Norton Reintroduces Bill to Make D.C. Eligible for Same Federal Funding Under Two Wildlife Conservation Laws as States

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reintroduced a bill that would make D.C. eligible for federal funding under two federal wildlife conservation laws, the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act.

"Excluding D.C. from access to this federal funding has serious repercussions for the District and its approximately 7,800 acres of parkland," Norton said. "D.C. should be eligible for all the same federal funding, including conservation funding, as states. I have consistently worked to have D.C. treated as a state for the purposes of federal funding and this legislation is no different."

Norton's introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act District of Columbia Equality Act

February 20, 2026

Today, I introduce the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act District of Columbia Equality Act. This bill would make the District of Columbia eligible for federal funding under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act in the same manner as states. D.C. residents pay the same federal taxes as residents of the states and, therefore, D.C. should be treated as a state under federal programs. D.C. has roughly 7,800 acres of parkland, covering nearly a quarter of the city.

The Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act provides funding to states for five distinct purposes: program administration, wildlife restoration, basic hunter education and safety, enhanced hunter education and safety grants and multistate conservation grants. In general, D.C. is not eligible for 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, each state receives a minimum of one percent of the total amount apportioned, while D.C. is capped at one-third of one percent.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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