[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 113 (Thursday, July 29, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FULL SELF-GOVERNMENT ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 29, 2010

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the District of 
Columbia Full Self-Government Act. The bill would grant the District of 
Columbia almost complete home rule. It would mark the most significant 
advancement in the District's local autonomy since Congress first 
created the District government's structure and operating rules in the 
Home Rule Act of 1973. The bill would eliminate almost all of the 
requirements and limitations imposed on the District by Congress in the 
Home Rule Act, so that the District could structure its operations and 
provide services in any manner that it chooses. Aside from a statehood 
or voting rights bill, no bill would do more to grant the federal 
taxpaying citizens of the District of Columbia their equal citizenship 
rights.
  Under the bill, the District's government would be able to operate 
similarly to how most state and local governments operate. For example, 
the District, like every state, would be able to set its own fiscal 
year. Under the Home Rule Act, the District's general government fiscal 
year must begin in October, while its fiscal year for schools must 
begin in July. In contrast, almost every state and local government's 
fiscal year for all operations begins in July, enabling these 
jurisdictions to better plan and coordinate their operations and 
services.
  In addition, the District would no longer have to come to Congress 
before it could make changes to its operations. For example, the 
District's major change in school governance structure that eliminated 
the school board and placed responsibility for schools in the mayor was 
held up for weeks because it had to be enacted by Congress, which 
caused serious problems for the opening of schools. Recently, I had to 
introduce a bill to reduce the waiting period for holding special 
elections to fill vacancies on the D.C. City Council from 114 days to 
70 days. Previously, Ward 4 and Ward 7 were left without representation 
because the council could not reduce the period to fill vacancies.
  The bill would accomplish what I have been fighting for since I 
entered Congress: legislative and budget autonomy for the District. The 
bill, like my stand-alone budget and legislative autonomy bills, would 
eliminate the requirement that the city's laws layover in Congress for 
30 or 60 days before they take effect, and would eliminate the 
requirement that the city's local budget be affirmatively approved by 
Congress before it takes effect.
  The bill would not only remove Congress from the District's 
legislative process, it would free the District to operate and provide 
services as it sees fit. The bill would eliminate all of the budget, 
financial management, audit and borrowing requirements imposed on the 
city by the Home Rule Act, and would permit the city to set the powers, 
organization, and procedures of the Office of the Mayor and the city 
council. It is important to note that the bill would have no effect on 
existing contractual or other financial obligations incurred by the 
District, on any elected or appointed District official or other 
District employee, or on any pending legal actions or proceedings.
  Even with this bill, however, there would be two important 
limitations on the District's autonomy. First, Congress would retain 
its ultimate legislative authority over the District under the U.S. 
Constitution. The only way to completely eliminate congressional 
authority would be to amend the Constitution or to make the District a 
state. Second, like the Home Rule Act, the bill specifically precludes 
the city council from legislating over certain matters, such as height 
limitations on buildings.

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