I'm calling order of this hearing.

This is a public hearing of the Committee of the Whole of the Council of the District of Columbia.

I'm Phil Mendelson.

Chair of the Council and Chair of the Committee of the Whole.

Today is Friday, May 1st, 2026.

The time is 9.31 in the morning.

And we are in room 412 of the Johnny Wilson building.

This is the fourth of eight hearings that the Committee of the Whole is having on aspects of the Mayor's proposed budget.

The mayor on April 14th sent down several legislative measures.

One is a revised budget for the current fiscal year.

The second is a proposed budget for next fiscal year, which begins October 1st and is fiscal year 2027.

The third is the Budget Support Act, which supports the budget with legislative changes.

And the fourth is the Federal Portion Budget Request Act.

I think there's also emergency legislation in there to enact some of this on an emergency basis.

Today we're going to hear testimony from the witnesses, government and government and public sector.

First, regarding the Council of the District of Columbia's proposed budget for next fiscal year, and then from the New Columbia Statehood Commission regarding their proposed FY27 budget.

Witnesses are, of course, welcome to testify about any changes to the current fiscal year budget.

Our next hearing will be on Monday, May 4th, when we will hear testimony regarding the DC Auditor, the D.C.

Retirement Board, and the Office of the Chief Financial Officer.

On Wednesday, testimony regarding the budgets for the Commission on Arts and Humanities, the Office of Zoning, Office of Planning, and the Department of Buildings.

Next Thursday, May 7th, we will hear testimony regarding the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, otherwise known as the ASI.

And on Wednesday, May 13th, we will have testimony.

We invite testimony from public witnesses regarding any of and all of the budget measures and any aspect of it, not just specific agencies.

That will be May 13th.

I expect that will be an all-day hearing, because it does concern all of the budget measures.

And people who have testified before individual committees may wish to testify at that May 13th hearing.

The council is scheduled to vote on the budget.

We vote twice on the fiscal year 2027 Local Budget Act.

And our second vote will be on June 23rd.

We also will have our first vote on June 9th on the Budget Support Act, but the second vote will be sometime later, but before the council's recess.

No, you don't.

So you don't get 15, 20 minutes.

If you try to take 20 minutes, you're going to hear a thump when I fall off my chair falling asleep.

Greetings and salutations, Chairman Mendelson and members of the Committee of the Whole.

I am Robert Vincent Branham.

I am President Emeritus of the DC Federation of Civic Associations Incorporated, former advisory neighborhood commissioner, and a military service connected disabled veteran.

I present this testimony not just as a private citizen, but also as a concerned and hopefully engaged community activist willing to fight and to go to jail in defense of freedom and faith.

Mr.

Chairman, today, Friday, May 1st, is May Day, a day also known as International Workers' Day.

Every year on May 1st, working people around the world joined together for a day of remembrance and demonstrations.

On this day, workers in D.C.

and across the nation and the world unite as a labor movement with advocates for immigration rights and other community organizations.

At this current moment in the future of D.C.

At this current moment in the future of DC politics, it is my hope and prayer workers and unions will consider the gravity of his support for future leaders of DC.

Workers' rights should not be manipulated for political purposes.

As I proceed, I pause to ask this question.

Who among you is willing to risk going to jail in defense of freedom and faith?

On two separate occasions, I have been arrested, protesting the denial of full freedom and exercise of faith for the people of the District of Columbia.

As a member of the United States military, I was willing to sacrifice my life in service to America and to the District of Columbia.

Mr.

Chairman, I would ask that the Council consider an FTE, a full-time position for someone to be a defender of DC rights against the encroachment from United States attorney for the District of Columbia, Janine Pirot.

Ms.

Pierre goes on Fox News and social media to lie about the District of Columbia.

She wants to take full control of the prosecution of DC youth from the DC Attorney General and this council.

Ms.

Pirot seeks to usurp your the will of the people to feed her and President Trump's narratives of racism and bigotry.

I would urge this council to put in a budget of position for someone to go up against and stand against Ms.

Pierrot and her intellectual and arrogance and hypocrisy against the District of Columbia.

I will testify later regarding Statehood Commission.

With that I yield.

Yes.

This seems to focus on statehood.

Did you have two different documents?

It's just one document.

Oh, okay.

