>>> ON MONDAY THE HOUSE
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE CONSIDERS A
BILL ON STATEHOOD OR WASHINGTON,
D.C.
JUST YESTERDAY THE WHITE HOUSE
THREW THEIR SUPPORT BEHIND THE
CREATION OF A 51st STATE.
>> THERES A HEARING ON D.C.
STATE
STATEHOOD.
>> YES.
HE SUPPORTS D.C. STATEHOOD.
>> JOINING ME NOW IS THE AUTHOR
OF THAT BILL, WASHINGTON, D.C.
CONGRESSWOMAN ELEANOR HOLMES
NORTON ON THE OVERSIGHT AND
REFORM COMMITTEE.
CONGRESSWOMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR YOUR TIME.
GIVE US PROCEDURAL LESSON HERE.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS OR GETTING
STATEHOOD PASSED?
DESCRIBE WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN
NEXT.
>> WERE GOING TO HAVE A
HEARING, AND WE KNOW WHAT THE
OUTCOME OF THE HEARING IS GOING
TO BE BECAUSE WE HAVE A WHOPPING
54% OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
SUPPORTING STATEHOOD.
THE REASON WE GOT THAT NUMBER IS
BECAUSE OF THE LAST HEARING AND
USUALLY TAKES MORE THAN ONE
HEARING LIKE THIS TO GET A BILL
LIKE THIS PASSED.
IF YOU ADD THE DISTRICT PAYS
FEDERAL TAXES, INDEED, THE
HIGHEST FEDERAL TAXES PER CAPITA
IN THE UNITED STATES, WITHOUT
FULL REPRESENTATION IN THE HOUSE
AND THE SENATE, YOU GO FROM 54%
TO 58% OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,
INCLUDING 42% OF REPUBLICANS.
WERE ON OUR WAY.
>> LET ME ASK YOU WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN IT GOES TO THE SENATE.
AS OF MARCH 17th YOU HAD 215
CO-SPONSORS OF YOUR BILL BUT
REALISTICALLY CAN STATEHOOD PASS
WITH THE FILIBUSTER STILL
INTACT?
WHAT ARE THE SENATE COLLEAGUES
TELLING YOU ON THIS?
>> WE HAVE 90% OF THE DEMOCRATS,
CLOSE TO BEING 100% OF THEM.
>> WHO OPPOSES IT FROM THE
DEMOCRATS?
>> EXCUSE ME?
>> CAN YOU TELL ME WHO OPPOSES
IT FROM THE DEMOCRATIC SENATORS
YOU HAVE SPOKEN TO?
>> NONE OF THEM SAY THEY OPPOSE
IT.
>> OKAY.
>> THEY HAVE VARIOUS WAYS OF
SAYING WE ARE GETTING TO IT.
>> GOT IT.
>> I THINK WE CAN GET ALL OF OUR
DEMOCRATS BUT THE -- IM NOT
WORRIED ABOUT THE FILIBUSTER THE
WAY I WAS LAST TERM BECAUSE THE
FILIBUSTER IS CLEARLY ON THE
LAST LEGS.
THE SENATE DID NOT ON TIME
ORGANIZE BECAUSE THEY COULDNT
GET AN AGREEMENT ON THE
FILIBUSTER.
REMEMBER, THE SENATE IS 50-50
NDOUR WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT
BREAKING THE TIE.
ITS ON THE LAST LEGS.
YOU CANT USE IT FOR JUDGESHIPS,
ONLY FOR LEGISLATION.
IT IS GOING, GOING, GONE BECAUSE
THE SENATE CAN GET NOTHING DONE
BECAUSE OF THE FILIBUSTER.
SO THAT THERE IS EVERY REASON TO
BELIEVE THAT THE MORE SENATE AND
THE REASON THE REPUBLICANS LOST
THE SENATE BECAUSE THEY PASSED
NO LEGISLATION, THAT THE MORE
SENATE CAN BE RESCUED TO DO
LEGISLATION AT ALL.
IF AND ONLY IF WE GET RID OF THE
FILIBUSTER.
THATS GOOD FOR D.C. STATEHOOD
AND OTHER LEGISLATION, AS WELL.
>> LETS TALK ABOUT THE CAPITOL.
YOU SUPPORTED THE SCALING BACK
OF FENCING AROUND THE CAPITOL
COMPLEX ESTABLISHED IN THE WAKE
OF THE JANUARY 6 INSURRECTION.
EXPLAIN WHY YOU THINK PUBLIC
ACCESS TO THE CAPITOL IS SO
IMPORTANT AND DO YOU THINK THERE
ARE ALTERNATIVE MEASURES THAT
SHOULD BE TAKEN TO INCREASE
PROTECTION AROUND THE COMPLEX?
>> INDEED.
FOR THE PEOPLES CAPITOL IS
CLOSED YOU JUST CLOSE THE UNITED
STATES.
IM PLEASED TO SAY THAT MY BILL
TO OPEN THE CAPITOL MAY NOT BE
EVEN NEEDED BECAUSE WE ARE
SEEING THE CAPITOL BEING OPENED
AS I SPEAK.
THE TASK FORCE ON THE CAPITOL
HAS RECOMMENDED A RETRACTABLE
FENCE.
THATS A FENCE BELOW GROUND AND
NO FENCE.
THEY WANT 350 ADDITIONAL CAPITOL
POLICE.
THE CAPITOL POLICE ARE WORKING
ON OVERTIME.
THE FENCING IS COMING DOWN.
LITTLE BY LITTLE.
THAT RAZOR WIRE SHOULD BE DON
VERY SHORTLY AND THE
RECOMMENDATION IS THAT BY THE
END OF MARCH ALL OF THE FENCING
WILL BE DOWN AND WILL BE BACK TO
BEING THE CAPITOL WE ALWAYS
WERE.
>> CAN I ASK YOU ABOUT THE WHITE
HOUSE?
THEY SAY THAT THE -- PRESS
SECRETARY CONFIRMED FIRED FIVE
PEOPLE FROM WHITE HOUSE STAFF
DUE TO PAST USE OF DRUGS
INCLUDING MARIJUANA.
DO YOU THINK THESE FIRINGS ARE
APPROPRIATE?
>> IF THATS ON THEIR STAFF, OUR
BILL TO ALLOW MARIJUANA USE IN
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HASNT
GOTTEN THROUGH YET BUT IT HAS IN
MORE THAN A DOZEN STATES.
EVERYBODY BETTER CATCH UP.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND INCREASINGLY
PEOPLE OF EVERY DESCRIPTION AND
AGE USE MARIJUANA.
NOT ME.
BUT APPARENTLY IT SERVES A
PURPOSE.
ITS NOT THE KIND OF DRUG THAT
EVERYONE IS MOST CONCERNED
ABOUT.
>> IT IS ALSO SOMETHING THE VICE
PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS OPENED
ADMITTED TO DOING AND SEEMS LIKE