Introduction of the Service Academies District of Columbia Equality Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Service Academies District of Columbia Equality Act, which would give the District of Columbia the same number of appointments and nominations to the U.S. service academies as states. Currently, each member of the House and each senator is allocated five appointments to each service academy-- the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy--and each member of the House and each senator is allowed 15 nominations for each appointment. Therefore, since D.C. has no senators, D.C. is deprived of 10 appointments and, assuming all appointments are vacant, 150 nominations to each service academy. Senator Tim Kaine has introduced the companion bill.

This bill would provide equality for D.C. residents who choose to serve their country by applying to a service academy. It is remarkable that D.C. residents volunteer to fight and die for a country that denies them statehood, voting representation in Congress and full home rule. D.C. servicemembers have helped secure voting rights for people around the world, yet have always been denied those same rights when they returned home. D.C. residents, who pay the same federal taxes as residents of states, deserve the same opportunity as residents of states to attend our prestigious service academies.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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