Republicans Introduce Bill to Repeal DC Home Rule

A trio of Republican congressmen filed legislation aimed at removing Washington, D.C.'s ability to operate itself as an independent local government.

Reps. Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Matt Rosendale of Montana, and Byron Donalds of Florida introduced the bill, which would repeal the District of Columbia Home Rule Act and give the authority back to Congress.

"In the first 5 days of August, D.C. saw 13 homicides. The Nation's capital has been overrun with violent crime, drugs, theft, homelessness, and riots," Ogles told the Washington Examiner on Friday.

"Congress needs to reclaim its Constitutional authority and make our Nation's capital safe again, which is why I'm introducing the Seat of Government Act to repeal the D.C. Home Rule Act," he added.

While the administration of the district is still constitutionally under Congress, the Home Rule Act passed in 1973 allowed D.C. to establish its own council and mayorship.

Congress still needs to sign off on any actions taken by the district, and until recently, superseding the council and mayor was quite rare.

However, a recent effort to transform the city's criminal code by lowering penalties for some violent crimes was shot down in March by a bipartisan group of Democrat and Republican lawmakers.

Since then, some Republicans have cited a 37% increase in the homicide rate as reason to take back control.

"My first reaction is this: The gentleman hasn't a clue how to run the District of Columbia," District Council Chair Phil Mendelson told The Washington Post. "And the notion that Congress is ready to go back 50 years when it wasn't running the city well then is fantasy."

The measure is unlikely to pass. But if it does, Congress would again be responsible for all aspects of the D.C. government, including managing and funding public services and infrastructure.

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