The Settlement Act of 1790 established the national capital of Washington, D.C. in its current location. Since then, two issues have continually sparked debate among legislators and District residents alike: namely, those of local control and "taxation without representation." In the latest edition of the Taxpayer's Tab, NTUF looks at some of the legislation designed to address these controversial policies.
The U.S. Constitution gives Congress total legislative control over Washington, D.C., but since 1973 the District has been allowed to pass local laws and set its own budget (subject to Congressional approval). Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) has introduced a number of bills in the 113th Congress that would expand the District's autonomy in these respects, including:
- H.R. 1196, the District of Columbia Local Funds Continuation Act;
- H.R. 345, the District of Columbia Budget Autonomy Act of 2013;
- H.R. 603, the District of Columbia District Attorney Establishment Act of 2013; and
- H.R. 2321, the District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act.
Seven bills have been introduced in the current Congress that are designed to grant D.C. outright statehood, or some form of the voting and representational rights associated with that designation. They include:
- H.R. 292/S. 132, the New Columbia Admission Act;
- H.R. 2681, the District of Columbia-Maryland Reunion Act;
- H.R. 362/H.R. 363, the District of Columbia Equal Representation Act;
- H.R. 299, the District of Columbia Voting Rights Restoration Act; and
- H.R. 2680, the No Taxation Without Representation Act.
For more information on these bills, their sponsors, and an in-depth look at the history of D.C.'s unique political status, check out the latest edition of the Taxpayer's Tab online here. We've already seen a variety of responses to this edition, as Dan Barrett explores in his latest blog post.
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