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D.C. Traffic Camera Fight Heads to Full House as Norton Calls Bill ‘Paternalistic’ and ‘Petty’

March 24, 2026

A House committee has approved legislation along party lines that would prohibit Washington, D.C., from using automated traffic enforcement cameras and reverse certain local traffic regulations, including restrictions on right-turn-on-red rules. The bill's sponsor, Representative Scott Perry from Pennsylvania, argues that D.C.'s 536 cameras have become a revenue-generating scheme rather than a legitimate safety measure, despite his home state using similar technology. D.C.'s congressional delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and civil liberties organizations have condemned the measure as undemocratic federal overreach that would eliminate approximately $200 million in annual local revenue and undermine the city's autonomy.

Who is affected

  • Washington, D.C. residents and local government officials
  • Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.)
  • Commuters and drivers in Washington, D.C.
  • Pedestrians and cyclists in D.C.
  • Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) and House Committee members
  • American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia (ACLU-D.C.)
  • DC Vote (statehood advocacy organization)
  • D.C.'s chief financial officer and local budget

What action is being taken

  • The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has approved H.R. 5525 (the "Stop DC CAMERA Act") in a 21-19 party-line vote
  • Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton is working to stop the bill from advancing further
  • Members of DC Vote are planning to travel to Pennsylvania to survey residents in Perry's district about their priorities

Why it matters

  • This legislation matters because it represents federal intervention in local D.C. governance despite residents having no voting representation in Congress. The bill would eliminate approximately $200 million in annual revenue from the District's budget while removing a traffic enforcement tool that local officials argue protects public safety. The measure highlights the broader issue of D.C.'s limited autonomy and reignites debates about statehood and democratic representation, as Congress can override laws passed by locally elected officials without input from D.C. residents.

What's next

  • The bill now heads to the full House for consideration
  • Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton will work to stop the bill from advancing further
  • DC Vote plans to travel to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to survey residents in Rep. Perry's district about whether D.C. traffic laws rank among their top concerns

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer

D.C. Traffic Camera Fight Heads to Full House as Norton Calls Bill ‘Paternalistic’ and ‘Petty’