[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 186 (Thursday, November 9, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1081]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE SERVICE ACADEMIES DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA EQUALITY ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 9, 2023

  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 
10 nominations for each appointment. Therefore, since D.C. has no 
senators, D.C. is deprived of 10 appointments and, assuming all 
appointments are vacant, 10 nominations to each service academy. I am 
pleased 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 serve a country that denies them 
statehood, congressional voting rights and full home rule. D.C. 
residents have fought in every American war, and D.C. residents, who 
pay all federal taxes, including paying more federal taxes per capita 
than the residents of any state, deserve the same opportunity to attend 
our prestigious service academies as residents of states.
  D.C.'s population (690,000) is larger than that of two states and is 
in line with the six states that have a population under one million. 
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 deserve equality at the service 
academies.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

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