Governing the District of Columbia: Overview and Timeline
January 29, 2024
Governing the District of Columbia: Overview and Timeline
The U.S. Constitution provides for the creation of a district
considering District of Columbia business, and a similar
to serve as the permanent seat of the federal government.
rule remained in place until the 117th Congress.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 also grants Congress plenary
legislative authority over that district. Since the
Congress has varied its role in the budget and finances of
establishment of the District of Columbia, the appropriate
the District of Columbia. Prior to 1878, Congress
form and method of local governance has been a perennial
appropriated funds for certain projects and services on an
issue for Congress.
ad hoc basis. From 1878 to 1924, the federal government
and the District of Columbia split the responsibility for
This In Focus discusses the congressional role in governing
local costs on a proportional basis. Congress has also
the District of Columbia and determining the structure of
provided for local costs through federal lump-sum
local government, and provides a historical timeline of local
payments, or as funding for specified purposes. The House
government structures.
and Senate had dedicated appropriations subcommittees for
the District of Columbia until 2005 and 2007, respectively.
Additional reports and other products about District of
Columbia issues are available on CRS.gov.
Present Status
Currently, the local government operates under limited
The Role of Congress
home rule, pursuant to the District of Columbia Self-
The Constitution provides Congress with plenary legislative
Government and Governmental Reorganization Act of 1973
authority over the federal district. In practice, Congress has
(87 Stat. 774; commonly referred to as the Home Rule
historically delegated at least some of the day-to-day work
Act). The Home Rule Act authorized the District of
Columbia government to pass local laws on “all rightful
of municipal government to local entities. The structure of
subjects of legislation within the District,” provided the
District of Columbia governmental entities has varied. At
legislation is “consistent with the Constitution of the United
different times, Congress has established or authorized: city
States”
governments with elected and/or appointed officials, a
as well as relevant Home Rule Act provisions
territorial form of government, and federally appointed
limiting such local authority.
commissions to carry out certain local government
functions.
Under the Home Rule Act, residents of the District of
Columbia elect a mayor and a 13-member council (one
Regardless of the local government structure, Congress
member for each of the eight wards and five at-large
retains ultimate authority on local legislative and public
members, including the council chair).
policy matters in the District of Columbia. Congress has
exercised this authority by conducting oversight and
The mayor serves as the chief executive officer of the
enacting legislation, including appropriations.
District of Columbia government. In this role, the mayor
oversees administrative affairs of the local executive
The House and Senate established standing committees
branch, including the implementation of local laws and
specifically focused on the affairs of the District of
management of municipal agency personnel.
Columbia in 1808 and 1816, respectively. The Senate
abolished its standing Committee on the District of
The council serves as the local legislative branch. The
Columbia in 1977, and the House did so in 1995. Currently,
Home Rule Act authorizes the council to pass acts and
the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and
resolutions on District of Columbia issues. Additionally, the
the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and
act authorizes the council, its members, and its committees
to investigate “any matter relating to the affairs of the
Governmental Affairs exercise primary jurisdiction over
District.”
District of Columbia issues.
Congressional involvement in local matters has varied in
Pursuant to the Home Rule Act, Congress “reserves the
degree and manner over time. Throughout the District of
right, at any time, to exercise its constitutional authority as
Columbia’s existence, Congress has conducted hearings
legislature for the District.” Congress, in appropriations
and enacted legislation on issues of a distinctly local nature
bills, has often included provisions that prohibit or restrict
(e.g., road improvements and building heights) as well as
the use of funds for various activities in DC. The Home
issues related to broader national policy debates (e.g.,
Rule Act also established a process by which Congress may
emancipation and desegregation). During the 19th century,
review and disapprove (i.e., block) most laws enacted by
Congress retained authority over the incorporation of local
the District government before they take effect. Since
entities that carried out a range of public services. In 1870,
enactment of the Home Rule Act in 1973, four resolutions
the House began setting aside dedicated days for
disapproving DC acts have resulted in the nullification of
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Governing the District of Columbia: Overview and Timeline
certain DC laws. Seven additional disapproval resolutions
person, two-chamber council expanded to 18 members in
have received floor consideration in at least one chamber.
