Council of the District of Columbia

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The Council, as of May 2006. Standing (left to right): Adrian Fenty, Kathleen Patterson, Marion Barry, Jim Graham, Carol Schwartz, Phil Mendelson, Vincent C. Gray, David Catania. Seated (left to right): Kwame R. Brown, Jack Evans, Linda W. Cropp, Sharon Ambrose, Vincent Orange

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.

[edit] History

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.

[edit] Composition

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.

[edit] Requirements for Office

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

[edit] Current party affiliations of the Council of the District of Columbia

Affiliation		Members
	Democratic Party	9
	Republican Party	1
	Independent	1
	Vacant	2
Total		13

[edit] Current members of the Council

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

Harry Thomas, Jr. (D), Ward Five

Tommy Wells (D), Ward Six

Marion Barry (D), Ward Eight

(The council seats for Wards Four and Seven are currently vacant, their previous occupants Adrian Fenty and Vincent Gray having acceded to Mayor and Council Chair, respectively. Special elections will be held on May 1, 2007 to fill those seats.)

[edit] Committees

[edit] Committee of the Whole (COW)

purview
- Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs)
- Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA)
- Commission on Human Rights (CHR)
- Commission on Latino Community Development
- Council of the District of Columbia
- District of Columbia Auditor
- District of Columbia Statehood Commission
- District of Columbia Statehood Compact Commission
- National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC)
- Office of Budget and Planning
- Office of Energy
- Office of Human Rights (OHR)
- Office of Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining
- Office of Latino Affairs
- Office of Motion Picture and Television Development
- Office of Planning
- Office of Property Management
- Office of Zoning
- Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation
- Zoning Commission (ZC)

[edit] Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs

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

[edit] Committee on Economic Development

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

[edit] Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation

purview
- Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR)
- District of Columbia Public Library
- District of Columbia Public Schools
- Education in Partnership with Technology Corporation
- Office of Vocational and Education Skills Training
- State Education Office
- University of the District of Columbia (UDC)

[edit] Committee on Finance and Revenue

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)

[edit] Committee on Government Operations

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

[edit] Committee on Health

purview
- Department of Health (DOH)
- Department of Mental Health (DMH)
- HIV/AIDS Administration
- Health-related Boards and Commissions

[edit] Committee on Human Services

purview
- Barber and Cosmetology Board
- Board of Chiropractic
- Board of Dentistry
- Board of Dietetics and Nutrition
- Board of Medicine
- Board of Massage Therapy
- Board of Nursing
- Board of Nursing Home Administration
- Board of Occupational Therapy
- Board of Optometry
- Board of Pharmacy
- Board of Physical Therapy
- Board of Podiatry
- Board of Professional Counseling
- Board of Psychology
- Board of Respiratory Care
- Board of Social Work
- Board of Veterinary Examiner
- Child and Family Services Agency
- Commission on Aging
- Department of Human Services
- Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, Families and Elders
- Office on Aging
- Office of Medicaid Public Provider Operations Reform
- Statewide Health Coordinating Council

[edit] Committee on the Judiciary

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

[edit] Committee on Public Works and the Environment

purview
- Bicycle Advisory Council
- Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
- Department of Public Works (DPW)
- Department of Transportation (DDOT)
- District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (WASA)
- Litter and Solid Waste Reduction Commission
- Soil and Water Conservation District
- Taxicab Commission (TC)
- Washington Aqueduct

[edit] Special Committees

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

[edit] Officers of the Council

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