Why Washington DC should be treated as a Federal City

President Trump made waves last month when summoning the National Guard to
address rampant crime in the nation’s capital. Within one week, Trump reversed
Washington DC’s unchecked crime spree, instituting a bold law and order mandate for
local authorities to uphold. Trump’s brief rescue period provided a glimpse of how better
run DC’s police can be under federal control.

The week following Trump’s federalization of the DC police force, the city experienced
something it hadn’t enjoyed in a long time: zero homicides. For one week, there were no
murders in the capital. Carjackings plummeted by 83%, robberies declined by 46%, and
violent crime overall dropped by 22%. In only 10 days, federal law enforcement made
630 arrests and confiscated 86 illegal guns, apprehending as many as 77 criminals in a
single day.

While some DC crimes have marginally declined over the past year, the capital still
suffered from elevated homicide rates that were nearly double what they were 10 years
ago.

Congress should reassess DC’s local autonomy under the Home Rule Act of 1973. The
Home Rule Act enables DC to operate as a local city, rather than a federally controlled
district, capable of passing and enforcing its own laws. This legislature takes the form of
a council with 12 voting members who serve four-year terms, eight of whom represent
DC’s wards.

The Constitutional Framers always envisioned DC as a federally controlled city.
Based on the Enclave Clause of the Constitution, all of DC’s legislative proposals are
already subject to congressional review. This enables both houses of Congress to
oversee and vote on DC legislative proposals. Congressional resolutions of approval or
disapproval of DC bills are passed from a simple majority vote in each house.
As a resident of DC, I encourage members of Congress to consider legislative
proposals that restore full control of DC to the federal government. Specifically, Rep.
Andy Ogles and Senator Mike Lee’s proposed legislation, the BOWSER Act, would
repeal the Home Rule within a year of passage.

Ogles and Lee cite a slew of concerns that have continued to undermine sensible
governance in DC. This includes assaults and robberies on members of Congress and
their staff, a former Councilman facing bribery charges, and the city allowing illegal
aliens to vote.

It’s time for Congress to reclaim full control over governing Washington DC and restore
the Framers vision for a federally run capital.

Stone Washington is an Emerging Leaders Council Member at The Steamboat Institute.