The District of Columbia writes its own laws through an elected council and mayor, then submits them to Congress, which can nullify them with a joint resolution during a review period of 30 to 60 days. That arrangement — not statehood, not full self-governance — is what “home rule” has meant since 1973. Bills are moving in the current Congress to narrow that veto power, and others to expand it. Neither has passed.
Meanwhile, the federal deployment of National Guard troops in the District is expected to continue through the rest of 2026, well after the emergency that triggered it lapsed a year ago. More than 700,000 residents pay federal taxes, serve in the military, and have no vote in the Congress that can override either arrangement. That’s the frame worth keeping the next time a D.C. Council vote makes news: the Council can act, and a body its residents did not elect can still have the last word.