Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “District of Columbia Home Rule Improvement Act of 2025”.
District of Columbia Home Rule Improvement Act of 2025
A BILL
To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to establish a uniform 60-day congressional review period for District of Columbia laws, to clarify the expedited procedures applicable to consideration of resolutions of disapproval of District of Columbia laws, to authority the use of resolutions of disapproval to disapprove provisions of District of Columbia laws and District of Columbia executive orders and regulations, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Uniform 60-day Congressional review period for District of Columbia laws
Establishment of 60-Day period; clarification of beginning of period and days excluded— Section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (sec. 1–206.02(c)(1), D.C. Official Code) is amended—
by striking “the 30-calendar-day period (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, and any day on which neither House is in session because of an adjournment sine die, a recess of more than three days, or an adjournment of more than three days) beginning on the day such act is transmitted by the Chairman to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate” and inserting the following: “the 60-day period (excluding days either House of Congress is adjourned for more than 3 days during a session of Congress) beginning on the later of the day such act is transmitted by the Chairman to the Speaker of the House of Representatives or the day such act is transmitted by the Chairman to the President of the Senate”; and
by striking “such 30-day period” each place it appears and inserting “such 60-day period”.
Elimination of alternative period for acts affecting criminal laws— Section 602(c) of such Act (sec. 1–206.02(c), D.C. Official Code) is amended—
by striking paragraph (2); and
by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2).
Special rule for acts designated by Council as involving emergency circumstances—
No renewal of waiver of review for succeeding Acts— Section 602(c) of such Act (sec. 1–206.02(c), D.C. Official Code), as amended by subsection (b), is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(3) If an Act is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (1) because of a determination by the Council under section 412(a) that the Act should take effect immediately because of emergency circumstances, an Act of the Council to extend the period during which such Act is effective, or any Act of the Council which is substantially the same as such Act, shall not be exempt from the requirements of paragraph (1).”
Conforming amendment— Section 412(a) of such Act (sec. 1–204.12(a), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking “ninety days” and inserting “ninety days, subject to section 602(c)(3)”.
Sec. 3 Clarification of expedited procedures applicable to consideration of resolutions of disapproval
Application of all procedures to all resolutions of disapproval— The fourth sentence of section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (sec. 1–206.02(c)(1), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking “section 604, except subsections (d), (e), and (f) of such section,” and inserting “section 604”.
Clarification of procedures— Section 604 of such Act (sec. 1–206.04, D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking subsections (c) through (j) and inserting the following:
“(c) Referral to Committees—A resolution with respect to Council action shall be referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives, or the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, by the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the case may be.
“(d) Procedures in House of Representatives
“(1) In the House of Representatives, if the committee to which a resolution has been referred has not reported it at the end of twenty calendar days after its introduction, it is in order to move to discharge the committee from further consideration of any other resolution with respect to the same Council action which has been referred to the committee.
“(2) In the House, a motion to discharge may be made only by an individual favoring the resolution, is highly privileged (except that it may not be made after the committee has reported a resolution with respect to the same action), and debate thereon shall be limited to not more than one hour, to be divided equally between those favoring and those opposing the resolution. An amendment to the motion is not in order, and it is not in order to move to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to.
“(3) In the House, if the motion to discharge is agreed to or disagreed to, the motion may not be renewed, nor may another motion to discharge the committee be made with respect to any other resolution with respect to the same action.
“(4) In the House, when the committee has reported, or has been discharged from further consideration of, a resolution, it is at any time thereafter in order (even though a previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to) to move to proceed to the consideration of the resolution. The motion is highly privileged and is not debatable. An amendment to the motion is not in order, and it is not in order to move to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to.
“(5) In the House, debate on the resolution shall be limited to not more than one hour, which shall be divided equally between those favoring and those opposing the resolution. A motion further to limit debate is not debatable. An amendment to, or motion to recommit, the resolution is not in order, and it is not in order to move to reconsider the vote by which the resolution is agreed to or disagreed to.
“(6) In the House, motions to postpone made with respect to the discharge from committee or the consideration of a resolution, and motions to proceed to the consideration of other business, shall be decided without debate.
