[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 127 (Monday, July 24, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E706]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ZONING COMMISSION HOME RULE 
                                  ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 24, 2023

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the District of Columbia 
Zoning Commission Home Rule Act. This bill would give the District of 
Columbia the authority to appoint all members of the D.C. Zoning 
Commission (Commission). Currently, the membership of the Commission 
consists of two federal officials (the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) 
and the Director of the National Park Service (NPS)) and three members 
appointed by the D.C. mayor, subject to D.C. Council approval. The 
federal officials are members even though the Commission has no 
authority over federal property.
  Land use is a quintessential local matter in our country. Despite the 
D.C. Home Rule Act, which gave D.C. authority over local matters, 40 
percent of the members of the Commission are federal officials, who are 
unaccountable to the nearly 700,000 residents who live in D.C.. The 
federal government would lose nothing under this bill because the 
federal government's land-use interests in the nation's capital are 
protected by federal law and federal agencies.
  The Commission creates the zoning maps and regulations, which must 
``not be inconsistent with the comprehensive plan for the national 
capital.'' The mayor is responsible for the local elements of the 
comprehensive plan, subject to Council approval. The National Capital 
Planning Commission (NCPC), which is the central federal planning 
agency for the federal government in D.C. and approves federal projects 
here, is responsible for the federal elements of the comprehensive 
plan. This bill would not alter the comprehensive plan process or the 
authority of NCPC and the Commission.
  This bill would immediately remove the AOC and the NPS Director from 
the Commission, and the Commission would, at least initially, consist 
solely of three mayoral appointees. D.C. would have the authority to 
reconstitute the membership of the Commission through local 
legislation.
  This is an important step to increase D.C. home rule, and I urge my 
colleagues to support this bill.

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