DC Vote Denounces Congressional Interference in D.C.’s Budget
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 11, 2025
PRESS CONTACT:
Tim Murphy
DC Vote, Vice Chair
202-262-3837
[email protected]
WASHINGTON, D.C.—DC Vote strongly opposes the GOP-proposed spending bill, which would force the District to slash more than $1 billion from its budget in just six months. If enacted, these cuts would result in widespread layoffs of first responders, teachers, and transit workers—undermining public safety, education, and essential services that D.C. residents rely on.
“This is a reckless and unnecessary attack on D.C.,” said John Klenert, a board member of DC Vote. “The District’s City Council operated responsibly and passed a balanced budget on time. Congress has not passed a budget on time since 1996, and the federal government’s budget has run a deficit every year since 2001. Yet, now that Congress is finally getting around to doing its job and passing a budget it should have passed in September, District residents are being forced to suffer because of Congress’ delays and irresponsibility. Forcing these cuts does not even save federal dollars—it would simply hurt the people who live and work in our city.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser has warned that the bill treats D.C. like a federal agency rather than the fully functioning city that it is. The vast majority—nearly 75%—of the District’s budget comes from local revenue sources, while direct federal payments account for only 0.8%. Yet, unlike any other jurisdiction in the country, D.C. faces constant congressional meddling in its fiscal decisions.
“D.C. residents are expected to pay federal taxes, serve in the military, and contribute to our country like all other Americans, yet Congress continues to block our ability to govern ourselves,” Klenert added. “No other city or state has to justify its locally raised tax dollars to a Congress that doesn’t even represent them. Congress should do what it has done with other continuing resolutions and simply exempt DC, treating it as the fully independent city that it is instead of as a federal agency.”
If this spending bill moves forward, it will have devastating consequences for public safety, transportation, and education in the District. DC Vote calls on Congress to remove these harmful and feckless provisions and allow the District to operate as the self-sustaining, self-governing jurisdiction it has proven itself to be.
The ongoing congressional interference in D.C.’s affairs underscores why full self-determination—and ultimately statehood—is the only solution to protect the rights of the nearly 700,000 residents who call D.C. home.
About DC Vote
DC Vote is a national, nonpartisan organization dedicated to securing full voting representation in Congress for residents of the District of Columbia, along with complete control over local affairs. For more information, visit www.dcvote.org.
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