WASHINGTON, D.C. —Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)has expressed profound disappointment that the third coronavirus bill, which was signed into law on Friday, March 27, treats the District of Columbia as a territory instead of as a state in the state stabilization fund, depriving the District of $750 million.
Senate Republicans, who wrote the bill, intentionally treated the District as a territory—even though D.C. pays full federal taxes, pays more in federal taxes than 22 states, and pays more federal taxes per capita than any state. The District is virtually always treated as a state for federal funding. Norton said she is working with House Democratic leaders and Democratic allies in the Senate to make the District whole in the next coronavirus response bill.
In the third coronavirus bill, D.C. is treated as a territory for the first time in memory for purposes of federal funding. The bill gives $3 billion to the five territories and the District based on population, with the District estimated to receive $500 million. In contrast, each state will receive a minimum of $1.25 billion, with states receiving funding above that amount based on population. See Congresswoman Norton’s Weekly Newsletter at https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgxwHMZRzCVjrvQJsnzMkNrTgcljs
