Eleanor Holmes Norton: “Let me begin by saying to this Committee, keep your hands off D.C., please.”

I am outraged at the number and scope of anti-D.C. home rule riders in the bill released today.

In my long career representing D.C. residents in Congress, I have rarely seen a bill as unreasonable and patronizing to the more than 700,000 people who live in the nation’s capital as this one.

Because there is no limit on how long personal information can be exploited, Congress must protect these federal employees and contractors in perpetuity.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Federal Employee Short-Term Disability Insurance Act of 2026, which would make short-term disability insurance available to federal employees.