“(7) In the House, appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the Rules of the House of Representatives to the procedure relating to a resolution shall be decided without debate.
“(e) Procedures in Senate
“(1) In the Senate, if the committee to which is referred a resolution described in subsection (b) has not reported such joint resolution (or an identical joint resolution) at the end of 20 calendar days after its introduction, such committee may be discharged from further consideration of such joint resolution upon a written demand by any Member of the Senate, and such joint resolution shall be placed on the calendar.
“(2)
“(A) In the Senate, when the committee to which a resolution is referred has reported, or when a committee is discharged (under paragraph (1)) from further consideration of a resolution described in subsection (b), it is at any time thereafter in order (even though a previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to) for a motion to proceed to the consideration of the resolution, and all points of order against the resolution (and against consideration of the resolution) are waived. The motion is not subject to amendment, or to a motion to postpone, or to a motion to proceed to the consideration of other business. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration of the resolution is agreed to, the resolution shall remain the unfinished business of the Senate until disposed of.
“(B) In the Senate, debate on the resolution, and on all debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith, shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, which shall be divided equally between those favoring and those opposing the resolution. A motion further to limit debate is in order and not debatable. An amendment to, or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the consideration of other business, or a motion to recommit the resolution is not in order.
“(C) In the Senate, immediately following the conclusion of the debate on a resolution described in subsection (b), and a single quorum call at the conclusion of the debate if requested in accordance with the rules of the Senate, the vote on final passage of the resolution shall occur.
“(D) Appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the rules of the Senate to the procedure relating to a resolution described in subsection (a) shall be decided without debate.
“(3) In the Senate the procedure specified in paragraph (1) or (2) shall not apply to the consideration of a resolution after the expiration of the 60 session days beginning with the date of the introduction of the joint resolution.
“(f) Coordination between Houses—If, before the passage by one House of a resolution of that House described in subsection (b), that House receives from the other House a resolution described in subsection (b), then the following procedures shall apply:
“(1) The resolution of the other House shall not be referred to a committee.
“(2) Any Member of that House may at any time offer a motion to proceed to the consideration of the resolution of the other House, and such motion shall be considered in accordance with paragraph (4) of subsection (d) (in the case of a motion in the House) or in accordance with paragraph (2) of subsection (e) (in the case of a motion in the Senate).
“(3) With respect to a resolution described in subsection (a) of the House receiving the resolution—
“(A) the procedure in that House shall be the same as if no resolution had been received from the other House; but
“(B) the vote on final passage shall be on the resolution of the other House.”
Sec. 4 Authorizing use of resolutions of disapproval to disapprove provisions of District of Columbia laws
Authorization— Section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (sec. 1–206.02(c)(1), D.C. Official Code) is amended—
in the second sentence—
by striking “such act shall take effect” and inserting “such act and each provision thereof shall take effect”; and
by striking “a joint resolution disapproving such act.” and inserting “a joint resolution disapproving such act or any provision thereof.”;
in the third sentence—
by striking “disapproving such an act” and inserting “disapproving such an act or any provision thereof”; and
by striking “to have repealed such act” and inserting “to have repealed such act or such provision (as the case may be)”; and
in the fourth sentence, by striking “disapproving any act” and inserting “disapproving any act or any provision thereof”.
Conforming amendment— Section 604(b) of such Act (sec. 1–206.04(b), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking “; but does not include a resolution which specifies more than one action”.
Rule of construction— Section 602(c)(1) of such Act (sec. 1–206.02(c)(1), D.C. Official Code) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: “The enactment of a resolution disapproving a provision of an act pursuant to this paragraph may not be construed to repeal any of the remaining provisions of such act or prohibit the enactment of any subsequent resolution disapproving any other provision of such act pursuant to this paragraph.”.
Sec. 5 Authorizing use of resolutions of disapproval to disapprove executive orders and regulations
Authorization— Title VI of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (sec. 1–206.01 et seq., D.C. Official Code) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
“605. Limitations on regulatory authority of Mayor
“(a) Transmission of executive orders and regulations—The Mayor shall transmit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate a copy of each executive order issued by the Mayor and each regulation promulgated by an officer of the executive branch of the District government.
