Over the weekend, House Republicans unveiled a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown. But buried inside is a direct assault on Washington, D.C.—one that should send chills down the spine of every American who values democracy.
The resolution slashes over $13 billion from the federal budget, gutting domestic and foreign aid programs. But it also takes an unprecedented step: overturning D.C.’s already-approved 2025 budget midway through the fiscal year, stripping $1 billion from city services overnight. Schools, public safety, sanitation, and social services would all be decimated—not because of financial mismanagement, but because Congress has decided to treat D.C. like a federal agency rather than a city of 700,000 residents.
This is more than just another Republican stunt. It’s a test run for a broader authoritarian agenda.
D.C. has been denied full democratic rights since its founding. Residents pay federal taxes but have no voting representation in Congress. While the 1973 Home Rule Act gave the city limited autonomy, Congress still holds the reins—regularly blocking local laws and meddling in the district’s affairs. Now, Republicans are pushing even further, attempting to seize total fiscal control over a progressive city that overwhelmingly rejects their agenda.
This isn’t about fiscal responsibility. D.C. had already passed a balanced budget, which Congress had approved. The GOP’s plan would force the city to revert to last year’s budget, blocking it from spending $1 billion of its own tax revenue. That means a $358 million cut to schools and $28 million slashed from programs for low-income and unhoused residents. None of this saves federal dollars—it just punishes D.C. for daring to govern itself. In fact, Congress does not get the money – it goes into the D.C. surplus fund.
Let’s be clear: This is political retribution. D.C. voted overwhelmingly against Trump in every election. Now, his loyalists are laying siege to the city, testing the waters for broader power grabs across the country. If they can crush self-governance in the nation’s capital, they can do it anywhere. We’ve already seen Trump threaten to withhold wildfire aid from California, pressure New York City’s mayor into submission, and dangle federal funding over Maine. This is a pattern, not an isolated attack.
If states and cities stay silent now, they’ll be next. Every leader who values democracy must demand that Congress keep its hands off D.C. and put an end to this blatant overreach. James Baldwin warned us over 50 years ago: “If they take you in the morning, they will be coming for us that night.”
