Nancy Pelosi: “Today is a proud day for this House and for the District of Columbia and for our Nation. Today, we will fulfill our…”

“Today is a proud day for this House and for the District of Columbia and for our Nation. Today, we will fulfill our obligation to do right by the citizens of the District of Columbia. I commend the steadfast leadership, the exceptional tenacity, the relentless persistence of the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton). Because of her today, America will be greater. I also appreciate the leadership of the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) making this bill one that has bipartisan cosponsorship. It is a proud day for all of us. I take some personal pleasure in today's proceedings, because when I was born, my father was a Member of Congress. He was on the Appropriations Committee and he chaired the District of Columbia committee. At that time there was no mayor, there was no home rule. He was a strong supporter for the District to attain both. He would never have imagined all those many, many years ago that it would take this long to get a full vote on the floor for the District of Columbia.”