I just altered since I was I didn't realize I was going to be on two separate panels.

So I separated my testimony this morning.

Okay, so you will be back for the statehood, which will not be that distant in time from now.

Yes.

I don't have any questions for you.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

And let me double check.

David Maloff and Teresa Cullen are not here.

Good morning.

Good morning.

I understand that demonstrations on different streets.

Yes.

I'll jump a bit.

Yes, Mr.

Chairman.

My morning was reflective of the past year we've had in the district.

It was very challenging.

The floor is yours.

I won't be long.

Good morning.

I am Naasha Howard, Secretary to the Council of the District of Columbia, and I'm here to deliver testimony on the budget for the council for next fiscal year, fiscal year 2027.

The council is holding steady with no changes year over year to its budget, which totals 39,934,656 and 233 FTEs.

As in prior years, the overwhelming majority of the council's budget is allocated to personnel services.

And as I've said before, our people are our greatest asset.

And we take seriously our responsibility to attract and retain talented staff.

That means maintaining competitive salaries, but it also means offering a comprehensive benefits package that reflects our values as an employer.

In addition to base benefits, we are proud to continue offering a 3% retirement match, 1,000 per employee in professional development funding, a student loan repayment program, and a $100 per month WAMATA transit subsidy.

Together, these investments help us build a workforce that's engaged, skilled, and positioned to serve the public effectively.

On the cost side, we're pleased to note a modest improvement in the fringe benefit assessment rate, which has decreased from 26.3% last fiscal year to 25.8% in FY27.

In addition, the council also administers the paper agency, the Uniform Law Commission, which is a statutory requirement to pay the district's dues to the ULC and any related travel expenses or a six commissioners.

The total funding for next year, as it was for this year, is $65,000.

A modest but necessary investment that keeps the district in compliance with important national standards.

In sum, Mr.

Chairman, this budget is a targeted responsible investment in our people and our mission.

It asks for no more than what we need, and it's designed to ensure that the council can continue fulfilling its obligations to district residents, even in very challenging times.

I appreciate the committee's time and consideration, and I respectfully ask for your support for this fiscal year 2027 budget request.

I'm happy to answer any questions you may have, Mr.

Chairman.

So I just feel like this is not really asking the question because you said this.

So the budget proposed budget for next fiscal year is identical to this year's budget in terms of total cost.

So the council is not adding to any of the fiscal burden of the budget for next year.

The council by statute has control over the Wilson building.

It's something that former Council Chairman John Wilson put in the statute back in 1991 or thereabouts.

With the upcoming mayoral transition, since the council controls the Wilson building, are there activities that your office or the council will be undertaking that will incur some costs for us?

So, as we usually do, we are responsible for the swearing-in ceremony for both the council members and will be new mayor, and that is a financial responsibility that's solely borne by the council.

We will not incur any costs with regards to the mayoral transition, but we will also see some costs as we turn over council members in the next council period.

And as you know, this is expected to be a historic uh turnover.

So there will be substantial costs in terms of changing of space, et cetera.

Um, how would you characterize the reaction of council employees to the benefits that we provide?

So there's a standard benefits health insurance, and there's the um non-union uh retirement uh contributions, but we have an additional match.

Uh you'd mentioned your testimony about transit subsidy, student loan repayment, so forth.

Um what's your sense of employee reaction to that?

I think our employees actually appreciate and they participate in in all of our programs.

Of course, there's always opportunity for more participation.

But what we see in terms of like our retirement match, we have something like a 70% pickup rate, where last year, uh last year we spent $170,000 in our match.

So that's really encouraging to see that most of our employees are utilizing that's um that benefit.

Uh, in terms of the transit subsidy, we have 128 of our 200 employees currently enrolled.

And last year we saw uh $67,000 in terms of costs.

So 128 of 200, of course, I can't do my math right now, but that's uh a pretty good number.

Um in terms of the student loan program, we also see a lot of interest.

Um, I think almost every eligible employee that does have a student loan does participate in our program.

So, all in all, I definitely think that folks are interested and appreciative of these additional uh benefits that we offer questions because you're having to begin with.

Um I don't think I have any other questions.

Let me just note that uh part of the reason why I think it's important that as part of the committee, the whole hearing process, we include the council is to provide an opportunity to the public if they choose to uh testify regarding the council's budget.

