Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) vowed today to defeat two bills recently introduced by Republicans aimed at damaging the District of Columbia’s economy. Congressman Warren Davidson (R-OH) introduced the Drain the Swamp Act of 2021, which would require all executive branch agencies to move their headquarters outside of the D.C. area and to only have 10 percent of their employees in the D.C. area by 2026. Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-TX) introduced the Stop Wasting All our Money on Palaces Act, or the SWAMP Act, which would prohibit the federal government from entering into a contract to construct a new federal building, including one built to be leased by the federal government, in D.C. for two years. The premise of the SWAMP Act is to save money, but the bill doesn’t prohibit the federal government from entering into a contract to build a federal building outside of D.C. during the two-year period.

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) announced that their bill to ban smoking, including of electronic cigarettes, on Amtrak passed the House last night as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and is now headed to the president’s desk.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released remarks she gave on the House floor earlier this week in support of the Build Back Better Act, highlighting the plan’s action on climate change and education. She noted that unlike the prior administration, Democrats are not adding to the deficit with the Build Back Better.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced today that the Committee on Oversight and Reform (COR) will mark up her District of Columbia Courts Vacancy Reduction Act on Thursday, November 4, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. The bill would allow judicial appointments to the local District of Columbia courts to take effect after a 30-day congressional review period, unless a joint resolution disapproving an appointment is enacted into law during that period. Currently, nominees to the local D.C. courts require Senate confirmation. The bill would make the congressional review process for appointees the same as the one currently used for legislation passed by the D.C. Council. The markup can be viewed on COR’s website.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today reintroduced her bill to give the District of Columbia the authority to appoint all members of the D.C. Board of Zoning Adjustment (Board), except when the Board is performing functions regarding an application by a foreign mission with respect to a chancery. Under current law, in general, the Board consists of a representative of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and the D.C. Zoning Commission, each of whom may be a federal official, and three mayoral appointees, subject to D.C. Council approval. The Board has no authority over federal property. 

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced that the Senate yesterday confirmed Matthew Graves for U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Norton recommended Graves to President Biden. Biden, like Presidents Clinton and Obama, has granted Norton senatorial courtesy for judges on the U.S. District Court for D.C., the U.S. Attorney for D.C., the U.S. Marshal for the D.C. Superior Court, and the U.S. Marshal for the U.S. District Court for D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) spoke on the House floor to highlight how the President’s Build Back Better bill focuses on education. Norton’s brief remarks follow.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) today reintroduced their District of Columbia Flood Prevention Act, which would amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA) to include the District of Columbia in the definition of a coastal state and give the District oversight for federally issued permits, facilities, and actions that affect the coastal waters of the District.