Eleanor Holmes Norton: “I thank my good friend for yielding to me because I must rise in strong opposition to H. Res. 794 and H.R. 5485. They…”

“I thank my good friend for yielding to me because I must rise in strong opposition to H. Res. 794 and H.R. 5485. They assault the District of Columbia's right to govern itself. This bill contains undemocratic, harmful, Big Government riders that prohibit the D.C. government from spending its local funds, consisting of local taxes and fees, as it deems necessary. In addition, the Republican-led Rules Committee has allowed Representative Gary Palmer to offer an amendment and interfere with my jurisdiction to keep D.C. from spending its local funds to enforce its own employment non-discrimination law. This bill repeals the D.C. budget autonomy referendum, which allows D.C. to spend its local funds after a 30-day review period. The Rules Committee prevented me from offering my amendments to strike the provisions in this bill that prohibit D.C. from spending its local funds on taxing and regulating marijuana sales and on abortion services for low-income women. Let's see the results. While recreational marijuana use is legal under D.C. law, Congress has uniquely prohibited the city from spending its local funds to set up a tax and regulatory system. This rider, therefore, has been referred to as the Drug Dealer Protection Act.…”