Norton and Allies to Offer Amendment to Stop Republicans from Stripping Women of Their Reproductive Rights and D.C. of its Right to Self-Govern

Press Release

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) worked with Democratic allies, who today will offer an amendment to remove an anti-home-rule provision during the House Judiciary Committee markup of H.R. 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The amendment would strike a provision in Section 310 of the bill that seeks to prevent D.C. from spending its local taxpayer-raised funds to provide abortions for low-income residents.

Norton said, "I strongly oppose H.R. 3 in its entirety as a draconian attempt to penalize both women and their insurers in the exercise of women's reproductive rights. However, H.R. 3 goes much further and crosses the bright line in our country between federal authority and local control to federalize the District for purposes of enforcing these provisions against the District's right to spend its own local funds for low-income residents who choose abortion. The D.C. provision is entirely unrelated to the bill, which seeks to write into permanent law the Hyde amendment along with new harsh additions designed to make abortions less accessible and more expensive nationwide. I appreciate the efforts of my Democratic colleagues on the Judiciary Committee who are offering the amendment on our behalf."

In an unprecedented move last month, Norton was denied the opportunity to testify by Chairman Trent Franks (R-AZ) on H.R. 3 at a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing, although members of Congress have traditionally been given the courtesy to testify at hearings involving their districts.

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