Norton to Testify Opposing All Anti-Home-Rule Riders to D.C. Appropriations Bill at Rules Committee Markup, Monday

WASHINGTON, D.C. – (RealEstateRama) — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will testify in support of her amendments to strike all five anti-home-rule riders from the House’s fiscal year 2019 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, as well as in opposition to three newly filed anti-home-rule amendments, at a House Rules Committee markup scheduled for Monday, July 16, 2018, at 5:00 p.m., in H-313 (U.S. Capitol). The Rules Committee is considering the fiscal year 2019 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill, which contains D.C.’s appropriations bill. The bill is expected to be on the House floor next week.

Norton’s amendments would strike the riders that repeal the Local Budget Autonomy Act of 2012, prohibit D.C. from spending its local funds on recreational marijuana commercialization, prohibit D.C. from spending its local funds on abortions for low-income women, repeal the Death with Dignity Act (DWDA), and prohibit D.C. from spending its local funds to carry out the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act (RHNDA). Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) filed amendments to prohibit D.C. from using its local funds to carry out the recent voter-passed Initiative 77, which would eliminate the tipped minimum wage, and to prohibit D.C. from using its local funds to carry out the Health Insurance Requirement Amendment Act of 2018 (HIRA), which requires D.C. residents to have health insurance and is modeled on the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate. Representative Keith Rothfus (R-PA) filed an amendment to prohibit D.C. from using its local funds to seize assets as part of enforcing a HIRA tax penalty. Representatives Mark Meadows (R-NC) and Mark Sanford (R-SC) are cosponsors of Palmer’s Initiative 77 amendment, and Meadows and Representative Mark Walker (R-NC) are cosponsors of Palmer’s HIRA amendment.

“Monday’s Rules Committee markup is the first step to driving Republicans back from meddling in the District’s local affairs,” Norton said. “I will be testifying not only on my amendments to strike the five anti-D.C. riders embedded in D.C.’s appropriation, but also to fight back against new attacks launched this week by Republican Members who seem more interested in my district than they are with their own.”

The Rules Committee has sole discretion to decide which of the amendments may be offered on the House floor.

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