I
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4155
To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to eliminate Congressional
review of newly-passed District laws.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 10, 2002
Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on
Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each
case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of
the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to
eliminate Congressional review of newly-passed District laws.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES IN ACT.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘District of Columbia Legislative Autonomy Act of 2002’’.
(b) REFERENCES IN ACT.—Except as may otherwise
be provided, whenever in this Act an amendment is ex-
pressed in terms of an amendment to or repeal of a section
or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be
made to that section or other provision of the District of
Columbia Home Rule Act.
SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW OF
NEWLY-PASSED DISTRICT LAWS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 602 (sec. 1–206.02, D.C.
Official Code) is amended by striking subsection (c).
(b) 
CONGRESSIONAL
RESOLUTIONS
OF
DIS-
APPROVAL.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The District of Columbia
Home Rule Act is amended by striking section 604
(sec. 1–206.04, D.C. Official Code).
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents is amended by striking the item relating to sec-
tion 604.
(3) EXERCISE OF RULEMAKING POWER.—This
subsection and the amendments made by this sub-
section are enacted by Congress—
(A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power
of the House of Representatives and the Sen-
ate, respectively, and as such they shall be con-
sidered as a part of the rules of each House, re-
spectively, or of that House to which they spe-
cifically apply, and such rules shall supersede
other rules only to the extent that they are in-
consistent therewith; and
(B) with full recognition of the constitu-
tional right of either House to change such
rules (so far as relating to such House) at any
time, in the same manner, and to the same ex-
tent as in the case of any other rule of such
House.
SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
(a) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOME RULE ACT.—(1)
Section 303 (sec. 1–203.03, D.C. Official Code) is
amended—
(A) in subsection (a), by striking the second
sentence; and
(B) by striking subsection (b) and redesignating
subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (b) and (c).
(2) Section 404(e) (sec. 1–204.04(3), D.C. Official
Code) is amended by striking ‘‘subject to the provisions
of section 602(c)’’ each place it appears.
(3) Section 462 (sec. 1–204.62, D.C. Official Code)
is amended—
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘(a) The
Council’’ and inserting ‘‘The Council’’; and
(B) by striking subsections (b) and (c).
(4) Section 472(d) (sec. 1–204.72(d), D.C. Official
Code) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(d) PAYMENTS
NOT
SUBJECT
TO
APPROPRIA-
TION.—The fourth sentence of section 446 shall not apply
to any amount obligated or expended by the District for
the payment of the principal of, interest on, or redemption
premium for any revenue anticipation note issued under
subsection (a).’’.
(5) Section 475(e) (sec. 1–204.75(e), D.C. Official
Code) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(e) PAYMENTS
NOT
SUBJECT
TO
APPROPRIA-
TION.—The fourth sentence of section 446 shall not apply
to any amount obligated or expended by the District for
the payment of the principal of, interest on, or redemption
premium for any revenue anticipation note issued under
this section.’’.
(b) OTHER LAWS.—(1) Section 2(b)(1) of Amend-
ment No. 1 (relating to initiative and referendum) to title
IV (the District Charter) (sec. 1–204.102(b)(1). D.C. Of-
ficial Code) is amended by striking ‘‘the appropriate custo-
dian’’ and all that follows through ‘‘portion of such act
to’’.
(2) Section 5 of Amendment No. 1 (relating to initia-
tive and referendum) to title IV (the District Charter)
(sec. 1–204.105, D.C. Official Code) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘, and such act’’ and all that follows and inserting
a period.
(3) Section 16 of the District of Columbia Election
Code of 1955 (sec. 1–1001.16, D.C. Official Code)—
(A) in subsection (j)(2)—
(i) by striking ‘‘sections 404 and 602(c)’’
and inserting ‘‘section 404’’, and
(ii) by striking the second sentence; and
(B) in subsection (m)—
(i) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘the
appropriate custodian’’ and all that follows
through ‘‘parts of such act to’’,
(ii) by striking ‘‘is held. If, however, after’’
and inserting ‘‘is held unless, under’’, and
(iii) by striking ‘‘section, the act which’’
and all that follows and inserting ‘‘section.’’.
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with
respect to each act of the District of Columbia—
(1) passed by the Council of the District of Co-
lumbia and signed by the Mayor of the District of
Columbia;
(2) vetoed by the Mayor and repassed by the
Council;
(3) passed by the Council and allowed to be-
come effective by the Mayor without the Mayor’s sig-
nature; or
(4) in the case of initiated acts and acts subject
to referendum, ratified by a majority of the reg-
istered qualified electors voting on the initiative or
referendum,
on or after October 1, 2002.
Æ