Council of the District of ColumbiaLocal authority

The Council of the District of Columbia is the legislative branch of the local government of Washington, D.C., the federal capital of the United States. Its mandate includes enacting local laws, approving the district's annual budget, and overseeing municipal executive agencies, though its legislation remains subject to congressional review. Established under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act signed in 1973, it replaced a federally appointed system and officially took office in January 1975 to restore elected local governance.