Protect DC’s Budget Autonomy, Congress Should Not Overturn Local Tax Credits

A Senate committee vote is scheduled for February 4, and the House is moving a matching resolution. DC residents deserve the right to make local decisions with local dollars.

Federal lawmakers are once again threatening DC’s budget autonomy. Last year, DC leaders chose not to mirror certain federal tax cuts that, if replicated locally, could have cost the District nearly $700 million in revenue over five years. Instead, DC invested a portion of those savings into two proven tax credits that are expected to reduce child poverty by 20 percent.

Now, Congress is considering resolutions to disapprove DC’s law, including S.J.Res.102 and H.J.Res.142. If enacted, these resolutions would reverse local policy choices and threaten hundreds of millions in local revenue. That loss would come at a moment when DC leaders are already navigating significant budget pressure, with real consequences for programs and services families rely on.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has a business meeting scheduled for Wednesday, February 4, 2026, and the bill listing for S.J.Res.102 reflects that committee meeting time. The House is also advancing the matching resolution through the committee processes.

This is about more than a single piece of legislation. It is about DC residents’ right to self-govern and to decide how local taxpayer dollars should be used, without Congress overturning local decisions.

Take action: Call Congress and ask them to vote NO on the disapproval resolution.

For additional background on why this matters, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has also outlined how congressional interference would undercut DC’s local investments and affordability for families.