Um and uh so we had three non-government witnesses.

Uh one actually was here.

Maybe we'll get statements from the other two.

Uh, but I want to thank you, uh, Secretary Howard.

Um I will just acknowledge publicly that I think the work that you do is vital for the council, uh, and folks don't appreciate how important the role is that you perform.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

And I want to thank my team as well, some of whom are here.

Um, so we are the heroes behind the scenes, I guess.

So thank you to my team.

Well, yes, and I should have said that as well.

Um the uh back of the house is very important.

Yes.

So thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

I'm gonna turn now to the new Columbia Statehood Commission.

We have Robert Vincent Branham, Paul's um, I'll wait for the delegation.

Mr.

Branham, did you want to testify?

I thought that was Paul's.

No, I think he might be taking off the money.

Uh, when you're ready.

Let me say again, greetings and salutations.

I am pleased to offer this testimony regarding the new statehood commission.

According to the official website, in 2020 in 2014, the new Columbia Statehood Commission was created to coordinate DC's statehood initiatives.

The Commission provides support to the shadow congressional delegation in promoting statehood for DC and voting rights for DC residents.

The Commission is composed of the mayor, Miriam Bowser, Council Chairman yourself, Senators Paul Strauss, and Kit Jane, and the others.

But similar but similar to the hit song by Janet Jackson.

What has the Commission done for the people and DC statehood lately?

What public hearings have been held lately to promote DC statehood?

How many four have been held to inform the residents of the District of Columbia on the steps toward freedom, faith inherited in DC statehood?

More importantly, who is the director of the new Columbia Statehood Commission?

Presently, the new Columbia Statehood Commission operates as a program within the statehood initiatives agency of the District of Columbia.

For fiscal year 2026, the approved gross budget for statehood initiatives was 266,83.

The proposed 2027 budget does not reflect any change.

The people of the District of Columbia want and deserve self-determination and full voting congressional representation.

The people of District of Columbia want and deserve statehood.

If statehood is important to the Council of District of Columbia and to the mayor of the District of Columbia, if advocacy for DC statehood is the mission and purpose of the new Columbia Statehood Commission, then there should be commensurate DC government funding and program activities.

government funding and program activities.

On April 11, then Mayor Vincent C.

Gray led a march on Capitol Hill to defend the principle of freedom and faith and statehood.

Forty-one were arrested, including Mayor Gray, Mayor Muriel Balza, and myself.

There was a picture hanging on the wall of the John Wilson building, which serves as a reminder of the individual and collective courage in the constant struggle for freedom, faith, and D.C.

statehood.

Today, at this moment in the history of D.C., following the celebration of D.C.

emancipation in the year America celebrates 250 years of freedom.

I asked this question.

Where is the mobilization of action led by elected leaders of the District of Columbia in the fight for freedom and faith for D.C.

statehood?

The quote, give me liberty or give me debt is a famous one from Patrick Henry.

Fanny Lou Hamer said, quote, nobody is free until everybody is free.

There is another idiom with states, quote, freedom is not free.

Finally, the official motto of the District of Columbia embedded in the seal is Justia Omnibus, which is Latin for justice for all.

If we are all committed to our freedom and to our faith and to D.C.

statehood, we all must be willing to fight for it.

I thank you for meeting me this opportunity to testify on the glory of freedom, faith, and D.C.

statehood.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Branham.

You make an eloquent statement for the need for statehood.

I don't have any questions for you about that because I understand the issue.

So I don't have any other questions for you, but thank you.

And thank you for taking the time to be here.

Let me call the delegation or members of the delegation who are here.

So Paul Strauss, who is Senator Oye Owalewa, who is the representative, and Anke Chain, who is the second senator.

Senator Strauss, I'm going to recognize you first.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Chairman.

I'm here today to present the agency's request with a joint statement from myself and Representative Owalewa.

Obviously, we're here presenting on behalf of our two co-chairmen, the mayor who is not here, and you who are here, but is sitting in another part of the room.

And so on behalf of the Commission, in accordance with Section 2.3 of its bylaws, it's my pleasure to present the proposed budget for the New Columbia Statehood Commission for fiscal year 2027.

