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CBC Roundup: Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC) & Stacey Plaskett (VI) - the people deserve a vote [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-01-16

With the focus on the outrageousness of Trump threatening to use economic or military force in order for the US to buy Greenland, we would also do well to focus on cleaning our already dirty house. Four million US citizens in Washington, DC and US colonies don’t have the basic right to representation. These are the citizens who live in Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Listen to Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett’s speech from Jan. 3, 2025.

Washington, DC and the US Territories (actually colonies), are represented in Congress by non-voting members of the U.S. House of Representatives. These delegates and in the case of Puerto Rico, a resident commissioner (elected for 4 and not 2 years), have no right to vote on legislation in the full US House. They can sit on and chair committees and they can propose legislation and can vote in the committees they sit on. Even these limited rights have only been available since the 1970’s, with the exception of Washington DC briefly having had the right to a delegate during from 1871-1875 (As an important aside, Frederick Douglass ran for the nomination, losing to Norton P. Chipman, a white man, who won the nomination and the election.).

This article concerns the 2 members of the CBC who are non-voting delegates, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington, DC and Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett of the US Virgin Islands. The CBC could have had a third member, had Afro-Puerto Rican Ana Irma Rivera Lassen won her bid for resident commissioner from Puerto Rico (see also Caribbean Matters: The fight against Black hair discrimination meets the Puerto Rican Senate and Caribbean Matters: US media ignores Puerto Rico's June gubernatorial primary).

As follows from the above as to what non-voting members can and cannot do, the major way for non-voting members to wield any clout is via their committee assignments. At the time of this writing, I have not been able to locate a comprehensive, updated list of committee assignments. As also follows from this week’s news, hope of accomplishing anything via House committee work looks bleak.

Residents of Washington, DC first gained the right to vote in presidential elections in 1961, under the 23rd Amendment, and first gained a delegate again on September 9, 1970. President Richard Nixon had pushed for full voting representation but that effort was thwarted by segregationists. The first election under the new law was held on March 23, 1971. Congressman Walter Fauntroy (served 1971-1991) won the election and became one of the 13 founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus. During his tenure, Fauntroy fought for home rule and statehood for DC, partially winning the former with the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973 (allows for the direct election of the mayor and city council).

Congressman Fauntroy stepped down in 1990 to run for mayor of Washington, DC, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton winning the seat in the 1990 and subsequent elections. During her tenure, Congresswoman Holmes Norton has been the primary sponsor of 41 bills that have been signed into law. Since her election, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton has continually fought for full voting rights for D.C. residents.

The video below provides a good portrait of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s lifelong work as a civil rights leader.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton has already introduced the District of Columbia Statehood Bill in the 119th US Congress, with Senator Chris Van Hollen introducing the companion bill in the US Senate. She has also already sponsored or co-sponsored 11 other bills. Besides trying to ensure voting rights for DC residents, Congresswoman Holmes Norton has actively beaten back efforts from Republicans to restrict their rights. Here’s one example from a hearing in the House Oversight Committee.

The US Virgin Islands first held a delegate election in 1972, Congressman Ron de Lugo winning that election and serving from (1973-1979) and from (1981-1995). Ron de Lugo was a Democrat (but not a CBC member) and instrumental in lobbying for the seating of delegates to Congress from the US Territories (colonies). starting with Guam and the US Virgin Islands in 1972.

The first CBC member elected from the US Virgin Islands was Congresswoman Donna Christensen (served 1997-2015), not seeking re-election in 2014 in order to run for Governor of the US Virgin Islands. During her term in office, Congresswoman Donna Christensen was the primary sponsor of 8 bills that were enacted into law.

Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (serving 2015 — present) was elected in 2014 to succeed Congresswoman Donna Christensen. Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett has been the sponsor of 2 bills signed into law and has already sponsored 9 bills to the 119th US Congress.

Throughout her tenure, Congresswoman Plaskett has been a strong advocate for territorial rights. In this article, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett explains her speech on the US House floor on January 3, 2025 (Plaskett Explains Bold House Floor Inquiry, Calls for Equal Rights for Territories). Plaskett has twice, proposed an amendment to the Constitution of the United States regarding Presidential election voting rights for residents of all United States territories and commonwealths, H.J Res. 91 (3/23/2017) and H.J. Res. 24 (1/9/2019. Both times the bills were referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (this committee was disbanded by the Republicans in the 118th Congress.).

See below for examples of Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett’s ongoing demands to grant rights to US citizens in the Territories.

For everyone’s information, as it should concern us all when US citizens are being denied civil rights, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights produced a report in December 2023 — The Status of Civil Rights in the U.S. Virgin Islands in which it concluded:

Findings: 1. The lack of self-determination of American citizens living in the U.S. Virgin Islands raises Constitutional, international, and human rights concerns. 2. The international law requirements as mandated by United Nations Treaty, requires the United States to bring the U.S. Virgin Islands to the full measure of self-government. 3. The three political solutions are (a) Independence, (b) Incorporation, and (c ) Free Association. 4. The general population of the U.S. may lack full awareness of the political status of U.S. Citizens living in the Islands. 5. The Department of Interior has an obligation to inform citizens of the U.S. Virgin Islands of the options available and their role within the framework of the United States political system. Recommendations: 1. The United States Commission on Civil Rights should initiate a series of joint discussions with Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Marianas Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands to reference the civil rights concerns on a larger context. 2. The United States Commission on Civil Rights should recommend to the Congress that the Department of Interior, Office of Insular Affairs, draft a proposal for the Congress to consider, that would give U.S. citizens living in the Territories a vote in federal elections and voting representation in Congress. 3. The United States Commission on Civil Rights should recommend to the Congress that it pass legislation implementing the Constitution in full to all the Territories.

