Norton To Speak on House Floor Against D.C. Bills, Announces Timing of Debate and Votes

WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced she will speak during debate on the House floor against all four anti-D.C. home rule bills the House is expected to vote on this week. The general public can view the debates and votes on C-SPAN or live.house.gov.

The House will debate and vote on the D.C. CRIMES Act, introduced by Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), which would amend D.C.'s Youth Rehabilitation Amendment Act, changing the age at which a court is allowed discretion to impose alternative sentences on a person, other than for certain offenses, and to seal the individual's records, from 24 to 18, and a bill introduced by Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) to lower the age minors can be tried as adults in D.C. to 14 years old tomorrow, Tuesday September 16. Debate will begin at 2:15 p.m. Votes on both bills are expected to begin at 4:30 p.m.

Debate on the D.C. Judicial Nominations Reform Act, introduced by Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), which would eliminate the already limited role D.C. has in the selection of its local judges, and the D.C. Policing Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), which would significantly weaken D.C.'s limitations on vehicular pursuits by police officers, will begin at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, September 17. Votes on both bills are expected to begin at 5:30 p.m.

"These anti-D.C. home rule bills were introduced by members of Congress from Florida, Texas, and Louisiana. These members do not represent D.C., are not accountable to its residents, and do not understand how the District operates. They have no business writing our laws," Norton said.

"The more than 700,000 people who call D.C. home are fully capable of governing themselves, just as residents of Florida, Texas, and Louisiana do. I will continue to defend that right-tomorrow, Wednesday, and always."

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