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The District of Columbia Deserves a Place in Statuary Hall

Date: Feb. 3, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Taxes Federal, State and Local Relations

Pelosi to Speaker Hastert:

Washington, D.C. - Today, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi sent the following letter to Speaker Hastert asking him to support legislation offered by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA) that would permit two statues honoring citizens of the District of Columbia to be placed in Statuary Hall of the Capitol. This is the same respect paid to the residents of the other states.

The text of the letter follows.

February 3, 2005

The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert
Speaker
U. S. House of Representatives
H-232 U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Mr. Speaker:

For more than 200 years, the area eventually named the District of Columbia has been the seat of our nation's federal government. The residents of the District of Columbia have been faithful participants in American life. District residents have proudly served in our armed forces, fighting and dying in war. They continue to pay taxes without voting representation in Congress. By any measure, District residents deserve to have the symbols of their history displayed in their Capitol.

I am writing you to request that you join me in honoring the history and sacrifice of District residents by supporting legislation offered by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA) that would permit two statues honoring citizens of the District of Columbia to be placed in Statuary Hall of the Capitol. This is the same respect paid to the residents of the other states.

In addition, I want to bring to your attention a letter I wrote you on November 14, 2003, in which I recommended the name of Dr. Bettye Gardner as a member of a special task force on slave laborers that worked on the construction of the United States Capitol. As you may remember, former Congressman J.C. Watts and Congressman John Lewis collaborated to honor the role slaves played in the construction of the Capitol. To date, this special task force has not met, meaning that another opportunity to highlight a significant historical role of District residents has been missed.

I hope that you will join me in working to ensure that the rich history of District residents receives its proper respect in the Capitol.

Sincerely,

Nancy Pelosi

Democratic Leader


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