LWVUS Urges House to Respect DC Autonomy

LWVUS sent a letter to the House urging members to vote “No” on two pieces of legislation that would overturn existing law enacted by DC’s elected officials.

Re:  HR 2056 and HR 2096

Dear Members of the House of Representatives:

On behalf of the League of Women Voters of the United States (the League), we write to express our strong opposition to HR 2056 and HR 2096 as unwarranted intrusions into the District of Columbia's home rule. It overturns existing law enacted by DC’s elected officials to address concerns that hold significant importance for the residents who proudly call Washington, DC home. Congressional action would not only undo the hard work of DC’s elected officials but also disregard the voices of the District's citizens. 

This legislation is the latest in a long line of attacks on democracy in the District of Columbia. DC residents pay federal taxes and comply with all the other duties of citizenship, yet they are deprived of voting representation in Congress and have limited control over their own local governance. While we recognize that Congress has the authority to reject or amend laws enacted by DC through the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, passing HR 2056 and HR 2096 would yet again interfere in the affairs of the District, highlighting the relegation of its more than 700,000 residents to second-class citizenship without the same voting rights enjoyed by citizens of states.

We exhort Congress to uphold democracy and grant District residents the autonomy to manage their own affairs, free from external interference or meddling. It remains painfully clear that the right to vote is meaningless if the will of DC residents can be subverted and micromanaged by a Congress that gives them no say in the matter.

For questions, please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] or Kristen Kern, our Federal Policy and Advocacy Manager, at [email protected]. 

Sincerely,

Jessica Jones Capparell 
Director, Government Affairs