[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 107 (Monday, June 23, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E605]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ZONING COMMISSION HOME RULE 
                                  ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 23, 2025

  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 (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. 
Federal officials are members of the Commission even though the 
Commission has no authority over federal property.
  Land use is a quintessential local matter. 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 not 
accountable to the more than 700,000 D.C. residents. 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 planning agency for 
the federal government in D.C. and approves federal projects in D.C., 
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 bill is an important step to increase D.C. home rule. I urge my 
colleagues to support this bill.

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