Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill that would strip Washington, D.C. of its ability to govern itself, revoking the city’s Home Rule Act and placing full control in the hands of Congress.
Utah Sen. Mike Lee and Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles proposed the “Bringing Oversight to Washington and Safety to Every Resident (BOWSER) Act” on Thursday, directly targeting D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the city’s elected leadership. If passed, the bill would repeal the D.C. Home Rule Act of 1973—which allows the city to elect its own mayor and council—one year after enactment.
Ogles took to X (formerly Twitter) to justify the move, calling Bowser’s administration incapable of running the nation’s capital.
“The radically progressive regime of DC Mayor Bowser and her corrupt Washington City Council are incapable of managing the U.S. Capital,” Ogles wrote. “As such, it seems appropriate for Congress to reclaim its Constitutional authority and restore the nation’s Capital. That’s why @basedmikelee and I are introducing legislation to repeal the DC Home Rule Act and restore America’s city to the glory it deserves.”
What Is the D.C. Home Rule Act?
For decades, Washington, D.C. has operated under a limited form of self-governance through the Home Rule Act of 1973, which allows the city to:
- Elect its own mayor
- Establish a city council to pass local laws
- Choose Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners to manage community concerns
However, Congress still maintains significant power over D.C., including the ability to review all local legislation and appoint the city’s judges. Unlike states, D.C. has no voting representation in Congress, though it has a nonvoting delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has represented the city since 1991.
What Would the BOWSER Act Do?
If passed, the bill would:
- Revoke the D.C. Home Rule Act one year after passage
- Eliminate D.C.’s ability to elect local leaders, giving Congress full control over governance
- Place Washington, D.C. entirely under federal oversight, making it the only major U.S. city without elected representation
The bill is the latest Republican attempt to limit D.C.’s autonomy, following GOP-led efforts to block the city’s criminal justice reforms and prevent it from achieving statehood. Critics argue that repealing Home Rule would erase decades of progress and disenfranchise the city’s over 700,000 residents, the majority of whom are Black and Democratic voters.
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton has long fought for D.C. statehood and has pushed back against similar Republican efforts to restrict the city’s authority.
Mayor Muriel Bowser has not yet responded to the bill, but D.C. officials are expected to challenge any attempt to revoke the city’s self-governance.
