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In an effort to modernize the transmission of legislation from the District of Columbia to the U.S. Congress, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), has introduced a bill to update the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (HRA). 

The proposed legislation would allow the Chair of the Council of the District of Columbia, currently Councilmember Phil Mendelson (D), to transmit bills to Congress electronically, a significant departure from the current physical delivery requirement.

The bill, known as the District of Columbia Electronic Transmittal of Legislation Act, seeks to alleviate the logistical and financial burdens imposed by the current process mandated under the HRA, which requires physical transmission of legislation to the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate. This process includes a cumbersome 12-step procedure involving the printing of documents and coordination of delivery amidst stringent security and parking restrictions at the Capitol.

“Today, I introduce a bill that responds to the modern age, reflecting practices that are commonplace across federal, state, and local governments,” Norton stated. 

She highlighted the inefficiency and outdated nature of the current system, emphasizing that the proposed change would not alter the congressional review process but would streamline how D.C.’s legislation is presented to Congress.

“While I do not believe there should be a congressional review process for D.C. legislation—and I have introduced a bill to eliminate the review process—this bill would not change the review process, except that it would give D.C. flexibility in the form it transmits legislation to Congress,” Norton insisted.

The push for electronic transmittal aligns with federal legislation such as the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act and the E-Government Act, which have long recognized and facilitated electronic transactions and communications within the government. Norton’s bill also points to the practical benefits realized by federal agencies that already conduct official business electronically.

The bill has previously garnered support from the Committee on Oversight and Reform in the 117th Congress, demonstrating a readiness within parts of Congress to update legislative processes. The need for such modernization was amplified following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, which disrupted the physical transmittal of D.C. legislation, highlighting vulnerabilities in the current system.

“I urge my colleagues to support this bill,” Norton said. “It will reduce unnecessary expenditures and improve the efficiency of legislative operations between the District and Congress.”