This week’s news from the CBC

Thursday (Jan 9): The US Senate voted to advance the Laken Riley Act. Senators Rafael Warnock, Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester voted to proceed, in order to debate and submit amendments to the bill. Senator Cory Booker voted against. At the time of this writing the bill is still being debated in the US Senate. Senate takes up GOP immigration bill as Democrats renew calls for "robust" debate. Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer also voted to advance the bill, and while I may be wrong (it’s a detestable bill), it looks like, from the cited story, that there are enough Democratic votes to support the bill in its original form and some of those voting to advance it want to try to influence their colleagues to either vote no or at least try to make what’s a done deal better. I’ll fill you in either in the body of this article or in the comments as developments occur.

Monday (Jan 13): Members of the CBC celebrated Delta Sigma Theta Sorority’s Founders’ Day. Please also read Denise Oliver-Velez’s article: FYI Democrats: "The Divine Nine" - black sororities and fraternities 101.

x Happy Founders Day to the Sorors of @dstinc1913!



In 1913, twenty-two amazing women founded our illustrious organization on the principles of Service, Sisterhood, and Scholarship.



May we continue to move Forward with Fortitude. pic.twitter.com/1s0OJbxf3P — @repyvetteclarke.bsky.social (@RepYvetteClarke) January 13, 2025

Tuesday (Jan 14):

Rep: Kweisi Mfume proposed an amendment to preserve the jurisdiction of Subcommittee on Government Operations and Federal Workforce and merge it with the newly created DOGE committee. The amendment failed. It seems clear from just this one committee meeting that the Republican regime is going to force their autocratic agenda through as to anything decided in committee meetings

Rep: Jasmine Crockett called for the restoration of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties — Congresswoman Crockett’s amendment failed. I didn’t even know that the Subcommittee had been eliminated under Republican rule. This is contemptible and devastating and a portent of what’s to come as to abrogating our Constitutional rights, instituting fascism/white nationalism in its stead. What’s also foreboding is the sole focus of social media, MSM and alternative media on the exchange between Mace and Crockett, ignoring the fact that Republicans have eliminated and refuse to refuse to reinstate a forum with a focus on ensuring our civil rights and liberties.

x If you want to see the difference between House Dems and House GOP, watch this:



Today, I introduced an amendment to reinstate the Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.



My Republican colleague threatened to physically fight me about it.



Bless her heart. pic.twitter.com/m0F3tGGXxK — Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (@RepJasmine) January 14, 2025

Rep. Kweisi Mfume 29:57; Rep. Jasmine Crockett 48:00; Rep. Maxwell Frost 50:13; Kweisi Mfume 57:30; Rep. Jasmine Crockett 1:11:10; Rep. Jasmine Crockett 1:56:30; Rep. Jasmine Crockett 2:19:28; Rep. Jasmine Crockett 2:25:18; Rep. Maxwell Frost 2:36:10; Rep. Maxwell Frost 2:41:59 Rep. Jasmine Crockett 2:49:30; Rep. Jasmine Crockett 2:55:27.

Wednesday (Jan 15):

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held his weekly press conference.

The House Oversight Committee held it’s first meeting.

The Republicans want to get rid of the teleworking option for federal government employees.

x We had our first Oversight hearing today.



Did we talk about real issues like lowering health care or grocery costs? Nope.



Just a MAGA crusade against federal telework. pic.twitter.com/ckwLYaVSqt — Rep. Shontel Brown (@RepShontelBrown) January 16, 2025

Rep. Kweisi Mfume 38:00 and 1:33:00; Rep. Shontel Brown 1:44:49; Rep. Summer Lee 2:28:19; Rep. Wesley Bell 3:00:57; Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton 3:22:07; Rep. Maxwell Frost 3:31:27; Rep. Jasmine Crockett 3:53:59

Senator Cory Booker participated in the confirmation hearing of Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi of the United States and Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio.

Senator Cory Booker at 2:23:22

Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester participated in confirmation hearing of U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary nominee Sean Duffy.

Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester at 2:02:39.

The US Senate voted on 2 amendments to the Laken Riley Act and this is a mess. Right now it looks like it just got worse. Here’s the back story.

x DEVASTATING. Just devastating. Democrats joined Republicans in good faith to support a windbag messaging amendment by CORNYN, then zero Republicans suppored a substantive Democratic amendment by COONS which mirrors a GOP proposal by BLACKBURN. https://t.co/V5yr1h2xZy — Pablo Manríquez (@PabloReports) January 16, 2025

That said, there are now 49 amendments. It’s hard to say at this point how this ends. The bill should not have had any chance of passing in my opinion. I am still hoping that it doesn’t.

Members of the CBC Celebrated Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Founders’ Day:

x Happy Founders’ Day to my sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated!! Today we remember our dear colleague and soror, the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. 💖💚 pic.twitter.com/Yb2ltgYZjY — Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) January 15, 2025

Reminder: The CBC Roundup is a weekly series, published on Thursdays at 9 AM ET. Members of the CBC are on the frontline of defending our democracy and deserve our full support, so please share widely. For daily updates. see my CBC comments in the Abbreviated Pundit Roundup.

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