Skip to main content

Amid Budget Protest DC Mayor Talks of Arrest

41 members of the DC council, including Mayor Vincent Gray, were arrested yesterday outside the Dirksen Senate office building when they protested the President's budget deal which would leave DC with little control over the use of its own taxpayer funds.


--

The Mayor explains his position on sticking up for the District's residents.



Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) both praised and thanked D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, members of the D.C. Council, and D.C. residents for rallying against attachments to Friday’s full-year continuing resolution (CR) agreement by the Obama administration, Senate Democrats and House Republicans, and for the arrests led by the Mayor and Council members.

She said DC Vote particularly deserved the gratitude of every D.C. resident for its leadership in organizing the rally in just a couple of days, after learning that the city had been singled out in the CR for a prohibition on spending its own local funds for abortions for low-income women and for a new voucher program. Norton, who is still trying to get the riders removed and will go to the Rules Committee again tomorrow, decided not to attend Monday’s rally so that members of Congress could see that it was entirely a “people’s rally”, not an action that had or needed her leadership. She said that it was critical for Congress to see the faces of D.C. residents, and not her, when Congress invades the city’s self-governing rights.

Ever since Congress convened in January, Norton has been protesting multiple anti-home-rule actions by the Congress. However, she said that the rally and arrests were particularly important now because the CR shows that the city is on its own, and has only the protection from loss of home-rule that citizens can provide. The CR invited and deserved today’s strong reaction from residents, she said that, the continued presence of local elected leaders and residents just showing up, even with less dramatic responses, will be necessary in the coming months.” She warned that without a continuing reaction from local officials and city residents, more riders and other invasions of home rule will come quickly. However, Norton said, yesterday’s large turnout and arrests showed the House, Senate, and the Administration that local residents were acting out of deep and personal outrage and that citizens have a new resolve to fight back.

 In the video below Holmes let her thoughts be known and offers a recommendation for Congress.




Photos
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In wake of the Zika virus, travel, spring break still O.K.

Representatives from the CDC and the NIH were on hand at the White House during Monday's press briefing to update the public and address concerns over the Zika virus that has caused some babies to be born with deformities. Dr. Anne Schuchat from the Centers for Disease Control and Dr. Tony Fauci from the National Institutes of Health told reporters that a vaccine is in the making.   The pair also said they are particulary concerned about women who are pregnant, or plan to get pregnant, who have either traveled to or plan to travel to areas of South America and the Carribean known to have the Zika virus. Despite those bold statements, the doctors said there is no wide-spread concern and that Americans should continue to travel, including during upcoming college spring breaks --  when college students travel to warmer climate destinations to escape winter weather. "Travel to Zika-affected areas is very common among Americans, and we don’t think that needs to stop...
Post a Comment
Read more

Congressional Black Caucus Week Tackles Tough Issues: Among Them Youth Unemployment and Education

Congressional members convene at today's Congressional Black Caucus Town Hall Meeting. Photo/CD Brown  Mark your calendars to attend this year's Congressional Black Caucus events at the Washington Convention Center. This year's theme Vision, Journey, Mission will address many topics concerning Americans including jobs and education (especially for youth), and economic advancement.  In today's Town Hall meeting titled 'Educating Our Way To Prosperity' members on the panel that included Congressman Elijah Cummings, Representative Dianne Watson (D-CA), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), and author of The Other Wes Moore talked about educating youth for green jobs, and to think entrepreneurial instead working for someone else. "We must develop entrepreneurial opportunities", said Fattah. "In many cultures it's a common discussion to educate youth to think about starting a business." Congressman Elijah Cummings who sits on the Joint Economic ...
Post a Comment
Read more

President Obama Meets Muslim Leaders

from the White House press office. THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 4, 2015 Readout of the President’s Meeting with American Muslim Leaders The President this afternoon met with American Muslim leaders to discuss a range of domestic and foreign policy issues.  The President thanked the participants for their work in a variety of fields and for coming together to offer views on issues of importance to their communities, noting that his regular interactions with different faith communities provided him with valuable insights and feedback.  Among the topics of discussion were the community’s efforts and partnerships with the Administration on a range of domestic issues such as the Affordable Care Act, issues of anti-Muslim violence and discrimination, the 21 st  Century Policing Task Force, and the upcoming White House Summit on Countering Violence Extremism.   The President reiterated his Administr...
Post a Comment
Read more