House Republicans Move to Strip D.C. of Local Control in Sweeping Spending Bill

House Republicans have advanced an appropriations bill that would significantly curtail Washington, D.C.'s autonomy by imposing federal restrictions on a range of local policies.

The bill includes provisions to block D.C. from spending its own funds on certain programs, slash college tuition assistance, and override local laws on issues like gun control, abortion, marijuana sales, and traffic enforcement. Critics, including D.C.'s sole congressional delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, have condemned the bill as unreasonable and patronizing, arguing it undermines the city's right to self-governance. The move has reignited longstanding tensions over D.C.'s lack of statehood and limited representation in Congress.

Local leaders and advocates warn that these interventions threaten the city's ability to address its own needs and priorities.