House Republicans seek new restrictions on DC laws

The U.S. House Appropriations Committee passed a sweeping government funding bill Thursday that while aimed at federal spending, included several riders focused on the District.

If given final approval by the Senate and President Joe Biden, the bill would result in massive budget cuts for D.C. as well as changes to many longstanding laws.

For generations, D.C. has provided security for presidential motorcades and other federal needs. The cost is about $48 million per year, which has always been reimbursed by the federal government. House Republicans want to cut that by $20 million.

“While they’re railing against the Council for being soft on crime in March, they turn right around and they propose to cut funding to MPD by 20 million,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said.

“There are many ways that we can improve or hurt public safety in the District, and Congress is not being helpful,” he said.

In addition to the proposed cut in police funding, the House bill would:

• Ban D.C. from using traffic cameras,
• Prohibit D.C. from taxing and regulating recreational cannabis,
• Prevent the Police Reform Act from taking effect,
• Prohibit D.C. from using local funds for abortions,
• Block the ban on right turns on red,
• Ban physician-assisted suicide,
• And allow people with out-of-state permits to carry guns in the District.

If Republicans succeed in banning the District from using traffic cameras, it would cost D.C. taxpayers $100 million a year. Mayor Muriel Bowser says the Republicans’ bill would cost D.C. $1 billion in lost revenue over four years.

“It’s all very negative,” Bowser said.

“We don’t expect that the votes today are final and we will keep working the issues,” she said.

In separate legislation, House Republicans are attempting to rewrite the District’s election laws. The House Administration Committee advanced a bill that would:

• Require photo IDs at the polls,
• Prohibit D.C. from sending unsolicited mail-in ballots to registered voters,
• Prohibit same-day registration,
• Restrict the use of drop boxes,
• And ban non-citizen voting.

Both bills must be approved by the Senate, and while the Senate’s appropriation bill does not include any of the D.C. provisions, the Democrat-led Senate committee voted to cut D.C.’s police reimbursement by $10 million.

Mendelson called the Republican bill dangerous, saying it makes D.C. less safe by defunding the police.

While Senate Democrats and Biden have blocked many GOP efforts aimed at D.C. this year, District officials are concerned if the federal funding debate results in another possible government shutdown, Democrats might be willing to concede some of the D.C. riders to Republicans.