The approved 2026 budget under the jurisdiction of the New Columbia Statehood Commission is 266,883, consisting of 162,000 for personnel services assigned to the Office of Statehood delegation and 105,000 in non-personnel services to fund statehood initiatives subject to allocation by the New Columbia Statehood Commission.

The fiscal year 2027 Statehood Initiatives budget proposed by the executive contains no program structure changes in fiscal year 2027's proposed budget.

The Commission's budget submitted to the Council by the Executive reflects no change from the FY26 approved budget.

All revenue sources are from local appropriated or donated funds consistent with federal appropriations law, no federal funds are allocated to statehood initiatives or to the new Columbia Statehood Commission.

In addition to the appropriated funds, the new Columbia Statehood Commission has the authority to allocate donated funds to enhance and supplement our programs which require additional support, as well as provide discretionary funds pursuant to and subject to the limitations of DC Code 1-129.32.

Funds budgeted by the new Columbia Statehood Commission are designed for the purposes of educating, advocating for, promoting, and advancing the proposition of statehood and voting rights for the District of Columbia to district residents and taking that message to the citizens of the 50 United States.

Also, presenting our lack of voting rights to the international community as well.

Additionally, the Commission members, including the mayor yourself, and delegation have been raising the issue in the national media, and in some cases, international media as well.

We anticipate that the Commission will maintain funding for our successful statehood initiatives as well as the 51 Star Celebrity Endorsement Program, as well as continued support for activities and travel to targeted states by the delegation members.

The statutory structure of the Commission requires that funding for statehood initiatives be reviewed by the full membership of the new Columbia Statehood Commission who are required to approve a spending plan on an annual basis.

The spending plan has historically represented a consensus of commissioners and is designed to promote unity of operations and a centralized communication messaging in support of the district's admission as the 51st state, as well as full self-determination for the District of Columbia.

The spending plan will provide for funding and staffing of the delegation's unified shared office in the Wilson building and a unitary staff under the auspices of the Commission managed by an executive director.

Additionally, the Commission's centralized funding structure puts the focus on specific statehood initiatives, which must be subjected to the annual review process to determine their effectiveness and focus.

The efforts of the Commission, our congressional delegation, and the D.C.

Statehood movement have seen much progress over the year, but there are certainly challenges from a hostile Congress and the congressional attacks on home rule are certainly expected to continue.

We look forward to continuing to establish innovative ways to reach out to concern people and advocate more strongly for D.C.

Statehood.

And I think despite the modest investment that the council makes, we're still giving the public good returns based on our budget for the people of D.C.

I'm available to answer any specific questions.

Let me just add uh a happy statehood day to those who celebrate.

Uh and I also want to acknowledge that uh while the the representative has joined the incumbent representative has joined in this statement.

Uh I did confer uh in its preparation with uh some of the uh anticipating a transition as Representative Oweleo has made the decision not to seek re-election.

Uh we did reach out to uh uh Mr.

Garcia uh as well in uh preparation of this statement as I don't want to in any way suggest that the uh we don't know how that the ultimate membership of the delegation will of course be uh up to the voters, but uh uh as a former member who has expressed interest and is running again.

Uh I was happy to have his input in the preparation of this uh statement as well.

All right.

Thank you, uh Senator Strauss.

Uh Senator Jane.

Good morning, Chairman Mendelson, staff and um and any council members who may be listening online.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak to you today.

First and foremost, I want to thank you, Chairman Mendelssohn and your senior staff for your guidance over the past year.

It has been a pleasure serving alongside you, the mayor, and my two colleagues on the New Columbia Statehood Commission.

I understand all too well that the government of the District of Columbia is working in an extremely challenging political climate and is facing severe budget constraints through no fault of its own.

This same political climate has forced members of the D.C.

Statehood delegation to considerably step up our advocacy and media efforts to fight back.

This year, we have experienced unprecedented attacks on our limited home rule.

In addition to members of the delegation reaching out to congressional representatives in order to meet and build relationships that could help with our mission of passing the D.C.

Statehood bills, we have also been playing defense to protect home rule to ensure that we are not taking steps backwards and even further reducing the very limited democratic rights available to D.C.

residents.

I am happy to report that our efforts have been bearing fruit and that my office's efforts have been bearing fruit.

Next month in our performance oversight hearing in my testimony, I will go over my activities in more detail.

