The federal government is already interfering in DC's local governance in ways that directly affect residents. Until we have full democratic control over our own government, every decision made at the Council level has to account for that reality.
From my first days on the Council, I have treated this as an urgent priority, not a distant aspiration. One of my first meetings as a Councilmember was with DC’s Shadow Senator to align on strategy and make clear that the Council has a real role to play in the statehood movement. I have also co-introduced legislation to protect DC residents from federal law enforcement overreach, because defending Home Rule is not just about long-term advocacy. It is about protecting people in this city while we continue to build the case for full statehood.
DC residents pay federal taxes, serve in the military, and contribute to this country in every way citizens are asked to, without a vote in Congress or full control over their local government. To change that, I will work to strengthen relationships with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, support coordinated advocacy with DC's Congressional Delegate, shadow senators, and shadow representative, and push for a dedicated federal relations office at the Council level so that DC's voice on the Hill is consistent, strategic, and not left to a single lobbyist. Home rule and statehood are two sides of the same coin, and both are worth pursuing with everything we have.