[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 71 (Wednesday, April 26, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E544]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FEDERAL OFFICIALS RESIDENCY 
                        REQUIREMENT EQUALITY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 26, 2017

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the District of Columbia 
Federal Officials Residency Requirement Equality Act, a bill that would 
amend federal law to require certain federal officials who serve the 
District of Columbia to actually live within its boundaries. In nearly 
every other jurisdiction in the United States, federal district court 
judges, U.S. Attorneys, and U.S. Marshals are required by federal law 
to reside within the jurisdictions where they have been appointed--but 
these same officials appointed to serve the people of the District are 
not bound by these same requirements. Even in the territories that have 
such officials, the officials must live in those districts, other than 
the U.S. Attorney and U.S. Marshal appointed for the Northern Mariana 
Islands who at the same time are serving in the same capacity in 
another district. The only other exceptions exist for such officials 
appointed to the Southern District of New York and the Eastern District 
of New York, which are the only districts that serve different parts of 
the same city. My bill would put D.C. on equal footing with almost 
every other jurisdiction by ensuring that our Marshals, judges, and 
U.S. Attorney live among the residents they have been appointed to 
represent.
  Clearly, the idea that these federal officials ought to live in the 
jurisdictions they serve is a significant one--which is why the 
residency requirement for other jurisdictions is enshrined in federal 
law. Yet, D.C. was exempt from this requirement based on the now-
outdated notion that the District is too congested and small to house 
these appointed officials. The District is a vibrant and bustling city 
with a diverse populace who deserve direct engagement on the part of 
its federal judges, U.S. attorney, and Marshals. My bill recognizes the 
fact that D.C. deserves the same type of community involvement by these 
federal officials as nearly every jurisdiction.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

                          ____________________