But I want to provide a few highlights right now.

There were over a dozen new anti-DC writers in the fiscal year 2026 budget bill that House Republicans introduced that to govern Washington, D.C.

After aggressive engagement by my office and others across DC government, we were able to get rid of every new anti-DC writer in the budget bill that was passed and signed into law.

Afterwards, I was told by Senate Appropriations Committee staff that my efforts were very helpful in making sure that outcome became a reality.

I aggressively advocated against the confirmation of Ed Martin to be U.S.

attorney for the District of Columbia because he was one of the most incompetent and dangerous nominees this president has ever put forward.

His nomination was defeated in the U.S.

Senate.

I'm proud to report that none of the dozens of bills Republicans have introduced to repeal and rewrite local DC laws has passed.

When Republicans tried to disapprove the bill this council passed, the decouple from President Trump's tax cuts for big corporations, I worked with you all to fight back, and we were able to get our attorney general to put out an opinion declaring that the disapproval resolution had no legal effect.

The work our delegation is doing in defense of DC home rule is working, and in the case of the disapproval resolution fight has helped save the DC government millions of dollars.

As you know, the three members of the delegation are business owners or employees elsewhere, and so rely heavily on our staff of two full-time employees, one part-time employee, and interns to conduct the work we are elected to do.

It truly takes a team to get this work done.

In addition to working during traditional business hours, our staff also work some evenings, weekends, and even holidays.

They are extremely dedicated to the cause of DC statehood and have demonstrated their commitment over the years.

Despite the increased workload they have taken on and professionalism with which they do their jobs, they have not received a serious pay increase in several years and are woefully underpaid.

Our full-time staff assistant has not received a raise in nearly four years, despite a substantial increase in job responsibilities this fiscal year, which includes becoming a purchase cardholder and alternate agency program coordinator, as well as taking on contracting and procurement obligations.

Without a pay increase, I worry that our staff will find other opportunities that pay them a more adequate amount for their skills and leave, causing us to lose a large amount of institutional knowledge and forcing us to recruit much less experienced and skilled replacements at the low salary level these positions currently pay.

The problem at the end of the day is our limited budget.

The statehood initiative agency's inaugural fiscal year 2015 budget was 225,000 dollars, 225,800.

The agency's proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 is 266,883, an increase of a mere 41,083 or 18% in more than 12 years, and a 0% increase from fiscal year 2026.

Factoring in inflation, the statehood initiative agency's budget has actually decreased by 14.9% since fiscal year 2015.

Therefore, I must advocate for a meaningful increase to our agency's budget.

The work our delegation does is more important than ever in this time, and in many ways, it has already paid for itself.

The district's FY 2027 proposed budget is a little more than 21 billion total, billion of the B, with 12.7 billion in general funds.

If you can find another 100,000 in the budget for the agency, it would make our work much easier to accomplish.

We would use that funding to provide the raises to our full-time staff that they deserve, keep our part-time staff member with the delegation, and fund the other important projects this commission takes on.

Among other things, we would seek to move the acting executive director to grade 14 step four to put her in line with the position description and salary of agency executive directors.

And we would move the staff assistant to grade 13 step one to reflect the increased job responsibilities she has taken on in the past year.

If you cannot find additional funds, I ask that you move funding around within the mayor's proposed budget to allow our two full-time staff members to get a pay raise.

I have put in my written testimony the specifics of what I am requesting, and that's the the the MIT-gritties and uh exhibit C.

And I would be happy to elaborate during the question and answer portion.

My hope is we can get enough funding and personnel services to allow the acting executive director to get a promotion to grade 13 step one and for the staff assistant to get a promotion to grade 12 step one.

This proposal would not cost the DC government a dime, in uh in addition to what the mayor has proposed.

Um I will note that um I have spoken with Rap O'Wolo, and he supports uh a uh pay increase for staff members.

In closing, as the cost of living rapidly rises, the cost of doing business also skyrockets.

Vendor contract prices will increase to keep up with economy and inflation.

Employee salary expectations rise.

The delegation is already operating on a bare bones budget, and we have earned an increase through our strong advocacy for DC home rule, in my opinion.

Thank you for the opportunity to update you on the delegation's finances, and I would be happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Senator.

So, Senator Strauss, your testimony seemed to be acceptive of the mayor's proposed budget.

