Speak Out: Budget Autonomy, Worth the Riders?

Budget autonomy for the District of Columbia is at the center of an ongoing debate among local and Congressional leaders, as D.C. budget autonomy advocates push for a decoupling of the District's ability to manage its budget from Congressional decision-making. While Congress has proffered autonomy options recently, they came with strings attached: riders restricting abortions in D.C.

Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton with support from D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray and Council Chair Kwame Brown last year declined to support proposed legislation from Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Ca.) that would provide for autonomy because it barred local funding for abortions. 

"We recognize that the abortion provision is what Chairman Issa believed would be necessary to get the bill passed in the House. But the views of others should not prevail over the views of our own residents," wrote the three in a prepared joint statement in November.

This refusal came just months after District residents and local government employees were in an when the likelihood of a federal government shutdown

Rep. Issa is again working on legislation that would provide autonomy for the District, but riders and restrictions on abortions still loom over the process.

Recently the National Right to Life Committee has been advocating for a bill that would ban access to abortions after 20 weeks for District women. 

In an email to Roll Call, Douglas Johnson, the legislative director for the pro-life organization, wrote that the Committee:

"would oppose any [budget autonomy] legislation ... unless it contains, at a minimum, a permanent prohibition on government-funded abortions in the Federal District."

According to a press release on her website, Del. Norton decried the 20 weeks bill during a press conference, saying it "carries Republican arrogance to new levels of undemocratic interference, defying federalist principles, reproductive rights and equal protection of the laws all at once."

Despite the strong words from District leaders, Roll Call reports that autonomy activists worry about that strength faltering. Activists fear "Norton and others might be willing to swallow the bitter pill of an abortion rider to win long-sought budget autonomy."

What do you think? Is budget autonomy worth a rider? Do you worry District leaders will give in? Speak Out In The Comments.