[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 34 (Monday, February 26, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E179-E180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF THE PITTMAN-ROBERTSON WILDLIFE RESOTRATION ACT AND 
    DINGELL-JOHNSON SPORT FISH RESTORATION ACT DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 
                              EQUALITY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 26, 2024

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Pittman-Robertson 
Wildlife Restoration Act and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act 
District of Columbia Equality Act, which would make the District of 
Columbia eligible for the same federal funding as states under the 
Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the Dingell-Johnson 
Sport Fish Restoration Act. D.C. residents pay full federal taxes and 
therefore D.C. is treated as a state under federal programs, with 
limited exceptions, most of them simply oversights or failures to 
update post-home rule.
  The Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act provides funding, 
derived from excise taxes on sporting equipment, for five distinct 
purposes: program administration, wildlife restoration, basic hunter 
education and safety, enhanced hunter education and safety grants,

[[Page E180]]

and multistate conservation grants. D.C. does not receive any funding 
under this Act. The Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act provides 
funding for sport fish restoration, aquatic education, wetlands 
restoration, and boat-related activities. Under this Act, states 
receive a minimum of one percent of the total amount apportioned, while 
D.C. is capped at one-third of one percent.
  This omission and lack of parity under these Acts have serious 
consequences for D.C. D.C. has roughly 7,800 acres of parkland covering 
nearly a quarter of the city, which means it has more parkland per 
capita than any other city in the United States. This bill would define 
``State'' in these Acts to include D.C., providing D.C. with equal 
funding for wildlife conservation in our Nation's capital.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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