1804 (2 Stat. 254), then was replaced in 1812 by an eight-
member board of aldermen and a 12-person board of
Historical Timeline
common council (2 Stat. 721). The 1812 law also provided
This section describes entities created by Congress to
for the mayor to be appointed by a joint meeting of the two
handle day-to-day government in the District of Columbia.
boards. In 1820, the mayor became popularly elected, and
each ward was assigned two aldermen and three councilors
A New Capital: 1790-1801
(3 Stat. 583). In 1848, Congress added more elected
The Residence Act of 1790 (1 Stat. 130) placed the
offices: assessors, collector, register, and surveyor (9 Stat.
“permanent seat of the government of the United States” on
223).
the Potomac River. Maryland and Virginia both ceded land
for the capital district; Congress amended the law in 1791
Meanwhile, in 1846, Congress retroceded Alexandria—
so it could include the town of Alexandria, Virginia (1 Stat.
both the county and the town—to Virginia (9 Stat. 35).
214).
Georgetown and Washington remained separate cities for
the time being, but Congress created a district-wide police
President George Washington appointed three
department in 1861 (12 Stat. 320).
commissioners to survey and prepare the new capital city.
In the meantime, the laws of Maryland remained in effect
Territorial Government: 1871-1874
on the north side of the Potomac River, and the laws of
The Organic Act of 1871 consolidated Georgetown,
Virginia remained in effect south of the river.
Washington, and Washington County into a single
government (16 Stat. 419). This new government used the
In 1800, Congress authorized President John Adams to
form then common for territories: a presidentially appointed
move government offices from the temporary capital of
governor, an elected Delegate in Congress, and a two-
Philadelphia (2 Stat. 55). The federal government relocated
chamber legislative assembly. In the legislature, the
to the new district, which included two existing towns:
council’s 11 members were presidential appointees, while
Alexandria and, on the Maryland side of the river,
voters elected the 22 members of the house of delegates.
Georgetown. The Sixth Congress assembled that fall inside
the unfinished Capitol building to begin its second session.
Appointed Commissioners: 1874-1967
The territorial-style government was short-lived. In 1874,
Figure 1. Map (ca. 1827) of the District of Columbia
Congress replaced it with a three-member commission
Alexandria, Alexandria County, Georgetown, Washington,
appointed by the President (18 Stat. 116). In 1878,
and Washington County are visible.
Congress earmarked one of the three seats for an officer
from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (20 Stat. 102).
This system remained in place for nearly a century.
Appointed Mayor and Council: 1967-1973
In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson reorganized the
district government to create a nine-member council and a
single commissioner—all appointed by the President (81
Stat. 948). In 1968, Congress created an elected school
board (82 Stat. 101), and in 1970 reestablished the elected
position of Delegate to the U.S. House (84 Stat. 848).
Elected Mayor and Council: 1973-Present
In 1973, Congress enacted the Home Rule Act (87 Stat.
774), creating the government that remains in place today.
In 1995, Congress created a control board, formally the
District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and
Management Assistance Authority, to oversee municipal
finances and operations (109 Stat. 97). Two years later, the
Source: Library of Congress, LCNN 88694089.
National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government
Improvement Act of 1997 sought to help stabilize the city’s
Three Cities and Two Counties: 1801-1871
fiscal situation (111 Stat. 712). In 1999, Congress cleared
In the Organic Act of 1801 (2 Stat. 103), Congress formally
the way for the elected government to regain power (113
organized the District of Columbia. It created Washington
Stat. 3); the control board suspended its operations in 2001.
County east of the Potomac River and Alexandria County
on the west side. The towns of Alexandria and Georgetown
Joseph V. Jaroscak, Analyst in Economic Development
retained their separate municipal governments.
Policy
Ben Leubsdorf, Research Librarian
In 1802, Congress incorporated a new city of Washington
within the district, with an elected city council and a
IF12577
presidentially appointed mayor (2 Stat. 195). The 12-
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Governing the District of Columbia: Overview and Timeline
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