Nine Attacks on DC’s Local Authority, and How We Responded

This has been one of the busiest years DC Vote has had defending DC’s legal right to govern itself. Congress introduced, marked up, or passed nine separate measures targeting DC’s local authority, on everything from tax policy to policing to the district’s own boundaries. Here is what happened, and what we did about each one.

H.J. Res. 142: Congress overturns a DC tax law
In December 2025, the DC Council passed a temporary law decoupling DC’s tax code from certain federal tax provisions the Council determined would drain revenue DC needed for schools and public safety. Rep. Brandon Gill introduced H.J. Res. 142 to reverse it, the House passed it in February, the Senate followed, and it was signed into law that same month, only the fifth time Congress has disapproved a DC law since Home Rule began, and the first time over a DC revenue measure. DC Vote responded with rapid response materials, base mobilization, a virtual press conference alongside Free DC and DC Appleseed, press releases, talking points, social content, and grassroots emails to Congress.

H.R. 5103, the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act
Introduced in September 2025 and passed by the House in March, this bill codifies a federal executive order into law, establishing a commission to oversee DC criminal justice and immigration matters that, as introduced, gave DC’s own local government no seat at the table. DC Vote coordinated coalition briefings and ran targeted social and email mobilization against it.

H.R. 5525, the Stop DC CAMERA Act
Also introduced in September 2025 and marked up by committee in March, this bill would repeal DC’s authority to operate automated traffic enforcement, the speed and red light cameras credited with cutting traffic deaths nearly in half last year. DC Vote built a coalition sign-on letter, held a briefing with Congresswoman Norton, produced a constituent video in Rep. Scott Perry’s own district, and secured earned media with NBC Washington and WMAL.

H.R. 8455, the Make DC Square Again Act
Introduced in April, this bill would reverse the 1846 retrocession of Arlington County and the City of Alexandria, pulling roughly 250,000 Virginia residents back under DC’s jurisdiction without their input, a move its own sponsor tied explicitly to shifting Virginia’s congressional map. DC Vote tracked and responded to this bill targeting DC’s boundaries and retrocession authority.

H.R. 8801, the DC ROADS Act
Introduced in May by Rep. Scott Perry and marked up later that month, this bill would permanently bar DC from ever enacting congestion pricing, despite no such charge existing or being proposed in DC at the time. DC Vote tracked and responded to this bill stripping DC’s local government of its congestion pricing authority.

S.J. Res. 194 and S.J. Res. 195: nullifying DC’s police transparency laws
Introduced together in June, these two resolutions target laws the DC Council passed unanimously earlier in the year requiring the Metropolitan Police Department to document and release footage when federal agents use force or make arrests alongside MPD, transparency measures the Council built in direct response to increased federal law enforcement activity in DC. DC Vote tracked and responded to both disapproval resolutions.

H.R. 9720, the DC Taxing Authority Review Act
Introduced in July and passed out of committee on a party-line vote, this bill would flip DC’s entire tax review process so DC’s own tax and fee decisions cannot take effect at all without affirmative congressional approval. DC Vote sent a rapid response email, delivered a press statement at the markup, and coordinated messaging with statehood table allies, especially DCFPI.

The FY27 FSGG Appropriations Bill
Beyond standalone bills, DC riders tucked into the annual Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill remain one of the most persistent threats every year, since they can restrict DC’s local authority without ever getting a dedicated floor vote. DC Vote tracked DC-specific riders in this year’s bill and coordinated partner messaging by issue area, covering reproductive health, public safety, and economic security.

The throughline
Nine different bills, nine different subjects, one pattern. Congress, a body DC residents cannot vote for or against, keeps deciding it knows better than DC’s own elected local government on tax policy, traffic safety, policing transparency, and even DC’s own boundaries. Home rule gives DC residents a local government. It does not protect that government’s decisions from a Congress DC has no vote in. Every one of these fights is proof of exactly what statehood would fix.