House Republicans Target D.C. Autonomy with Sweeping Restrictions and Funding Cuts

House Republicans have advanced an appropriations bill that imposes significant restrictions on Washington, D.C.'s ability to govern itself.

The bill includes measures to slash funding for local programs, block marijuana sales, ban noncitizen voting, and override local laws on issues like gun control, abortion, and traffic safety. Critics, including D.C.'s congressional delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, have condemned the bill as unreasonable and patronizing, arguing it undermines the city's home rule and self-governance. The proposed legislation has reignited longstanding tensions over D.C.'s lack of full autonomy and representation in Congress.

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