Norton Calls D.C. Appropriations Bill Text “Unreasonable” and “Patronizing” to 700,000+ D.C. Residents

July 20, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Committee on Appropriations today released the text of its fiscal year 2026 (FY 26) Financial Services and General Government (FSSG) Appropriations bill, which Norton said includes an outrageous number of anti-home rule riders. Republicans try to attach the riders to the annual D.C. spending bill to exert control over local D.C. matters, despite their positions as federal officials who do not represent D.C. residents. Significantly, the bill would halve funding for DCTAG, a program established by a 1999 Norton bill. DCTAG makes up the difference for D.C. residents between in-state and out-of-state tuition up to $10,000 at public institutions of higher education in the U.S.

“I am outraged at the number and scope of anti-D.C. home rule riders in the bill released today,” Norton said. “In my long career representing D.C. residents in Congress, I have rarely seen a bill as unreasonable and patronizing to the more than 700,000 people who live in the nation’s capital as this one. I will use every tool at my disposal to stop these riders from becoming law, and I commit to reminding my fellow lawmakers across the aisle that D.C. residents deserve the same consideration as their own constituents at every opportunity.”

The text released today:

Would permit anyone with a concealed carry permit from any state or territory to carry a concealed handgun in D.C. and on WMATA.
Would provide $20 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), a 50% decrease from the current funding level.
Would prohibit D.C. from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women.
Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act of 2014.
Would repeal D.C.’s Death with Dignity Act, and prohibits enacting any similar act.
Would require D.C. to submit a report on its enforcement of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.
Would prohibit D.C. from spending its own local funds to enforce its vehicle emission standards.
Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its automated traffic enforcement law.
Would prohibit D.C. from using its local funds to enact or carry out any law which prohibits motorists from making right turns on red.
Would repeal the provision of D.C.’s Anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation law, or Anti-SLAPP law, that exempts from that law any claim brought by the D.C. government.
Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections or on activities related to enrolling or registering noncitizens into voter rolls for local elections.
Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.
Would repeal parts of the Youth Rehabilitation Amendment Act of 2018 that allows courts to use sentencing alternatives for a person who was sentenced as an adult but was under the age of 24 at the time the person committed a crime, changing that age back to 22.
Would prohibit the use of funds to implement, administer, or enforce any COVID–19 mask or vaccine mandate.
Would prohibit the use of funds to commercialize recreational marijuana.
Would prohibit the use of funds to implement the Insurance Regulation Amendment Act of 2024, which relates to reproductive health care and gender-affirming care.
Would prohibit funds to implement or enforce provisions of the Consumer Protection Act against oil and gas companies for environmental claims.

Among the anti-home rule riders are several victories secured by Norton, despite Republican control of the House.

"Even among the long list of anti-home rule riders in the bill text released today, there are a number of victories for residents of the nation's capital," Norton said. "I was pleased to secure these wins for the District, including increasing the DCTAG yearly cap from $10,000 to $15,000 and lifetime award cap from $50,000 to $75,000, a change I have requested for years. Even in the face of funding for the overall program being cut by half, these increases are a positive for D.C. residents who are recipients of the program. I will continue to work to secure full funding for DCTAG.”

The bill also maintains the provision to exempt the D.C. government from a federal government shutdown in FY 2026, a provision she has gotten enacted every year since FY 2015. It also approves D.C. to spend under its FY 26 local budget.

Norton also secured the following victories in the bill:

Increasing the yearly cap on DCTAG to $15,000 from $10,000 and increasing the lifetime cap from $50,000 to $75,000.
Requiring ratably reducing the amount of tuition and fee payment of each eligible DCTAG student who receives more than $10,000 for the award year if there are insufficient funds.
Exempting D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2026.
Providing $5.7 million for D.C. Water Clean Rivers Project.
Providing $70 million for the Emergency Planning and Security Fund. The fund pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation's capital, and is designed to cover the District's costs upfront so D.C. does not need to expend local funds and then seek an appropriation to be reimbursed for such costs after the fact.
Providing $600,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program.
Providing $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C.

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