DC Vote Urges House Committee to Reject Sweeping Attack on DC’s Fiscal Independence

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeannette O’Connor at [email protected] 

DC Vote Urges House Committee to Reject Sweeping Attack on DC’s Fiscal Independence

Bill would give Congress veto power over local tax and fee decisions, undermining essential services and DC residents’ right to govern themselves

WASHINGTON, DC (July 21, 2026) — DC Vote today called on members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to vote against the DC Taxing Authority Review Act (H.R. 9720), which would severely restrict the District’s ability to manage its own finances.

The Committee is scheduled to consider the bill at a markup on Wednesday, July 22. Introduced by Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY), the legislation would require both chambers of Congress to approve any Washington, DC law that changes local code regarding taxes, licenses, permits, fees or assessments. If Congress failed to act within 60 days, the local law would not take effect.

For District residents, the bill could affect far more than an abstract debate over tax policy. It would threaten the District’s bond rating by interfering with the District’s ability to raise its own revenue, and interfere with local development through restricting changes to housing tax credits, sports facilities fees, and supermarket tax incentives. Local taxes and fees fund schools, public safety, affordable housing, transportation, health care, sanitation, and other essential services. The legislation would make it harder for DC’s elected leaders to balance the local budget, respond to emergencies or changing economic conditions, and make routine decisions about how to pay for the services residents rely on.

“This bill seeks to expand taxation without representation. 700,000 DC residents already endure federal taxation without any vote in Congress. This bill would put members of Congress, who do not represent and are not accountable to DC residents, in charge of DC’s local taxation too. DC residents elect a local mayor and Council to make difficult choices about the local budget, services, and economy. Those decisions should be debated here in the District, in public, by the officials DC residents elect—not left to lawmakers from other states who can delay or block them for political reasons,” said Amy Vruno, Executive Director of DC Vote. 

“Only DC statehood can provide a lasting solution by giving DC residents full voting representation in Congress and protecting fundamental rights to self-governance. In the meantime, we urge every member of the House Oversight Committee to stand up for local democracy and vote no on HR9720. Don’t members of Congress have enough on their plates? They should focus on delivering results for the American people rather than spending time on political stunts and trying to micromanage local DC affairs.” 

“DC residents alone should decide when and how we raise revenue to support our communities and economy. But once again, Congress is trampling on our autonomy and compounding the damage done with each new attempt at stripping us of our rights. This bill goes further than ever, flipping the process so that many of DC’s laws won’t take effect unless Congress actively approves them. DC has managed its budget responsibly for decades, even with repeated federal interference, and we deserve the same authority as any other government to make our own decisions without reprisals from Congress,” said Erica Williams, Executive Director, DC Fiscal Policy Institute.

Under current law, measures approved by the DC Council are already subject to congressional review. H.R. 9720 would go substantially further by requiring affirmative approval from both the House and Senate before covered local measures could take effect. It would create additional uncertainty and delay for residents, businesses, and city agencies while making it more difficult for the District to plan responsibly for its future. 

This bill is the latest reminder that DC’s limited home rule can be weakened whenever Congress chooses to intervene. The nearly 700,000 people who call Washington, DC, home pay federal taxes, serve in the military, and fulfill all the responsibilities of citizenship, yet they have no voting representation in Congress and lack the same control over their local affairs enjoyed by residents of every state.