District of Columbia Self-Government Reorganization Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on District of Columbia.
District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act - Title I: Short Title, Purposes, and definitions - Declares it to be the intention of Congress, subject to the retention by Congress of the ultimate legislative authority over the Nation's Capital which is granted by the Constitution, to grant to the Government of the District of Columbia the powers of local self-Government. Sets forth definitions of terms used in this Act. Title II: Governmental Reorganization - Transfers the District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency to the District of Columbia Government. Provides that the National Capital Housing Authority shall be an agency of the District of Columbia Government. Establishes the National Capital Planning Commission as a Federal planning agency to review District plans affecting the Federal Establishment in the National Capital region. Transfers the Secretary of Labor's manpower service functions to the Commissioner of the District of Columbia. Title III: District Charter Preamble, Legislative Power, and Charter Amending Procedures - States that the charter for the District of Columbia set forth in this Act shall establish the means of governing the District following its acceptance by a majority of the registered qualified electors. Sets forth provisions for amending the Charter. Title IV: The District Charter - Establishes a 13 member Council of the District of Columbia, with a term of office of four years. Specifies the qualifications for holding office, and the compensation to be paid. Vests all legislative powers of the District of Columbia (subject to specified Congressional retention) in the Council. Sets forth procedures and responsibilities of the Council and of the Chairman of the Council. Establishes the Office of Mayor, and sets forth provisions for qualifications and compensation. Provides that all executive power of the District shall be vested in the Mayor. Grants the Mayor power to appoint all judges of the District of Columbia Courts, with the advice and consent of the Council from a list of persons nominated by the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission. Directs the Council to adopt a budget for each year, and sets forth appropriations, accounting, auditing, and borrowing measures to be followed. Exempts bonds and notes issued by the Council from all Federal and District taxations. Creates the following independent agencies for the District of Columbia: Board of Elections, Zoning Commission, Public Service Commission, Armory Board, and Board of Education. Provides procedures for recall of the Mayor, or any member of the Council or of the Board of Education. Title V: Federal Payment - Establishes in the Treasury the District of Columbia Federal Payment Trust Fund to help defray the costs of the District Government. Sets forth the duties of the Mayor, the Council, and the Office of Management and Budget in relation to the District's budget. Title VI: Reservation of Congressional Authority - Stipulates that the Council shall have no authority to: (1) impose taxes on United States property; (2) enact any regulation which permits the building of any structure in excess of the 1910 height limitations; or (3) enact any act relating to Federal courts in the District of Columbia. Title VII: Referendum; Sucession in Government; Temporary Provisions; Miscellaneous; Amendments to District of Columbia Election Act; Repeal of Certain Provisions of Law and Rules of Construction; and Effective Dates - Provides for a referendum within 5 months of enactment to determine whether the qualified electors of the District of Columbia accept the Charter (title IV). Transfers the functions of specified existing government agencies to the Council. Provides for the continuance of pending actions and proceedings of defunct agencies. Authorizes the President of the United States to take such action as necessary during the interim period to enable the Board of Elections properly to perform its functions under this Act. States that, for the purpose of preventing duplication, any Federal officer or agency may furnish services to the District Government and any District officer or agency may furnish services to the Federal Government. Provides for an independent annual postaudit by the General Accounting Office. Provides for advisory neighborhood councils to advise the District Government on matters of public policy. Makes conforming amendments to the District of Columbia Election Act concerning elections of the Mayor, the District Delegate, and the Council. Sets forth the effective dates of the titles of this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on September 6, 1973. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on September 6, 1973: Referred to House Committee on District of Columbia.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
JOE MOAKLEY (D-MA) introduced it on September 6, 1973. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on September 6, 1973, 19362 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19362 days ago, on September 6, 1973.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers