Senate unanimously approves fix to prevent $1B cuts for District of
Columbia, sending bill to House
[March 15, 2025]
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate swiftly approved legislation
late Friday that would allow the District of Columbia to keep its budget
intact, rather than roll back to 2024, fixing a provision that had drawn
protests from the mayor and residents warning it would require $1
billion in cuts to services.
The bill passed unanimously, without dissent, and now heads to the
House. Lawmakers there are on recess, but expected to consider it when
they return in late March.
“The issue here is just allowing the D.C. government to proceed to spend
its own tax revenues,” said Sen. Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, the
chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, during a brief
floor debate.
Collins said the legislation would correct the situation that arose from
the broader package to prevent a government shutdown, and assured,
“There are no federal dollars involved.”
After Friday’s vote, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser released a statement
saying: “Senate approval today is a major first step as we continue
working with the House of Representatives on final passage to ensure
critical services provided in the Nation’s Capital, including our police
officers, firefighters, teachers, medical services and hospital network,
aren’t haphazardly cut in the middle of the fiscal year. DC is proud of
our strong financial management, balanced budgets, and strong bond
ratings.”
The sudden focus on the District of Columbia startled its leaders and
residents, who rushed to Capitol Hill this week to protest the way
Congress was interfering with its governance. Residents have been
flooding senators’ offices, demanding the change.
While the District won the power of Home Rule during the Nixon
administration, it is facing new threats as Congress, which maintains
ultimate oversight of the region of 700,000 people, is in the hands of
Republican majorities who have suggested more federal control.
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District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks at a news conference
to address the impact of the proposed continuing resolution, on
Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben
Curtis)
The problem arose in the House Republican-passed package to fund the
federal government past Friday's deadline to prevent a shutdown. It
failed to include a routine provision allowing the District of
Columbia's budget, which is made up mostly of its own tax revenues
but subject to approvals by Congress. Instead, it held the
District’s budget at 2024 levels, which officials would result in
essentially a $1 billion cut to police, education and other
services.
Senators were unable to amend the federal funding package, or risk a
government shutdown, but in passing the separate bill, they said
they were on track toward fixing the situation for the District of
Columbia.
“Very good news,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer,
announcing the agreement. “We urge the House to act quickly.”
Bowser, who has worked to ensure a working relationship with the
Trump administration in a city that routinely votes for Democrats,
stood outside the U.S. Capitol with members of the city council
earlier in the week and urged Congress to act.
Last month, President Donald Trump said Washington, D.C., would be
better off under total federal control, and two Republicans have
offered legislation to do just that.
Bowser has tried to accommodate Trump’s concerns as well as those of
Republicans, including recently removing the Black Lives Matter
Plaza that was erected in 2020, one block from the White House.
“For me, it isn’t really complicated. The people of D.C. deserve a
fair shake,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon.
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