Eleanor Holmes Norton: “I come to the floor this afternoon because of a threat, a rare threat, because this seldom happens in the House anymore…”

“I come to the floor this afternoon because of a threat, a rare threat, because this seldom happens in the House anymore, but a threat from at least one Member of this House to try to nullify a local initiative approved by the voters of the District of Columbia. But when it comes to the lawful initiative for District of Columbia citizens, that is a threat to democracy that means that anyone who represents this city, has to come to the floor and to indicate to Members how important it is to hold fast to your own principles. Wherever you stand on the District of Columbia or any of the underlying issues, this is the local jurisdiction of 650,000 people who pay taxes without full representation in this House. So I am asking Members of the House not to take advantage of an anachronism in the law which does allow Members of the House to step forward, if they are so inclined, to try to get others to join them in nullifying the local laws of a local jurisdiction. If one reads the history of our country, it is hard to find anything more un-American. That is why, particularly, I have to thank the bipartisan group of Members who stood with me yesterday, three Members of this House--two Democrats and a Republican--who themselves come from States that have taken action on the underlying issue, one that is rapidly developing in our country where the States differ among themselves.…”