Norton Introduces Bill to End Congressional Review of All Civil and Criminal D.C. Law

Norton Introduces Bill to End Congressional Review of All Civil and Criminal D.C. Law

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced the District of Columbia Legislative Autonomy Act of 2007 to end discriminatory and unnecessary congressional review of D.C. laws, that "has long been obsolete, demeaning, and cumbersome," and is no longer used by Congress. Norton has repeatedly introduced the legislative autonomy bill to eliminate the congressional review period of 30 days for civil laws and 60 days for criminal laws. However, she believes that with Democratic control, passage is possible this year, particularly because Congress has preferred to use attachments to appropriations in seeking to overturn laws passed by the City Council and signed by the Mayor instead of using resolutions of disapproval that would be eliminated by today's bill.

"The District strongly opposes all methods of overturning its legitimate local legislation, but it is particularly unfair to require the City Council to engage in the tortuous process prescribed by the Home Rule Act that Congress itself has discarded," Norton said in her statement of introduction. "My bill would eliminate the formal review system that has died of old age and disuse. Congress has walked away from layover review and should allow the city to do the same."

Norton says that the lengthy congressional review period is particularly unfair and costly to the District because the congressional layover period involves only legislative days, when Congress is in session, not ordinary calendar days. As a result, D.C. statutes typically do not become law for months, creating hardships and burdens for city operations and individuals alike. The required hold on all D.C. bills forces the Council to pass most legislation several times as emergency and temporary bills to ensure that city operations or effects on residents and businesses continue uninterrupted. Norton said that legislative autonomy would give the District the right to enact local laws free from federal interference, a basic tenet of self government. At the same time, Congress would give up none of its power because Congress can always intervene into District matters under constitutional provisions until the District achieves statehood.

Last month, Norton introduced a budget autonomy bill to allow the city to enact its own local budget without annual congressional oversight. Both bills are part of Norton's "Free and Equal D.C. Series" to give the city control over its core functions without congressional intrusion, and to transfer provisions in the Home Rule Act to the District.

http://www.norton.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=498&Itemid=0