Press Release: Norton Calls for Full Benefits of Democracy for D.C., Applauds House Passage of Congressional Gold Medal for MPD for January 6 Response

News Release — DC Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton

June 21, 2021

Contact: Sharon Eliza Nichols

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said today that House passage last week of a bill to award Congressional Gold Medals to police forces, including to the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia (MPD), for their response to the January 6 attack on the Capitol is a strong reminder that MPD, paid for by D.C. residents, helped save the Capitol, members of Congress, and democracy itself that day even though D.C. residents are denied the benefits of that democracy themselves.

“D.C. residents have no voting representation in Congress,” Norton said. “On January 6, MPD stepped in to save the Capitol, Congress, and democracy itself, even though D.C. residents are denied voting representation in Congress. I fully support granting MPD a Congressional Gold Medal, and during times like these, it is critical to remind the public that D.C. residents deserve all the benefits of our democracy, including voting representation in Congress, which would be achieved by statehood for the District of Columbia.”

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