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Stanley Cup fever hits Congress with bet between politicians

WASHINGTON — A Stanley Cup battle between the Golden Knights and the Washington Capitals spilled into the halls of Congress where Rep. Dina Titus of Las Vegas and District of Columbia Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton wagered on the matchup.

The two veteran lawmakers made a political statement out of the bet, noting their opposition to congressional attempts to establish the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada and the failure of Congress to approve statehood for the District of Columbia.

“Unfortunately, D.C. and Las Vegas both know what it is like to have the federal government trample on you,” said Norton, a non-voting delegate representing Washington in the House.

The Golden Knights will have the home rink advantage in the best of seven series, which begins Monday.

Titus noted that the Capitals have had success, “but as team after team has learned this season, when it comes to Las Vegas, the house always wins.”

The lawmakers wagered a gift bag of “goodies” from their respective congressional districts, and vowed to support each other’s pet causes: DC statehood and opposition to Yucca Mountain.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.

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