DNC Chair Ken Martin Condemns House GOP Efforts to Repeal D.C. Home Rule, Renews Call for Statehood
February 24, 2025

The DNC strongly condemns proposed Republican legislation to repeal the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. Republicans in Congress have proposed new legislation that would seek to strip D.C. of its limited autonomy and return control of the city to Congress, in a blatant power grab that disregards the will and voting rights of over 700,000 D.C. residents.
Since its passage in 1973, the Home Rule Act has allowed the District to govern its local affairs, elect its own leaders, and pass laws that reflect the needs and values of its diverse communities.
The DNC stands with the District of Columbia Democratic Party and condemns this assault on D.C. residents’ autonomy and democratic freedoms.
DNC Chair Ken Martin issued the following statement:
“The District of Columbia is home to hundreds of thousands of Americans, many with families who have lived there for generations. The bill introduced by House Republicans is a blatant attempt to disenfranchise D.C. residents and undermine local self-governance, further eroding the rights of the 700,000 Americans who call D.C. home. We should be expanding the rights of voters in our country, not taking them away.”
District of Columbia Democratic Party Chair Charles Wilson issued the following statement:
“This legislation is not about oversight or safety—it’s about silencing the voices of D.C. residents and undermining our democracy.”
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