Eleanor Norton

Eleanor Holmes Norton, a  Democrat, is the non-voting Delegate from the District of Columbia to the United States House of Representatives.

D.C. statehood
In 1993, Norton introduced a bill termed the New Columbia Admission Act (H.R. 51). The measure, which would have made the District a state named "New Columbia," was reported from the District Committee, but failed in a floor vote, 153-277.

D.C. representation
On January 26, 2005, Norton introduced the No Taxation Without Representation Act of 2005 in the House. The bill would provide District residents with two senators (similar to a state), as well as a voting member in the House. While it was able to attract 94 cosponsors, the bill also has never made it to the floor for a vote.

D.C. legislative autonomy
On February 14, 2007, Norton introduced legislation that would give the District of Columbia legislative autonomy by ending congressional review of the District's civil and criminal laws. 

A press release issued by Norton’s office read, the current lengthy review period from Congress is "particularly unfair and costly” to D.C. "because the congressional layover period involves only legislative days, when Congress is in session, not ordinary calendar days."

D.C. house voting rights
On January 9, 2007, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced the District of Columbia Fair and Equal Voting Rights Act of 2007 (H.R. 328) in the House, where it was then referred to the House Judiciary Committee. If approved the bill would:
 * Grant the District a full-voting member in the House.
 * Increase the number of congressional seats in the state of Utah from 3 to 4 (Utah missed a fourth seat following the 2000 census by a mere 857 residents). The additional seat would be an at-large one, meaning that it would be comprised of the entire state. The Utah state legislature therefore would not need to redraw the state's congressional districts to accommodate it.
 * Following the 2010 census, the House would remain at 437 districts. At this point, the number of seats given to a state would be solely based on the population figures from the new census (Utah would not be guaranteed the seat it gained as a result of this bill). Because each state, as well as the District, is guaranteed at least one seat in the House, the District would be guaranteed to keep its new seat.
 * Grant Utah an additional vote in the Electoral College in the 2008 presidential election (as a result of its additional seat in the House). The District, however, would not receive an additional electoral vote, as it already had 3 (the number of votes typically granted to a state with one congressional district) by virtue of the Twenty-Third Amendment.

Bio
Eleanor Holmes Norton was born June 13, 1937 in Washington, D.C.. She attended Antioch College, Yale University (M.A. 1963) and Yale University Law School (L.L.B 1964).

Norton worked as a lawyer in private practice, then became a law clerk to Federal District Court Judge Aloyisus Leon Higginbotham, Jr. She has served as an assistant legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, adjunct assistant professor at New York University Law School, executive assistant to the Mayor of New York, chair of the New York City Commission on Human Rights, Chairwoman of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a senior fellow of the Urban Institute, and a professor at Georgetown University Law Center.

Norton was elected in 1990 as a Democratic non-voting delegate to the House, and took office on January 3, 1991.

Unlike a full Representative, the delegate from the District of Columbia is not permitted a legislative vote. Also, she may speak only on behalf of the District and vote only in committee, not on the House floor. The District, which has no Senate member at all, shares its limited form of Congressional representation with Puerto Rico and three other U.S. territories. Unlike those territories or any other place in the United States, citizens are subject to all federal laws, including taxation, despite not being represented in Congress. (See the Wikipedia, Taxation without representation).

2006 elections
In 2006, Republicans nominated Erran Persley to face Norton in her November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Holmes Norton retained her seat.

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Aviation
 * Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
 * Subcommittee on Economic Development Public Buildings & Emergency Management - Chair
 * House Committee on Homeland Security
 * Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response
 * Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection
 * House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
 * Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Government Reform
 * Subcommittee on Criminal Justice Drug Policy and Human Resources
 * Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and Agency Organization
 * House Committee on Homeland Security
 * Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness Science and Technology
 * Subcommittee on Prevention of Nuclear and Biological Attack
 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Aviation
 * Subcommittee on Economic Development Public Buildings & Emergency Management - Ranking Minority Member
 * Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

Coalitions and Caucuses

 * Committee on the Reorganization of the Congress
 * Democratic Homeland Security Task Force
 * Executive Committee, Democratic Study Group
 * Environmental and Enegry Study Conference
 * Democratic Chair, Women's Caucus

Boards and other Affiliations

 * New York City Human Rights Commission, 1971-1977
 * Board of Governors, District of Columbia Bar Association
 * Former Board Member, Rockefeller Foundation
 * Advisory Board (2000 at least), The Sudan Campaign

2008 Campaign
Official Norton for Congress Web site

Resources

 * Official website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Articles

 * Kelly McCormack, "Norton introduces legislation to give D.C. legislative autonomy," The Hill, February 15, 2007.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * DCDL
 * DC Metro Action

More Background Data
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