Media

WASHINGTON, DC – In a statement, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that she was "thrilled" to learn that President Barack Obama called for statehood for the District of Columbia at a My Brother's Keeper initiative town hall meeting today. Her statement follows:

"I am thrilled that the President has brought together his long support for all the elements of statehood with his endorsement of statehood itself today. The President's direct response to a question on his opinion of D.C. statehood left no doubt that he had given serious thought to the issue:

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a former chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), praised the President for issuing an Executive Order today prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating against employees based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Currently, there is no federal law that prohibits companies from discriminating against their employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity. However, 18 states and the District of Columbia have laws that ban this form of discrimination.

WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today will host her annual2014 Senior Legislative Dayat the newly-constructed Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (101 N Street, NW) from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.,where Norton and many D.C. seniors went to school. Nearly 150 D.C. seniors from wellness centers throughout the District will have lunch with the Congresswoman and discuss pending bills and other congressional actions.

WASHINGTON, D.C – After a congressional staffer was arrested by the U.S. Capitol Police for bringing a handgun into a Capitol office building today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) wondered why Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY), who sponsored a House-passed amendment this week to bar the District of Columbia government, including the Metropolitan Police Department, from enforcing its local gun laws, did not offer an amendment to bar the Capitol Police from enforcing the federal law that prohibits the carrying of guns on Capitol Grounds.

Washington, DC – The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced today that the Office of Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has informed Roll Call that he plans to continue to try to overturn D.C.'s gun laws. The Office's statement follows, by one day, House passage of an amendment, sponsored by Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY), to the Fiscal Year 2015 D.C. Appropriations bill that would block D.C.

WASHINGTON, DC – Following an analysis of yesterday's vote on the Massie amendment to prohibit the District of Columbia from enforcing local gun laws, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said she was "extremely pleased that Democrats strongly supported D.C.'s home rule right to protect our residents and grateful to the four Republicans who voted with us and against the grain of their colleagues." Democratic floor leaders agreed that it was remarkable that the vote on gun laws lost only twenty Democrats as midterm elections approach.

WASHINGTON, DC – At Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's (D-DC) hastily organized press conference on Capitol Hill today with D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Chief Alfred Durham (Chief Lanier is out of town), and representatives from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and DC Vote to discuss the amendment to block D.C. from enforcing its gun laws, Norton called on the President, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and the Senate to remove the amendment from the final bill.

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will host a press conference today, Thursday, July 17, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. in Cannon 421, to discuss Rep. Thomas Massie's (R-KY) amendment passed yesterday in the House that would ultimately block D.C. from enforcing its local gun laws, as part of the Fiscal Year 2015 Financial Services and General Services Appropriations bill. Norton will be joined by D.C.