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Clean Budget Autonomy Bill Introduced, Action Expected on Two Home Rule Proposals
| Source: |
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DCist.com |
| Date: |
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012 |
| Author: |
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Martin Austermuhle |
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) introduced a bill yesterday that would allow D.C. to spend its money when and how it wants and set its own fiscal year, reports Roll Call. Lieberman's bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii).
“The people of the District of Columbia should not be held hostage to the gyrations of a divided Congress,” he said in a statement. “Our bill would give the District greater control over its own funds and end the fiscal uncertainty that comes from what have become routine protracted Congressional budget battles."
Still, the bill wouldn't provide D.C. with complete control over its budget:
The bill would not completely remove the federal government from the equation, however. As with all D.C. Council-passed bills, Congress would have a window in which to review the budget, during which time it could vote on a “statement of disapproval” that would also have to be signed into law by the president.
Both D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and Mayor Vince Gray thanked Lieberman for introducing the bill. D.C. budget autonomy has been picking up steam on the Hill, and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) has been working to introduce a similar measure in the House. Still, a recent threat by a prominent pro-life group over restrictions on the use of local funds for abortions could create obstacles for the passage of either of the two bills.
In related news, Lieberman's Senate committee will mark up two bills today that affect D.C. The first would remove the city from the federal Hatch Act, allowing it instead to implement its own local version of the law that limits the political activities of certain government officials and civil servants. Additionally, the committee will consider a bill that would give D.C. more flexibility in scheduling special elections. Currently, a special election has to be held on the first Tuesday 114 days after a vacancy is declared; under a proposal sponsored by Norton, an election could be scheduled at any point between 70 and 174 days after the vacancy.
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http://dcist.com/2012/04/clean_budget_autonomy_bill_introduc .php
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