Eleanor Norton

Eleanor Holmes Norton is the non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives for the District of Columbia, a position she has held since first being elected as a Democrat in 1990 and assuming office in 1991. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., she earned a B.A. from Antioch College followed by a Master’s degree and a Law degree from Yale University. Before her congressional career, she was a prominent civil rights and feminist leader, serving as the first female chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) under President Jimmy Carter and as the assistant legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). In Congress, Norton has become a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. One of her most significant legislative accomplishments was the 1997 Revitalization Act, which restructured the financial relationship between the federal government and the District of Columbia by transferring billions in unfunded pension liabilities and state-level costs to the federal government. She has also served as a tenured professor of law at Georgetown University and has been a central figure in the movement for D.C. statehood for over three decades. Norton's tenure is marked by her work to expand the legislative authority of the District and secure equal treatment for its residents. She has successfully advocated for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant program and achieved greater budget autonomy for the city. Beyond local governance, she has been instrumental in shaping national labor and civil rights standards, including drafting the first federal regulations that defined sexual harassment as a form of illegal sex discrimination.

Eleanor Holmes Norton’s primary policy focus is D.C. statehood, and she regularly introduces legislation to grant the District of Columbia full voting representation and local self-governance. She is a strong advocate for civil rights and gender equality, supporting equal pay, reproductive rights, and the codification of federal protections against discrimination. On immigration, she opposes federal interference in local D.C. laws and supports 'sanctuary' policies that protect residents' safety regardless of their status. Her economic positions emphasize protecting the rights of federal employees, increasing the minimum wage, and ensuring fair labor practices for contract workers. In the realm of infrastructure, she prioritizes federal investment in public transit, green energy, and the maintenance of urban national parks. Her foreign policy positions include a focus on international human rights through the Congressional Human Rights Caucus and support for diplomatic engagement, such as easing travel restrictions to Cuba.