HR 214 · 119th CongressIn Committee

District of Columbia Legislative Home Rule Act

Latest updateJan 6, 2025

Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor

Eleanor Norton

Introduced

January 6, 2025

Latest action

January 6, 2025

Legislative Progress

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Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Latest Action

Plain-Language Summary

AI Generated

Under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973, the District's locally elected government has limited autonomy. While the D.C. Council can pass legislation and the Mayor can sign it into law, Congress retains a 30-day review period during which either chamber can block D.C. laws through a resolution of disapproval. This congressional veto power applies to all local legislation, from budget matters to criminal justice reforms. The review period effectively gives Congress a final say over D.C.'s internal affairs, even though D.C. residents have no voting representation in Congress.

This bill eliminates that congressional review mechanism entirely. It repeals Section 604 of the Home Rule Act, which established the process for congressional resolutions of disapproval, and strikes Section 602(c), which imposed the 30-day waiting period. The bill also removes related provisions that required D.C. officials to transmit acts to Congress and track their progress through the review process. Once these amendments take effect, D.C. laws will become effective immediately upon the Mayor's signature or Council passage without any congressional intervention or delay.

The changes apply to all D.C. legislation passed on or after the bill's enactment, including acts signed by the Mayor, vetoes overridden by the Council, acts allowed to become law without the Mayor's signature, and ballot initiatives approved by D.C. voters. No new funding is required, as the bill eliminates an existing administrative process rather than creating new programs. The practical effect is that D.C. gains full legislative autonomy for local matters, though Congress retains its constitutional authority to legislate directly for the District if it chooses to do so.

Key Provisions

1Eliminates the 30-day congressional review period that currently allows either chamber of Congress to block District of Columbia legislation through a resolution of disapproval.
2Repeals Section 604 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which established the formal process for Congress to disapprove D.C. acts.
3Removes the requirement that District officials transmit enacted legislation to Congress and track its progress through the congressional review process.
4Applies the changes to all District legislation passed on or after enactment, including acts signed by the Mayor, vetoes overridden by the Council, and ballot initiatives approved by D.C. voters.
5Makes conforming amendments to remove references to the congressional review period from other sections of the Home Rule Act and related D.C. law.

★ Why this matters

District of Columbia laws will take effect immediately upon passage and the Mayor's signature, without waiting for congressional approval or risking congressional veto. This eliminates a significant delay in the local legislative process and removes Congress's ability to block D.C. policies on matters of purely local concern. The change grants D.C. the same legislative autonomy that states possess, allowing the District to respond more quickly to local needs and priorities without federal interference in internal governance.

● Who this affects

D.C. residents and the District of Columbia Council will gain full control over local legislation without congressional obstruction. The Mayor of the District of Columbia will no longer need to transmit acts to Congress or account for the review period in implementation timelines. Members of Congress will lose their ability to block D.C. laws through disapproval resolutions, though they retain the power to legislate directly for the District. Federal agencies that coordinate with D.C. on shared governance matters may experience streamlined processes. Advocacy organizations focused on D.C. statehood and home rule will see a significant expansion of local democratic authority.

Bill Text

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<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 214

    To amend the District of Columba Home Rule Act to eliminate the 
       Congressional review period for District of Columbia acts.

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 6, 2025

  Ms. Norton introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the 
 Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

                                 A BILL

 
    To amend the District of Columba Home Rule Act to eliminate the 
       Congressional review period for District of Columbia acts.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES IN ACT.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``District of 
Columbia Legislative Home Rule Act''.
    (b) References in Act.--Except as may otherwise be provided, 
whenever in this Act an amendment is expressed in terms of an amendment 
to or repeal of a section or other provision, the reference shall be 
considered to be made to that section or other provision of the 
District of Columbia Home Rule Act.

SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW PERIOD FOR DISTRICT OF 
              COLUMBIA ACTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 602 (sec. 1-206.02, D.C. Official Code) is 
amended by striking subsection (c).
    (b) Congressional Resolutions of Disapproval.--
            (1) In general.--Section 604 (sec. 1-206.04, D.C. Official 
        Code) is repealed.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents is amended 
        by striking the item relating to section 604.
            (3) Exercise of rulemaking power.--This subsection and the 
        amendments made by this subsection are enacted by Congress--
                    (A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the 
                House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively, 
                and as such they shall be considered as a part of the 
                rules of each House, respectively, or of that House to 
                which they specifically apply, and such rules shall 
                supersede other rules only to the extent that they are 
                inconsistent therewith; and
                    (B) with full recognition of the constitutional 
                right of either House to change such rules (so far as 
                relating to such House) at any time, in the same 
                manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any 
                other rule of such House.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) District of columbia home rule act.--(A) Section 303 
        (sec. 1-203.03, D.C. Official Code) is amended--
           …

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Brendan Boyle

D-Pennsylvania · District 2

No position

The public record contains no explicit statements about the District of Columbia Legislative Home Rule Act. While the content shows Congressman Boyle's general policy interests (government reform, local issues, federal funding for communities), there is insufficient information to determine his specific stance on DC home rule. His party affiliation (Democrat) and focus on government reform might suggest possible support for DC self-governance, but this is speculative without direct evidence. A definitive assessment would require his voting record on DC home rule bills or explicit public statements on the topic.

District of Columbia Legislative Home Rule Act

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District of Columbia Legislative Home Rule Act

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● Who this affects

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