WASHINGTON — D.C. residents should be able to have a beer at a football game, too.
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., wants to make sure that D.C. driver’s licenses and identification cards are recognized at NFL stadiums after a September incident where a vendor at the New York Giant’s MetLife Stadium didn’t recognize the ID and refused to sell the resident alcohol.
Norton wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Wednesday asking him to ensure vendors are familiar with the D.C. license.
“This is unacceptable, as you can imagine, and embarrassing. I request that the NFL take action to ensure that all alcohol vendors can recognize D.C. licenses,” Norton said in the letter.
D.C. updated its licenses a few years ago to include “District of Columbia” at the top rather than “Washington, D.C.” The change has resulted in confusion that has extended beyond stadiums.
There has been a push to train Transportation Security Administration on how to recognize D.C. IDs after several instances where travelers were questioned about the validity of the licenses. TSA responded by instituting frequent briefings so that Transportation Safety Officers recognize the ID.
“Since then, reported issues at airports have decreased. We request and appreciate similar action from the NFL,” Norton said in the letter.
In May 2014, D.C. updated its IDs to comply with federal REAL ID rules, which tackle weaknesses exposed during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
“D.C. residents live in the nation’s capital and have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying their full weight of federal taxes and serving in the armed forces. I ask that the NFL take action that will ensure my constituents are welcome at NFL games like other Americans,” Norton said in the letter.
Read the full text of the letter from Norton:
Dear Commissioner Goodell:
I am writing regarding an incident involving a District of Columbia resident at a National Football League (NFL) game in New Jersey in September. I have been informed that a vendor refused to sell this D.C. resident alcohol at the Washington football team’s game against the New York Giants at MetLife stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey because the vendor did not recognize the newest version of the D.C. driver’s license. This is unacceptable, as you can imagine, and embarrassing. I request that the NFL take action to ensure that all alcohol vendors can recognize D.C. licenses.
Since the District updated its driver’s licenses to comply with federal REAL ID rules, residents have reported to my office other contexts in which their license has been denied. The District received press attention when Transportation Safety Officers (TSOs) at U.S. airports failed to recognize the licenses, but since bringing this issue to the attention of the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA), TSA has instituted frequent briefings so that TSOs recognize the ID. Since then, reported issues at airports have decreased. We request and appreciate similar action from the NFL.
D.C. residents live in the nation’s capital and have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying their full weight of federal taxes and serving in the armed forces. I ask that the NFL take action that will ensure my constituents are welcome at NFL games like other Americans.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Holmes Norton
