WASHINGTON – Four people, including a man on a hunger strike, have been arrested during a protest of a federal budget bill that would restrict the way the District can spend local tax dollars.
A bill passed by the House on Friday bans the District of Columbia from funding abortions for poor women.
Congress re-imposed the ban in April as part of a deal that averted a federal shutdown. Over the last two decades, the District has only been free to spend money on abortions when Democrats have controlled the presidency, the Senate and the House.
D.C. Vote, which advocates for the District, organized the protest outside a House office building.
A U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman says the four were arrested for allegedly obstructing passage on U.S. Capitol grounds. D.C. shadow senator candidate Pete Ross and DC Vote spokesman James Jones were among those arrested.
WTOP’s Mark Segraves was live tweeting from Capitol Hill. Follow his tweets below.
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