Press Releases

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.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Quiet Skies Caucus (QSC) Co-Chairs Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Vice Chairs Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Congressman Thomas Suozzi (D-NY) led QSC members in sending a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg expressing disappointment that candidates from groups that represent communities living under NextGen corridors appeared to be ineligible to apply to fill current and future vacancies on the NextGen Advisory Committee (NAC). The members requested that, if correct, the solicitation for nomination be reopened and that such individuals be made eligible.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Congresswoman Brenda L. Lawrence (D-MI), Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D-FL), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) received a response from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to their letter expressing concerns about the gender-based disparities in traffic injuries and fatalities that are in part attributable to the absence of accurate female crash test dummies in the  motor vehicle crash test system. NHTSA informed the Members that they have accelerated the development of new, more advanced female crash test dummies for use in the New Car Assessment Program and the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, with the goal of issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking in 2023.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today said she will meet with the National Zoo and the National Park Service (NPS) to explore options to extend the hours of the Zoo Loop Trail in Rock Creek Park in the District of Columbia. The trail, which recently reopened to the public, is only open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. These limited hours prompted Norton to contact the zoo and NPS for an explanation. The zoo explained that the trail hours are tied to the zoo’s hours of operations to maintain accreditation with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, since the trail runs through the zoo’s secondary animal containment perimeter.