WASHINGTON (AP) — A House committee is set to vote on a bill that would block the District of Columbia government from spending local tax dollars without approval by Congress.

The District government has sent its budget to Congress for approval every year since the city was granted home rule in 1973. But this year, city leaders planned to skip that step. City voters approved a referendum granting so-called "budget autonomy" to the District and a judge ruled in the city's favor after the law was challenged in court.

But Republican leaders made clear during a hearing last week that they wouldn't allow a local referendum to take power away from Congress.

The bill is expected to be approved in committee Tuesday.

 

(Story by: The Associated Press)

 

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