Senator Jane argues that there should be some additional money.

That was not in your statement.

We're presenting the new Columbia Statehood Commission's agency request as put forth by the executive consistent with uh what what the executive has proposed in consultation with uh other members of the commission.

Um if if the council has uh going to give us additional money, we are going to happily accept it.

Uh but I felt it was my statutory responsibility pursuant to the uh regs of the commission to present uh what is essentially the agency's request uh such as it is.

So uh we would certainly welcome more money, we would certainly use it to the best of our abilities.

Um I don't know that the delegation has met and considered with the degree of specificity uh that Senator Jane has suggesting.

He's certainly made clear his priorities.

Um but uh you you understand correctly what uh what testimony has been presented, yes.

Um I know the Commission consists of five members.

We meet once.

I think we're supposed to meet twice a year.

The delegation, which is just the three.

Uh how often do you all meet?

Uh the delegation doesn't meet uh essentially uh too often as is a group.

That's not what is contemplated by the bylaws, but certainly uh we share an office uh and we talk uh uh on a fairly regular basis.

As uh threesome or just as you bump into each other?

It it depends.

Sometimes we've met all together, sometimes we uh speak individually.

I can also answer that first question.

So I did ask the mayor's uh team and the CFO for uh I I forget the name, Schedule B, the the form that agencies can request uh submit to request an increase, and we were told that uh agencies could not request an increase this year.

So that's what happened with that.

Um could not even request, let alone like be granted once.

So that's why there was no increase in the mayor's proposed budget.

So you you, Senator Jane did make an inquiry along those lines, and you were told explicitly there were no enhancement requests being accepted this year.

Correct.

And in fact, actually they told us that we weren't even they weren't even going to send us the form so we could make the requests.

So that's actually one of the questions I have here.

So thank you.

The um at our Statehood Commission meeting earlier this year, we adopted changes to the bylaws to add new checks and balances on the budgetary functions of the commission, including additional sign-off procedures for spending.

Have these been working, how have these been working in practice?

I I I think that the changes have worked very well in in increasing the efficiency of the uh ability to get funding out the door.

As you know, there are a lot of requirements to spend money within uh by the district government, and uh previously they were all falling on one staff member, and that that could lead to bottlenecks and dividing the responsibilities has worked very well in making sure that important initiatives get funded.

So it's a it's been working.

I would respectfully disagree.

It creates a redundant system that has done nothing but increased administrative costs, take more time at meetings.

We are the literally one of the smallest budgets in the District of Columbia government, and we now have one of the largest agency review teams.

It doesn't make sense uh for our agency to have uh separate P cards.

It doesn't make sense to have uh this additional layer of review.

Uh I know it's been frustrating for the members of our OFRM team.

I know that uh so uh I I think we're it's something that uh we may want to revisit.

Um if we have to allocate scarce resources, duplicating these procedures.

Um doesn't seem to be a way to do it.

I would note that under the old system uh the agency enjoyed uh clean audits with no adverse findings for the entirety of its operation.

And I would expect um that that could continue under the system.

There's plenty of checks and balances.

Uh we are subject to more reporting requirements per tax dollar than just about any other agency.

I don't mind that.

Public uh service is a public trust, but uh I I think it uh has only created uh replication of resources.

Meetings that used to be easy to schedule uh become more difficult to schedule.

Uh meetings that used to be shorter are now longer.

And um uh it's something that I expect to revisit.

Uh agency review team meetings that uh have to happen as part of the OFRM and CFO's oversight process.

I think the last meeting was 10 minutes.

I'm a little bit confused.

Um I'd ask you, Senator Strauss, if the three of you met, and the impression I got was not very often.

So you're saying meetings are taking longer?

No, no, no, meetings that are required with the CFO's office, meetings that are required uh as as part of the OCP.

The the statehood initiatives agencies meetings that it requires to interact with the other agencies of the DC government uh as part of the overall spending plan.

I was not talking about the internal uh meetings between delegation members.

Uh I'm not sure that meetings over your budget or with your agency fiscal officer.

I'm not sure that the goal is for them to not occur or to happen very quickly.

It should take as long as it takes to consider taxpayer dollars.

I I don't disagree, and uh they've taken as long as they have taken, but the addition of these redundant systems hasn't uh improved efficiency.

