D.C. Budget Autonomy Bill Pulled After Amendments
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Senate committee has withdrawn consideration of a bill that would grant the district more control over its municipal budget.
District leaders asked the committee to pull the bill in response to amendments introduced by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., that go against their priorities.
Paul wants to relax the city's gun laws, in part by allowing residents to carry concealed weapons. He also proposed making permanent a ban on city funding for abortions, among other amendments.
The bill would have allowed the district to spend its local tax dollars without Congressional approval and to set its own fiscal year.
It was introduced by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn. A spokeswoman for Lieberman says he will continue to work with district leaders to grant the city budget autonomy.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
