trial court, the Superior Court, and two vacancies out of nine authorized judges on D.C.’s appeals court, the Court of Appeals.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced she will invite the National Zoo, the National Park Service, and the District of Columbia Department of Transportation to participate in a virtual town hall meeting to hear from D.C. residents about the importance of extending the hours of the Zoo Loop Trail. The date of the town hall meeting has not yet been determined. Norton met with the three agencies last week to discuss options for extending the trail’s hours, but was disappointed the zoo refused to extend the hours. Norton is exploring legislative options to require the zoo to extend the hours.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who yesterday met with the National Zoo, the National Park Service (NPS), and the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) to discuss the Zoo Loop Trail’s limited hours, today said she was disappointed the zoo rejected her request to extend the hours. Norton said she will explore legislative options to extend the hours and continue to have discussions with the zoo, NPS, DDOT, and the community on options for extending the hours.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) wrote the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) requesting permanent removal of the name Francis Griffith Newlands in Chevy Chase Circle, a federal park located both in D.C. and Maryland. The lawmakers have introduced legislation in the House and Senate, respectively, to remove the name.