“(b) Delay in implementation—Except as provided in paragraph (2), an executive order or regulation transmitted under subsection (a) shall take effect upon the expiration of the 60-day period (excluding days either House of Congress is adjourned for more than 3 days during a session of Congress) beginning on the later of the day such executive order or regulation is transmitted by the Mayor to the Speaker of the House of Representatives or the day such executive order or regulation is transmitted by the Mayor to the President of the Senate, or upon the date prescribed by such executive order or regulation, whichever is later, unless during such 60-day period, there has been enacted into law a joint resolution disapproving such executive order or regulation.
“(c) Deemed repeal—In any case in which any joint resolution described in subsection (b) disapproving an executive order or regulation has, within the 60-day period described in subsection (b), passed both Houses of Congress and has been transmitted to the President, such joint resolution, upon becoming law, subsequent to the expiration of such 60-day period, shall be deemed to have repealed such executive order or regulation, as of the date such joint resolution becomes law.
“(d) Application of expedited procedures for consideration of resolutions—The provisions of section 604 shall apply with respect to any joint resolution disapproving any executive order or regulation pursuant to this section.”
Description of expedited procedures for consideration of resolutions—
In general— Section 604 of such Act (sec. 1–206.04, D.C. Official Code), as amended by section 3(b), is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(g) Consideration of resolutions disapproving executive orders and regulations—The provisions of this section shall apply with respect to the issuance of an executive order by the Mayor and the promulgation of a regulation by an officer of the executive branch of the District government in the same manner as such provisions apply with respect to a Council action, except that for purposes of subsection (b) a “resolution” means only a joint resolution, the matter after the resolving clause of which is as follows: “That the _________ approves/disapproves of the action of the Mayor or an officer of the executive branch of the District government described as follows: __________”, with the blank spaces therein being appropriately filled, and either approval or disapproval being appropriately indicated, but does not include a resolution which specifies more than one action.”
Conforming amendment— Section 604(b) of such Act (sec. 1–206.04(b), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking “(b) For the purpose of this section,” and inserting “(b) For the purpose of this section with respect to a Council action,”.
Clerical amendment— The table of contents of such Act is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to title VI the following:
Sec. 6 Prohibiting Council from withdrawing Acts already transmitted
Section 602(c) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (sec. 1–206.02(c), D.C. Official Code), as amended by section 2(c), is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(4) After the Council has transmitted an Act under this subsection, the Council may not withdraw the Act from the Speaker of the House or the President of the Senate during the period described with respect to the Act under paragraph (1), and the Act shall be subject to this subsection without regard to any attempt by the Council to withdraw the Act.”
Sec. 7 Prohibiting transmission of acts substantially the same as disapproved acts
Prohibition— Section 602 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (sec. 1–206.02, D.C. Official Code) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(d) Prohibiting transmission of Acts substantially the same as disapproved acts—If a joint resolution has been enacted into law to disapprove an Act transmitted by the Council under this section, the Council may not transmit another Act under this section which is substantially the same as the Act disapproved by the joint resolution, unless the Council is specifically authorized to transmit such an Act by a law enacted after the date of the enactment of the joint resolution to disapprove the original Act.”
Effective date— The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to acts of the District of Columbia which are disapproved by a joint resolution enacted on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Sec. 8 Annual hearing and report on state of District of Columbia
Not less frequently than once every calendar year, the Chair of the Council of the District of Columbia and the Mayor of the District of Columbia shall appear at a hearing of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives and a hearing of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate to present a report on the state of the District, including recommendations for such measures as they deem necessary and expedient.
Sec. 9 Effective date
Except as provided in section 7(b), this Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall apply with respect to acts of the District of Columbia which are transmitted to Congress by the Council of the District of Columbia under section 602(c) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (sec. 1–206.02(c), D.C. Official Code), and with respect to executive orders and regulations with are transmitted to Congress by the Mayor under section 605 of such Act, as added by section 5, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.