Norton Statement Ahead of This Week’s House Votes on Two Anti-D.C. Home Rule Bills

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released a statement ahead of expected House votes on two anti-D.C. home rule bills this week. The first bill, introduced by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), would require mandatory pretrial and post-conviction detention for certain crimes. The second bill, introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), would repeal D.C.'s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. The Rules Committee will consider the legislation today at 3:00 p.m. and will live streamits hearing.

"D.C.'s local legislature, the D.C. Council, was elected by D.C. residents. Its members are accountable to D.C. and they are the appropriate elected officials to dictate D.C. laws, not Republican members of Congress representing the interests of far-away districts," Norton said. "It is paternalistic and condescending for Republican members of Congress to substitute their own judgment for that of D.C.'s local legislature. D.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying federal taxes, serving on juries and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self-government and voting representation in Congress. They deserve full control of their own local affairs."

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