House Republicans Push Sweeping Limits on D.C. Autonomy in New Spending Bill

House Republicans have advanced a new appropriations bill that would impose significant restrictions on Washington, D.C.'s ability to govern itself.

The bill includes provisions 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 patronizing and an attack on D.C.'s home rule. The move reignites longstanding tensions over the District's lack of full self-governance and congressional interference in local affairs.

Local leaders and advocates warn that these measures threaten the city's autonomy and the rights of its residents.