Uh now my recollection, because I'm on the commission, was that the issue was whether there was a very efficient, basically one person operation in terms of approving expenditures, or whether there was a more collective collaborative process.

So I get that there can be efficiency with one person, but I know within the council that if I make all the decisions that I start to get some resentment resentment from colleagues.

Well do we know to thank you for that input, Mr.

Chairman.

Um have there been any P card shutdowns since this new process?

No.

No.

And that was happening last fall, as I recall.

There were P card shutdowns.

I'm not aware of any that occurred in the last fiscal year.

We we had a situation once, but uh that's not my recollection.

I think it might have been like two or three years ago.

I thought there was something last uh last year that we had to deal with.

Um, Mr.

Chairman.

Yeah, I'm trying to remember the exact date.

It was probably around that time, but maybe a little bit before when you're thinking Chairman Mendelssohn.

Can you give me a sense of what um each of you has been doing with outreach to Capitol Hill?

Senator, which one of you wants to start?

I can start.

Um so I schedule meetings regularly on the Hill.

In fact, I think we got a few scheduled next next week we're meeting with uh staff or Senate Appropriations Committee to discuss the House the plan for the fiscal year 2027 financial services and general government bill, which is the portion of the federal budget that funds Washington, D.C.

So the federal budget has been a big priority of mine because as you know, many of the attacks on DC are slipped in as riders to the federal budget.

I mentioned in my testimony that I was uh worked very uh aggressively and uh spent a lot of time on the pushing back on the uh Republican congressional proposals for fiscal year 2026 FSGG bill.

Um that uh was successful because we got rid of every single anti-DC rider that was new in that bill.

We two legislation riders are maintained.

And so we're working very hard now to defeat the newest proposed House Republican fiscal year 2027 uh FSGG proposal, which is basically the same as the one they proposed last year, um, starting with meetings with Senator Appropriations Committee staff, we're working on getting meetings with House Appropriations Committee staff, um, and then we meet internally as well every other week with a large group of um home rule advocates to plan strategy around that as well, and that next meeting is coming up next week.

Um so we are all on the same page when we're advocating to Congress.

Um I mean I could go on and on, but I'll just um I don't want to uh keep you too long, and we have the performance oversight hearing where we can go into more detail about this.

But um we uh I also worked um the uh disapproval resolution that uh worked its way through Congress um to try to um uh uh undo the tax decoupling bill this council passed.

I met uh with numerous members um uh delegations uh uh met we meet pretty regularly with Senator Alserbrook's team uh and so we met with them, we met with uh we meet pretty regularly with Senator Gary Peters' team because he's the ranking member on the um committee with jurisdiction over DC in the Senate.

Um and so we met with them to try to um game plan strategy here.

Uh I'm happy to report and then uh before the House vote, we I met with several uh staff members from numerous uh offices of moderate Democratic House members who have in the past voted against DC.

Uh I think uh Dave Minn is one of them, and I I don't have the full uh names off my off the top of my head, but I'll note that not a single Democrat voted for that disapproval resolution, and in fact, one Republican in the Senate uh refused to vote on uh every single time the bill came to a vote, which I I took as a signal that he disapproved of it.

Uh and then you have in addition to that, all of the numerous bills the House Republicans, mostly Republicans have introduced to take away rights from DC, rewrite local DC laws, uh, you know, rewrite our city's policies in line with their agenda.

And uh I have met regularly with um members before those votes um and their staff, um, sometimes with the members themselves, sometimes with the staff, uh, to try to get them to vote no, and with our allies to game plan how we can work together to defeat these bills.

And so as things come up, I am regularly um scheduling meetings on the Hill, uh uh sometimes with members, sometimes with staff, to um uh try to figure out how we can defeat these bills and make sure that uh DC Home Rule and DC rights are protected.

Senator Strauss.

We also coordinate closely with uh the delegate's office to provide centralization of messaging uh when it comes to the House of Representatives.

Uh I'm especially grateful to the efforts of other members of the House, particularly our neighbors like Congressman Jamie Raskin, uh, who continues to be a strong supporter of our efforts, and obviously we engage directly with members of the Senate as well.

So, Senator Chain, listening to you, um I don't know whether I should be concerned or not.

