DC Vote Counters Today’s House Rule Vote on Disapproval Resolutions By Releasing Letter for DC Autonomy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 7th, 2023

PRESS CONTACT:
Patrice Snow
[email protected]

Washington, DC – Today, the full House will vote to pass the rule for the two disapproval resolutions that would overturn legislation passed by the DC Government. The Revised Criminal Code Act of 2021 and the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act were passed lawfully and enacted to address important local concerns. In response to this latest aggressive affront on DC’s sovereignty and self-determination, DC Vote was joined by 115 organizations on a letter calling for autonomy through DC Statehood and issued the following statement:

“Over 110 groups have joined us in calling for autonomy and self-governance for the people of DC. These groups signed a letter addressed to the entire House and Senate leadership concerning the never-ending attacks on our local government and our right to choose the laws under which we live. The efforts by members of Congress from arbitrary states who want to use DC as a pawn in a political game is dangerous, unfair, and intolerable and can only be solved through Statehood. Right now, Americans are debating important issues in communities throughout this country but what isn’t up for debate is who gets to decide these questions. Only DC’s 700,000 tax paying residents and their locally-elected leadership should decide what is best for the people of the District of Columbia.”

The letter reads:

Congress Should Stay Out of the District of Columbia’s Local Affairs

Addressed to bi-partisan House and Senate Leadership

We, the undersigned organizations, representing millions of Americans from across the country, are concerned about the numerous measures that have been introduced that will unjustly undermine critical local decisions made by the people of the District of Columbia and their elected leadership. These local laws were enacted to address important local concerns, most notably criminal justice reform, reproductive freedom, democracy and equal treatment under the law. Efforts by members of Congress to impose legislative “riders” or pass disapproval resolutions usurp the prerogative of the District of Columbia’s elected mayor and council and the residents they represent.

We also urge Congress to refrain from taking action that could threaten the District’s Local Budget Autonomy Act. The Act allows the District to spend local tax dollars based on its local budget at the beginning of the new fiscal year. The DC Superior Court has ruled the Act is valid, and the DC Council and mayor are proceeding with the District’s local budget in accordance with the law.

We understand that some in Congress are still seeking to use the legislative process to impose policy riders upon the people of the District. The undersigned organizations advocate on diverse issues and are united in our opposition to the inclusion of any legislative vehicle that overrides, limits or otherwise usurps locally elected decision-making by the District of Columbia.

Already, in just the first month of the new Congress, legislators have promised or introduced measures that takes away the fundamental right to self-governance from the people of Washington, DC.

Congressional interference in these local matters is unfair and intolerable.

Right now, Americans are debating important issues in communities throughout this country. But what is not up for debate is who gets to decide these questions. DC’s locally-elected leadership should decide what is best for the people of the District of Columbia.

The Mayor of the District of Columbia and the DC Council were elected by DC residents to represent their interests. Congress does not impose its views on any other local jurisdiction, and Americans in DC have no vote in the Congress to cast against this egregious and increasingly relentless attack on their local democracy. We expect Congress to be consistent by letting District residents manage their own affairs without interference or meddling.

We urge you to respect local autonomy and oppose any efforts that seek to force Congress’ views upon DC residents.

Sincerely,

DC Vote

51 for 51

ACLU

ACLU of DC

All Souls Church Unitarian

American Family Voices

American Federation of Government Employees Anacostia Coordinating Council

Bend the Arc: Jewish Action

Better Organizing to Win Legalization

Black Voters Matter Fund

Blue Future

Capital Stonewell Democrats

Center for Common Ground

Center for Popular Democracy

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

Clean Elections Texas

Clean Water Action

Coalition on Human Needs

Common Cause

Common Defense

D.C. Affairs Community of the District of Columbia Bar*

DC Committee to Build a Better Restaurant Industry DC Democratic State Committee

DC Developmental Disabilities Council

DC Environmental Network

DC Fiscal Policy Institute

DC for Democracy

DC Jobs With Justice

DC League of Women Voters

DC Marijuana Justice

DC Statehood Coalition

DC Statehood Green Party

Death with Dignity

Defending Rights & Dissent

Democracy for America Advocacy Fund

Democratic Messaging Project

Drug Policy Alliance

East Area Progressive Democrats (EAPD)

Economic Policy Institute

End Citizens United//Let America Vote Action Fund FairVote

Family Values @ Work

Federation of Community Associations

Friends of the Earth U.S.

GLAA

GLSEN

Greenpeace USA

Harriet’s Wildest Dreams

Health in Justice Action Lab, Northeastern University HIPS

Human Rights Campaign

In Our Own Voice

Indivisible

Indivisible Chicago Alliance

Indivisible Marin

Indivisible MN03

Indivisible Northern Nevada

Indivisible Santa Fe

Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society Justice Policy Institute

Lake Research Partners

Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG)

League of Conservation Voters

League of Women Voters of the United States Legacy DC

LONG LIVE GOGO

Love Huntsville

Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO

More Than Our Crimes

National Center for Lesbian Rights

National Center for Transgender Equality

National Council of Jewish Women

National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)

National Employment Law Project

National Immigration Law Center

National Organization for Women

National Partnership for Women & Families

National Women’s Law Center

Neighbors United for DC Statehood

Netroots Nation

NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice Northridge Indivisible

Oregonizers

Our Revolution

Peace Action

People For the American Way

Physicians for Reproductive Health

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC Plymouth Area Indivisible

Progressive Democrats Of America

Public Citizen

Public Justice Center

Rachel Carson Council

SEIU

SEIU 32BJ

Sojourners

SPACEs In Action

Stand Up America

Statehood4DC

Take on Wall Street, a project of Americans for Financial Reform

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

The Workers Circle

United Church of Christ, Justice and Local Church Ministries

United Democratic Women

United Nations Association of National Capital Area Venice Resistance

Veterans United for DC Statehood

Voices for Progress

Voto Latino

Washington AIDS Partnership

Washington Parks & People

Washington, D.C. Lawyer Chapter of the American Constitution Society

Who Speaks For Me?

Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia

*The views expressed herein are presented on behalf of the D.C. Affairs Community, a voluntary association of individuals, most but not necessarily all of whom are members of the D.C. Bar. The D.C. Bar itself made no monetary contribution to fund the preparation or submission of this statement. Moreover, the views expressed herein have been neither approved nor endorsed by the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors, or its general membership.

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