Bill > HR5856

This bill proposes to change the terminology used to describe Washington D.C.'s local government leadership and legislative bodies, effectively rebranding existing roles without changing their fundamental functions. Specifically, the bill would rename the Office of the Mayor to the Office of the Governor, the City Council to the Legislative Assembly, and the Council Chair to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. The current officeholders would automatically be considered elected to these newly named positions, and all existing laws, rules, and regulations would be interpreted to refer to the new titles. While the bill does not alter the actual powers or responsibilities of these roles, it appears intended to elevate the perceived status of D.C.'s local government by using terminology more commonly associated with state-level governance. The changes would be made to the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which governs the city's local government structure. No substantive changes to the governance structure are proposed, making this primarily a semantic modification that could potentially signal D.C.'s desire for greater political recognition and autonomy.

Government Affairs

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5856/all-info