If you're lobbying, maybe I shouldn't use that word.

If you're meeting with members or staff to say uh don't adopt uh one of these um anti-DC house bills.

That's one thing.

If you're meeting with staff saying that the way the appropriation act should read is there should be so many dollars for this or so many dollars for that, that could get crossways with what the mayor and the council are doing.

Yeah, I I don't go into the specifics of you know um what different appropriation requests should be.

It's always about defeating anti-home rule riders or our bills uh attacking DC, and so it's protecting DC home rule is what I am focused on.

And so, for example, I'm not gonna be suggesting earmarks in this budget.

That's the our delegate's job to um suggest earmarks.

So I I don't get into those levels of specifics you're talking about in trying to like substantively change policy.

It's more trying to protect home rule and protect our rights from encroachment and then support you know uh incremental steps to advance things forward, like the delegate has proposed several bills that would do things like that.

So if there's something going on with that, I might support um efforts like that.

Uh and I will say that I talk um regularly with the delegates team um and with others in DC government to make sure we're coordinating our messaging.

Uh and we do have uh I mentioned bi-weekly meetings with um a broad range of advocates to make sure that everybody knows what we're saying and everybody's on the same page.

Uh and then I'll meet with council members often to to understand make sure that we are in agreement on what we're asking for as a DC government.

Um I'm I'm a big believer in collaboration and that making sure that the sum is uh is greater than the parts.

Uh and so I believe that if we all work together and share and understand we have the same messaging, that we can then um uh it drive that messaging and be more effective than if uh people are doing their own thing and not talking to each other.

So I agree with the latter points that you made.

Um what I think I heard from you is that your meetings other than promoting statehood, your meetings are limited to trying to defeat these anti-DC house bills and to keep riders off of the appropriations.

Yes, and if there is a moment where we can advance our DC sovereignty forward, DC Home Rule Forward in an incremental step.

Like obviously statehood is another aspect of what I'm uh meeting about.

But if there are our incremental steps, for example, I I haven't had a meeting about this, but I could see something about the DC National Guard and uh having it control under control of our mayor, the delegate has introduced a bill to that effect.

Those kinds of things are other areas where I might um want to get involved.

Uh give me a second here.

Uh Senator Strauss, do you want to add anything?

Um we've been pleased to enjoy a good collaborative relationship, not just with the the delegate's office, but also with the executives federal representation staff.

Um, certainly with uh senior advisor, Ms.

Perry, when she was there over the years, and we continue to uh coordinate with this executive as they um run through the tape as they uh said.

Uh we look forward to working with the new mayor, whoever uh that may be, and the new delegate.

Uh and I hope that uh the experience that uh we've gained over the years may be of value to them as we prepare district wide for what will be a truly unique transition with a uh new executive, a new delegate, uh members of the council uh that will see a broad transition and at least uh one new member of our delegation.

Uh Senator Jane, how did you arrive at the figure 100,000 dollars?

I was looking for an increase that would be meaningful, but that wouldn't be excessive.

And um it felt like that was a number that could give us the funds to meaningfully expand our work uh and our capacity, and something that the council could find the uh you know the funding for.

And so um, in part it's based on the fact that, like I said, I think our staff needs uh pay increases, and so looking at what those might be, and then um how can we increase funding for other activities as well while making those pay increases happen.

That's kind of I looked at those two things and to to come to the hundred thousand dollar number.

And I mean I will say that I'm I'm happy to discuss with you further on on what any number might be.

And if I may uh yeah, the um the the second proposal doesn't assume assumes no increase um that I put forward.

And that proposal was crafted based on um the um promotion level, the grade step level that I thought um that we thought the uh delegation staff members should have based on their job responsibilities and their qualifications and skills.

And so we took that those numbers and then we took some funding from non-personnel to and put them into personnel to make that work out.

So that's based on specific grade and step levels we thought that the delegation staff members should be changed to.

We thought that the delegation staff members should be changed to other questions.

Um each of you.

Um Thank you for your service, but also thank you for your testimony today.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you very much, Chairman.

Um, and that hearing will be in this room four twelve, and it's to hear testimony from the Chancellor of the DC public schools regarding their budget.

We heard uh public testimony last week.

The time is ten twenty seven A.

M.

and this meet hearing is adjourned.