Today, the US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform advanced H.R. 9720, D.C. Taxing Authority Review Act on a party-line vote. The bill represents a major incursion on DC’s right to self-govern. Introduced by US House Rep. James Comer (R-KY), the bill would prevent any legislated changes to DC taxes or fees, as well as any other changes to Title 47 of the DC Code, unless Congress explicitly approves them within a 60-day review period.
This is a major shift from current rules that give Congress a 30-day review period to move a disapproval resolution to stop such legislation or do nothing and allow the legislation to passively become law.
The bill is the third attack on DC’s ability to budget in less than two years. And it goes far beyond Comer’s stated intentions, requiring Congressional approval for changes to permitting, licensing, assessments, and more.
“This is another attempt to destabilize DC and set us on a path to a full takeover by Congress. What Rep. Comer is proposing would be both incredibly burdensome for Congress and completely unworkable for the District,” said Erica Williams, executive director of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute.
If passed, the bill would also pose great risk to DC’s credit ratings by effectively removing an essential tool for ensuring the District’s ability to use all the tools at its disposal for meeting its financial obligations. Credit downgrades would create higher costs for DC, putting an even bigger squeeze on the District’s budget and ability to maintain healthy finances as it has for the past three decades.
“Congressional Republicans have made clear that they’re determined to make an example out of DC and to punish us for our more progressive policies. This bill underscores the long overdue need to advance DC Statehood as the only way to truly protect the District from damaging federal attacks, to keep local decisions local, and to allow us the voting representation in Congress that is our due as Americans,” remarked Williams.
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Contact: Sydney Lewis, slewis@dcfpi.org