WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — D.C. lawmakers are speaking out against a proposed GOP spending bill they say would require the District to revert to its budget from last fiscal year, slashing nearly $1.1 billion in funds slated for law enforcement, schools and more.
The temporary spending bill – also known as a continuing resolution (CR) – is a bill to prevent a government shutdown that forces all federal agencies to operate under their 2024 budgets. Typically, D.C. can continue operating under its approved budget for FY25, but this specific proposed budget does not exempt the District.
At a press conference Monday, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the CR would force D.C. to immediately cut the $1 billion from its local budget.
City Administrator Kevin Donohue said if the CR passes, there would likely be a hiring freeze and they would need to look at laying off people.
“If Congress goes through with this action, it will work against a priority that President Trump and I share … to make Washington, D.C. the best, most beautiful city in the world,” Bowser said.
Congresswoman Eleanor Horton called the move “fiscal sabotage.”
“Congress should keep its hands off D.C. D.C. is not a federal agency,” she said.
Council Chair Phil Mendelson said the Council was unified in their concern about the resolution because of its “adverse effect” on the District.
He emphasized that these are D.C. taxpayers’ dollars that would be cut – not federal dollars.
In a post on X, Mendelson wrote, “It is nonsensical. The effect of what they’re trying to do would be to cut back spending by police … as well as agencies that deal with the cleanliness of the city, public education and so forth. They would realize no savings from this, because these are not federal dollars.”
Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto shared similar sentiments in another post on X. She said the CR would undo the legally passed budget that was certified last summer and approved by Congress.
In practice, police officers, firefighters, teachers and other essential government workers would be laid off or furloughed.
“This would be dire for our city and we all must do everything we can to ensure this does not pass,” Pinto stated.
