To prohibit the District of Columbia from requiring tribunals in court or administrative proceedings in the District of Columbia to defer to the Mayor of the District of Columbia's interpretation of statutes and regulations, and for other purposes.
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3766
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Law
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-13: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 565.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-02T18:41:26Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill (H.R. 3766) aims to prevent courts and administrative bodies (tribunals) in the District of Columbia (D.C.) from automatically accepting (deferring to) the Mayor of D.C.'s or D.C. agencies' interpretations of laws (statutes) and rules (regulations) they enforce. It promotes independent judicial review of government actions.
Key Provisions
- Prohibition on Deference (Section 1(a)):
- D.C. cannot require tribunals to defer to the Mayor's or a D.C. agency's interpretation of statutes or regulations when reviewing:
- Orders or decisions by the Mayor or agencies in court or administrative proceedings (including judicial reviews).
- Rules adopted by the Mayor or agencies.
- Repeal of D.C. Law (Section 1(b)):
- Fully repeals the Review of Agency Action Clarification Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Law 26-37).
- Restores any prior laws that were changed or removed by that D.C. Act, as if it never existed.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Directly overrides a 2025 D.C. law that likely mandated deference to the Mayor's or agencies' views on legal meanings.
- Shifts review standards in D.C. from deference-based to independent judgment by tribunals, aligning more closely with federal trends post-Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo (a Supreme Court case ending broad agency deference nationally).
Potential Impacts
- On Government: D.C. Mayor and agencies may face stricter scrutiny of their decisions and rules, potentially leading to more overturned actions and increased litigation.
- On Citizens and Businesses: Easier for individuals, companies, or groups in D.C. to challenge agency interpretations in court, improving accountability but possibly slowing administrative processes.
- On Courts: D.C. tribunals gain more authority to interpret laws independently, reducing automatic support for executive actions.
- No direct impact on international relations.
Main Stakeholders
- D.C. Mayor and Agencies: Lose interpretive advantage in reviews.
- D.C. Courts and Administrative Tribunals: Must conduct independent legal analysis.
- D.C. Residents, Businesses, and Litigants: Gain stronger tools to contest regulations or decisions.
- U.S. Congress: Asserts oversight over D.C. local laws.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Ends a form of "Chevron deference" (a past federal standard giving weight to agency views) specifically in D.C., emphasizing judicial independence.
- Constitutional: Relies on Congress's broad authority under the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 8) to govern D.C. as a federal district, allowing federal override of local laws.
- Political: Represents federal intervention in D.C.'s home rule (limited self-governance), potentially sparking debates on local autonomy versus national oversight. Reported from House Committee with amendments, indicating bipartisan or committee support.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large]
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Fitzgerald, Scott [R-WI-5]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-13: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 565.
- 2026-05-13: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 119-650.
- 2026-05-13: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 119-650.
- 2025-12-02: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 24 - 19.
- 2025-12-02: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2025-06-05: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- 2025-06-05: Introduced in House
- 2025-06-05: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- To prohibit the District of Columbia from requiring tribunals in court or administrative proceedings in the District of Columbia to defer to the Mayor of the District of Columbia’s interpretation of statutes and regulations, and for other purposes. — issued 2025-06-05 — PDF (2 pages)
- To prohibit the District of Columbia from requiring tribunals in court or administrative proceedings in the District of Columbia to defer to the Mayor of the District of Columbia’s interpretation of statutes and regulations, and for other purposes. — issued 2026-05-13 — PDF (4 pages)