Norton Secures Historic Home-Rule Victory in Senate's D.C. Appropriations Bill

Press Release

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) secured a historic home-rule victory in the Senate Committee on Appropriations' fiscal year 2023 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, released today, which allows D.C. to spend its local funds under the Local Budget Autonomy Act (BAA). This is the first time the Senate's D.C. appropriations bill has recognized the BAA. The bill contains many other victories for D.C., including $40 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), a program a Norton bill created; increased annual and lifetime DCTAG awards; and no anti-home-rule riders.

"I am very pleased with the Senate's fiscal year 2023 D.C. Appropriations bill, which contains several victories for the District," Norton said. "I am grateful to Committee Chair Patrick Leahy and Subcommittee Chair Chris Van Hollen for this strong bill and their strong support for D.C. home rule. In addition to respecting D.C.'s budget autonomy law and excluding any riders, I am particularly pleased the bill provides $40 million for DCTAG and increases the annual and lifetime DCTAG awards. DCTAG is critical for D.C. students and families, who do not have choices for the same array of public colleges and universities as students and families in most states, and for the D.C. tax base because DCTAG encourages taxpayers to move to and remain in the District."

Norton secured the following victories:

The bill provides $40 million for DCTAG, an increase in the annual DCTAG award from $10,000 to $15,000, and an increase in the lifetime DCTAG award from $50,000 to $75,000. DCTAG makes up the difference for D.C. residents between in-state and out-of-state tuition at public institutions of higher education in the United States. The House-passed fiscal year 2023 D.C. Appropriations bill contains the same provisions.
The bill has no anti-home-rule riders. In particular, it removes the two enacted fiscal year 2022 riders, which prohibit the District from spending its local funds on abortion and on recreational marijuana commercialization. The House-passed fiscal year 2023 D.C. Appropriations bill has no anti-home-rule riders.
The bill allows the District to spend its local funds under the Local Budget Autonomy Act, which means that the local budget adopted by D.C. can take effect after a congressional review period, like all other D.C. bills. The House-passed fiscal year 2023 D.C. Appropriations bill allows D.C. to spend its local funds under the Local Budget Autonomy Act.
The bill exempts D.C. from federal government shutdowns in fiscal year 2024. Norton has gotten annual shutdown exemptions enacted every year since the 2013 federal government shutdown. The House-passed fiscal year 2023 D.C. Appropriations bill exempts D.C. from shutdowns in fiscal year 2024.
The bill provides $8 million for DC Water for ongoing work to control flooding in D.C. and to clean up the Anacostia and Potomac rivers and Rock Creek. The House-passed fiscal year 2023 D.C. Appropriations bill provides the same funding level.
The bill provides $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C. The House-passed fiscal year 2023 D.C. Appropriations bill provides $5 million.
The bill provides $600,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program. The House-passed fiscal year 2023 D.C. Appropriations bill provides the same funding level.
Norton is disappointed the bill allows new students to enroll in the D.C. private school voucher program, instead of only permitting current students to remain in the program. Congress imposed the program on the District, which is the only federally funded or created voucher program, even though Congress has rejected a national voucher program. The program does not deserve federal funding because, among other things, it has failed to meet its own goal of improving academic achievement, as measured by math and reading test scores. However, Norton is pleased the bill requires schools participating in the program to comply with federal civil rights laws. The House-passed fiscal year 2023 D.C. Appropriations bill contains similar provisions.

Source