U.S. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) in 2009. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
A House subcommittee will markup the D.C. Appropriations bill tomorrow, and a draft features familiar social riders and a cut to the city’s tuition assistance program.
The bill recommends cutting federal funds to the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant program from $30 million to $20 million. There’s also a rider that prevents the city from spending government funds, both local and federal, on abortion — except “where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term, or the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest” — as well as riders that forbid spending federal money on needle distribution and medical marijuana programs. Riders could also be added tomorrow during the hearing.
A release from Del. Eleanor Norton Holmes’ office describe the draft as “mostly good news,” including the extension of a provision that will allow the D.C. government to continue operating even if the federal government shuts down. Here’s some of the bad news:
Norton will make every effort to restore funding for the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) for ongoing work to fix D.C.’s federally constructed sewer system and clean up the Anacostia and Potomac rivers and Rock Creek. The bill zeroes out the entire enacted fiscal year 2014 level of $14 million and the President’s fiscal year 2015 budget request of $16 million at a time when flooding in Ward 5 shows the urgency of redoubling efforts and funding for DC Water. The bill provides $15 million each for D.C. public schools and public charter schools, a cut of $1 million each from the fiscal year 2014 enacted level and $5 million below the President’s fiscal year 2015 budget request for each.
In total, the bill provide for $637 million in federal funds to D.C., “a reduction of $37 million below the fiscal year 2014 enacted level and $66 million below the request.”
A coalition of groups that support the District’s right to autonomy released a letter today, calling on the House Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee to oppose any and all riders. Read the entire letter below.
Dear Member of Congress:
We urge you to oppose any effort to force the views of Congress on the District of Columbia through the fiscal year 2015 budget.
We are concerned that the FY’15 Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill will unjustly interfere in the District of Columbia’s local affairs by imposing social-policy riders that usurp the prerogative of the District of Columbia’s elected mayor and council and the citizens they represent.
The undersigned organizations, collectively representing millions of Americans, advocate on diverse issues but are united in our opposition to the inclusion of social-policy riders targeting the District of Columbia on the appropriations bill. The FY ‘14 DC appropriation included a provision barring the District from using local funds to provide women struggling to make ends meet the ability to make the personal decision to end a pregnancy without interference. DC is the only area in the country with this federally-mandated prohibition. Each year, DC also faces the threat of policy riders barring local spending on critically-needed HIV/AIDS prevention programs and in the past has even been barred from spending local dollars to count votes on a citizen-led initiative. These actions are unfair and intolerable.
Americans will continue to debate these and other issues in communities throughout this country, but what is not up for debate is who gets to decide these questions. The organizations below are all in agreement that DC’s locally-elected leadership should decide what is best for the people of the District of Columbia.
The Mayor of the District of Columbia and the DC Council were elected by DC residents to represent their best interests in the local government. Congress does not impose its views on any other local jurisdiction. We expect Congress to be consistent by letting District residents manage their own affairs without interference or meddling.
DC residents have no vote in the Congress to stop this egregious attack on their local democracy. We urge you to respect DC Home Rule and oppose any efforts that seek to force Congress’ views upon DC residents.
Sincerely,
DC Vote
Abortion Care Network
Advocates for Youth
AIDS United
Alliance for Justice
American Civil Liberties Union
Americans for Democratic Action
Anacostia Coordinating Council
California Latinas for Reproductive Justice
Catholics for Choice
The Brady Campaign
Center for Reproductive Rights
DC Democratic State Committee
DC For Democracy
DC Federation of Democratic Women
DC Fiscal Policy Institute
DC Latino Caucus
DC NAACP
District of Columbia Association of Realtors
District of Columbia Republican Party
FairVote
Forward Together
Greater Washington Urban League
Human Rights Campaign
Jews United for Justice
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO
NAACP
NARAL Pro-choice America
National Abortion Federation
National Council of Jewish Women
National Federation of Democratic Women
National Organization for Women (DC Chapter)
National Partnership for Women and Families
National Urban League
National Women’s Health Network
Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington
Reproductive Health Technologies Project
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Union for Reformed Judaism
Washington Ethical Society
