Washington, D.C. officials make a final plea to Congress regarding the continuing resolution that will be debated on the House floor Tuesday. D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser and other city officials protested outside the Capitol Building on Monday.
Mayor Bowser addressed the press during Monday’s news conference. “Unfortunately, we find ourselves in a potentially disastrous and highly uncommon situation with this draft budget CR, which would have an immediate effect on cutting $1 billion from our local budget.”
Bowser asked Congress to include language in the draft CR allowing D.C. to continue to raise and spend local funds following its latest approved budget. This has been included in previous stopgap measures. Mayor Bowser says that the draft CR treats D.C. in a way similar to federal agencies that haven’t approved their budgets for FY25.
We are not federal agencies. Bowser stated that we are simultaneously a county, city, and state. Bowser warned that if CR language was not altered, D.C. would have only six months to reduce spending by $ 1.1 billion.
According to Politico, the White House and Speaker Mike Johnson’s office were in touch with Mayor Bowser about the missing language. D.C. Council chair Phil Mendelson also reportedly said to the outlet that senior Republican staff at the House Appropriations Committee spoke with him about the issue.
She explained that D.C.’s budget has already been approved and is focused on three areas: public safety, education, and economic growth. The mayor said the passage of the CR will work against the goal she shares with President Donald Trump, which is to make Washington, D.C., one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
The House Appropriations Committee released a release last week that highlighted key sections of the CR to avoid a shutdown. According to the committee, the CR still allows for funding “core government service” as well as increased funding for air traffic control.
This simple continuing resolution will ensure that the federal government is open for business and continues to serve Americans. In a release, Tom Cole, R.Oklahoma, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, stated that it maintains vital services for its constituents and gives our junior enlisted soldiers their largest raise since President Reagan.
The Democrats have the choice of joining us or revealing their true intent. Cole stated that if they vote to close the government to gain leverage in negotiations and to show their disdain for President Trump, then they will be ready to harm hundreds of millions of people more. It’s an old battle that they lost back in November, and the American people are determined to continue fighting it.
Bowser said that D.C. was ready to collaborate with the federal Government to make sure that the city always represents “the strength and prosperity” of the United States.
