Defend DC
Protect Home Rule. Expand Autonomy. Stand with Residents.
Washington, D.C.'s right to self-governance is under direct threat. Congress continues to override local laws, attach policy riders to our budget, and threaten the autonomy that residents depend on every day.
Defend DC is a comprehensive strategy to protect Home Rule, expand D.C.'s autonomy, and stand with residents against federal overreach. We pursue statehood as the ultimate goal while building protections that work right now — so that no single Congress can undo what D.C. residents have built.
Download PDF: [Defend DC One-Pager]
The Bottom Line
Goal: Full statehood while securing concrete gains that expand autonomy now
Defense: A standing Home Rule defense system across the Mayor's office, Council, and AG
Residents First: D.C. agencies will not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement absent a judicial warrant
Bridge: Super Home Rule — constitutional and legislative reforms that put self-governance beyond the reach of any future Congress
The Threat to Self-Governance
700,000+ — D.C. residents with zero voting members of Congress
Every law — subject to a 30-day Congressional review period before taking effect
100% locally funded — D.C.'s operating budget uses zero federal dollars, yet Congress still approves it
0 control — over D.C.'s National Guard. The Mayor has no peacetime command authority.
$42 billion+ — in non-resident income earned in D.C. annually that Congress prohibits the city from taxing
200+ — policy riders Congress has attached to D.C.'s budget, blocking everything from marijuana regulation to reproductive healthcare
D.C.'s population exceeds Wyoming and Vermont. D.C. residents pay more in federal taxes per capita than residents of any state. The District funds its own schools, its own police, its own fire department, and its own infrastructure — entirely with local tax dollars. And yet Congress retains the power to override any law, block any budget item, and intervene in local governance at will.
This is not a partisan issue. It is a democratic one.
DC Statehood
Our administration will pursue full representation and expanded self-governance through every available legal, legislative, and constitutional pathway.
Support D.C. statehood as the most direct path to full representation while pursuing gains that expand autonomy now
Build a national coalition to raise the political cost of blocking statehood
Advocate for limits on the President's authority to federalize MPD
Use every executive and legislative tool available to expand D.C.'s governing authority now
Statehood is the clearest path to full representation — two senators, a voting House member, and complete self-governance. But statehood requires Congressional action, and Congress has shown no urgency. A Goodweather administration will not wait. We will pursue every available mechanism to expand autonomy while building the political conditions that make statehood inevitable.
Defending Home Rule
Home Rule is only as strong as the people elected to protect it. We will litigate when necessary, build coalitions to raise the political cost of interference, and prepare legal and media strategies before threats materialize.
Home Rule defense coordination across Mayor, Council, and AG to monitor and respond to Congressional threats in real time
Partnerships with nationwide Statehood advocates, ACLU, NAACP, D.C. Appleseed, and allied organizations
Response plans prepared before bills that may draw backlash
Expand Home Rule curricula in schools and public awareness campaigns so every D.C. resident understands what's at stake
Exemplary budget management to eliminate any pretext for Congressional intervention
The 2024 criminal code override happened because D.C. was caught flat-footed. A Goodweather administration builds the infrastructure so that never happens again — monitoring Congressional activity, preparing legal challenges, and mobilizing public pressure before threats become law.
Protecting Residents from Federal Overreach
D.C. government will stand between federal enforcement agencies and the residents who live here. Our city agencies serve residents — not federal immigration enforcement, not political agendas imposed from outside.
Prohibit D.C. agencies from cooperating with ICE detainers absent a judicial warrant
Ensure no resident is afraid to call the police, send their child to school, visit a hospital, or access city services because of their immigration status
Defend local voting legislation against Congressional override as a Home Rule issue
Rapid-response economic support when federal workforce disruptions impact D.C.
Oppose any federal effort to restrict library materials or school curricula
Expand D.C. municipal ID — accessible, affordable, widely accepted, with privacy protections
Federal workforce reductions are already destabilizing D.C.'s economy. Defend DC ensures the city has the tools, the legal strategy, and the political will to protect residents regardless of what happens on Capitol Hill.
Super Home Rule
Statehood is the goal. Super Home Rule ensures we're never one Congress away from losing what we've gained.
Through constitutional and legislative reforms, Congress would delegate permanent self-governing authority to D.C. — the same way Home Rule was granted in 1973, but broader, deeper, and harder to reverse.
Legislative independence: Congress could no longer review or overturn D.C. laws
Full budget control: No more riders, vetoes, or restrictions on how D.C. spends its own revenue
Court authority: A local court system with D.C.-appointed judges
National Guard command: Peacetime control transfers to the Mayor
Commuter tax power: Repeal the ban on taxing non-resident income earned in D.C.
Government restructuring: D.C. gains the ability to adopt its own constitution and redesign its governance
Super Home Rule is not a replacement for statehood. It is the floor beneath it — ensuring that the rights D.C. residents have fought for cannot be taken away by a single Congressional vote.
Common Questions
"Is Super Home Rule realistic?"
Home Rule itself was granted by Congress through statute in 1973 — no constitutional amendment required. Super Home Rule follows the same model but expands the delegation. The strategy is to build the coalition incrementally, starting with the provisions that have broadest support — budget autonomy and legislative independence — while pursuing the full package. Some provisions may require a constitutional amendment; others can be achieved through legislation alone.
"Why not focus entirely on statehood?"
We are pursuing statehood. Defend DC ensures that while we build toward statehood, we are also securing concrete gains that protect residents right now. Super Home Rule and statehood are complementary, not competing.
"Will sanctuary protections make D.C. a target for federal action?"
D.C. already operates under existing sanctuary policies. Defend DC formalizes and strengthens those protections while preparing legal strategies to defend them. The alternative — cooperating with federal enforcement that targets our own residents — is unacceptable.
"How does this affect D.C.'s relationship with Congress?"
Defend DC is built on the premise that exemplary governance removes pretexts for interference. The strategy pairs aggressive advocacy with fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability — making the case that D.C. earns the autonomy it demands.
"700,000 people live here, pay taxes here, and build their lives here. We deserve the same right to govern ourselves as any American." — Gary Goodweather
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