U.S. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) in 2009. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Shortly after a federal judge ruled against a voter-approved budget autonomy referendum, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton gathered with the city’s allies to highlight successes in the yearly battle against social-policy riders attached by Congress as well as vow action against members who do so.
Representatives from DC Vote, the ACLU, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood, AIDS United and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence signed a letter to members of Congress opposing the riders added to D.C.’s appropriations bill.
“Should lawmakers continue to attack D.C.’s autonomy, we will make certain that our members — in every district — know how their representatives are spending their time in Washington: meddling in the affairs of D.C. residents rather than focusing on serious and pressing issues facing the nation,” the letter states.
“The organizations with us today have reached out to their members to alert the constituents of congressional appropriators of the consequences of barring the city from spending its own local funds on important local missions championed by these organizations nationwide,” Norton said at a press conference in the House Rayburn building.
Kimberly Perry, executive director of DC Vote, said possible actions include op-eds in local district newspapers and visits by supporters. “It’s a customized approach,” she said of each issue.
While the press conference was held to highlight successes in removing riders, like the one that prevented D.C. from funding needle-exchange programs, a federal judge’s ruling against the Council’s budget autonomy suit — which they will appeal — loomed large.
“That is not a good result,” Norton said, reiterating what she said in an earlier statement: That the decision “adds new urgency and necessity to moving our budget autonomy bill.”
“While we rue this decision, the judge did send out some hints that he might not be able to rule in the District’s favor,” Norton said. “But whatever the final outcome, this was friendly legislation.”
When asked what the next step is for budget autonomy, Norton said that she can’t get her bills to the floor herself as a minority member. In the Senate, Sen Mark Begich (D-AK) introduced two bills last week in support of legislative and budget autonomy for D.C. A hearing has been promised, Norton said.
“All of that is the kind of progress that makes you know it’s gonna happen,” she said. “We just can’t make it happen the way it should happen.”
But without full statehood, Norton said, Congress will always find a way to interfere in D.C.’s affairs.
She also shared a warning: If the Republicans take control of the Senate in 2014, “this city will be in a heap of trouble.”
