Council of the District of Columbia

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The Council, as of August 2007. Standing (left to right): Jim Graham, Muriel Bowser, Harry Thomas Jr., Tommy Wells, Yvette Alexander,Marion Barry, Phil Mendelson, Mary Cheh. Seated (left to right): David Catania, Carol Schwartz, Vincent C. Gray, Jack Evans, Kwame R. Brown
The Council, as of August 2007. Standing (left to right): Jim Graham, Muriel Bowser, Harry Thomas Jr., Tommy Wells, Yvette Alexander,Marion Barry, Phil Mendelson, Mary Cheh. Seated (left to right): David Catania, Carol Schwartz, Vincent C. Gray, Jack Evans, Kwame R. Brown

The Council of the District of Columbia is the legislative branch of the local government of Washington, D.C. Because the United States Constitution places the District of Columbia under the sole control of Congress, all acts of the Council of the District of Columbia are subject to Congressional veto, and thus the Council has less power than most city councils in the United States. However, because the District is not part of any state, Congress has devolved many powers normally exercised by state governments to the District's government; thus, the Council considers many matters that would fall to state legislatures elsewhere in the United States.

Contents

The council was created by the passage of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act by Congress in 1973. This act gave D.C. residents the right to elect a local government with limited authority with its acts subject to the approval of Congress, and was an important achievement of the effort for District of Columbia home rule. Previously, D.C. had been governed directly by Congress through the Committees on the District of Columbia.

The council is composed of 13 members, each elected by D.C. residents to a four-year term. The members fall into the following categories:

  • The chairman of the council, elected by the electorate of the District as a whole.
  • Eight members, each of whom is elected from one the District's eight wards.
  • Four at-large members representing the District as a whole. The terms of the at-large members are staggered so that two are elected every two years, and each D.C. resident has two votes in the at-large election. The two at-large members elected cannot be from the same party; thus, if the top two vote getters in an election come from Party A and the third-place candidate is from Party B, the first- and third-place candidates would be the winners. In practice, District politics are almost completely dominated by the Democratic Party, and the only non-Democratic Council members are usually at-large members.

  • resident of the District of Columbia for at least one year prior to the general election
  • registered voter
  • if running for a particular ward then must be a resident of that ward

Affiliation Members
  Democratic Party 11
  Republican Party 1
  Independent 1
 Total
 13

Vincent C. Gray (D), Council Chair

Carol Schwartz (R), At-Large

David Catania (I), At-Large

Phil Mendelson (D), At-Large

Kwame R. Brown (D), At-Large

Jim Graham (D), Ward One

Jack Evans (D), Ward Two

Mary Cheh (D), Ward Three

Muriel Bowser (D), Ward Four

Harry Thomas, Jr. (D), Ward Five

Tommy Wells (D), Ward Six

Yvette M. Alexander (D), Ward Seven

Marion Barry (D), Ward Eight

  • purview
    • Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA)
    • Board of Consumer Claims Arbitration
    • Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA)
    • Department of Insurance and Securities Regulation
    • Department of Banking and Financial Institutions
    • District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission
    • District of Columbia Housing Authority
    • Educational Institution Licensure Commission
    • Rental Housing Commission (RHC)
    • Professional licensing boards not specifically assigned to other committees

  • purview
    • Chamber of Commerce
    • Commission on Arts and the Humanities
    • D.C. Committee to Promote Washington
    • Department of Housing and Community Development
    • Deputy Mayor for Economic Development
    • District of Columbia Economic Development Finance Corporation
    • District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency
    • Housing Production Trust Fund Board
    • Local Business Opportunity Commission
    • National Capital Revitalization Corporation
    • Office of Business and Economic Development
    • Office of Cable Television and Telecommunications (OCTT)
    • Office of Local Business Development
    • Public Access Corporation
    • RLA Revitalization Corporation
    • Sports and Entertainment Commission
    • Washington Convention Center Authority
    • Washington Convention and Visitors Association

  • purview
    • Board of Real Property Assessments and Appeals
    • College Savings Program Trust
    • Lottery and Charitable Games Control Board
    • Multi-state Tax Commission
    • Office of Finance and Treasury
    • Office of Financial Management
    • Office of Tax and Revenue
    • Office of Financial Operations
    • Office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

  • purview
    • Board of Elections and Ethics (BOEE)
    • Commission for Women
    • Contract Appeals Board
    • Deputy Mayor for Government Operations
    • Office of the Chief Procurement Officer
    • Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO)
    • Office of the City Administrator
    • Office of Employee Appeals
    • Office of the Inspector General
    • Office of the Mayor (OM)
    • Office of Personnel
    • Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs
    • Office of Press Secretary
    • Office of Veterans Affairs
    • Public Employees Relations Board
    • Secretary to the District of Columbia
    • Retirement Board

  • purview

  • purview
    • Advisory Commission on Sentencing
    • Board of Appeals and Review
    • Child Support Guidelines Commission
    • Citizen Complaint Review Board
    • Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure (CJDT)
    • Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
    • Department of Corrections
    • Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice
    • Emergency Management Agency
    • Fire Department (FEMS)
    • Judicial Nomination Commission
    • Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)
    • National Guard
    • Office of Administrative Hearings
    • Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
    • Office of the Corporation Counsel (OCC)
    • Public Defender Service

  • Special Committee on A Comprehensive Policy For Local, Small, And Disadvantaged Business Enterprises
  • Special Committee on The Prevention Of Youth Violent Crime
  • Special Committee on Vocational Education And Jobs For District Residents

The Council Chairman recommends the Council officers which are approved by a majority of the Council.

  • General Counsel - acts as chief parliamentarian of the Council
    • provides advice to the Council on legislative policy
    • represents the Council in legal actions
    • assists Councilmembers in drafting legislation
  • Secretary to the Council - chief administrative officer
    • keeps the legislative records
    • makes information available to the public
  • Budget Director
    • reviews the proposed annual operating budget
    • analyses the fiscal impact of all legislation and contracts

v • d • e
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