Norton, Kaine Introduce Bill to Give D.C. Equal Number of Service Academy Nominations and Appointments as States

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced their bill to give the District of Columbia the same number of U.S. service academy nominations and appointments as states. Currently, each member of the House and Senate is allocated five appointments to each of the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy, and is allowed to nominate 10 people for each appointment as it becomes vacant. However, because D.C. has no senators, the District is deprived of 10 appointments to each of these service academies.

“This bill would bring equality to the residents of the District who choose to serve their country by applying to a service academy,” Norton said. “It is remarkable that D.C. residents volunteer to serve a country that denies them statehood, congressional voting rights and full home rule. Yet, District residents have fought in every American war, and our residents, who pay all federal taxes, including paying more federal taxes per capita than the residents of any state, deserve to have the same access to our prestigious service academies as residents of the states.”

“Any young person who hopes to receive a nomination and attend one of our nation’s service academies should have the same opportunity to do so no matter where they live,” said Kaine. “That’s why I’m joining Congresswoman Norton in introducing this bill to provide residents of D.C. with the same opportunity to pursue military service as young people in other states.”

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