WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate swiftly approved legislation late Friday that would allow the District of Columbia to keep its budget intact, rather than roll back to 2024, fixing a provision that had drawn protests from the mayor and residents warning it would require $1 billion in cuts to services.
The bill passed unanimously, without dissent, and now heads to the House. Lawmakers there are on recess, but expected to consider it when they return in late March.
“The issue here is just allowing the D.C. government to proceed to spend its own tax revenues,” said Sen. Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, the chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, during a brief floor debate.
Collins said the legislation would correct the situation that arose from the broader package to prevent a government shutdown, and assured, “There are no federal dollars involved.”
After Friday’s vote, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser released a statement saying: “Senate approval today is a major first step as we continue working with the House of Representatives on final passage to ensure critical services provided in the Nation’s Capital, including our police officers, firefighters, teachers, medical services and hospital network, aren’t haphazardly cut in the middle of the fiscal year. DC is proud of our strong financial management, balanced budgets, and strong bond ratings.”
The sudden focus on the District of Columbia startled its leaders and residents, who rushed to Capitol Hill this week to protest the way Congress was interfering with its governance. Residents have been flooding senators’ offices, demanding the change.
While the District won the power of Home Rule during the Nixon administration, it is facing new threats as Congress, which maintains ultimate oversight of the region of 700,000 people, is in the hands of Republican majorities who have suggested more federal control.
The problem arose in the House Republican-passed package to fund the federal government past Friday's deadline to prevent a shutdown. It failed to include a routine provision allowing the District of Columbia's budget, which is made up mostly of its own tax revenues but subject to approvals by Congress. Instead, it held the District’s budget at 2024 levels, which officials would result in essentially a $1 billion cut to police, education and other services.
Senators were unable to amend the federal funding package, or risk a government shutdown, but in passing the separate bill, they said they were on track toward fixing the situation for the District of Columbia.
“Very good news,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, announcing the agreement. “We urge the House to act quickly.”
Bowser, who has worked to ensure a working relationship with the Trump administration in a city that routinely votes for Democrats, stood outside the U.S. Capitol with members of the city council earlier in the week and urged Congress to act.
Last month, President Donald Trump said Washington, D.C., would be better off under total federal control, and two Republicans have offered legislation to do just that.
Bowser has tried to accommodate Trump’s concerns as well as those of Republicans, including recently removing the Black Lives Matter Plaza that was erected in 2020, one block from the White House.
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks at a news conference to address the impact of the proposed continuing resolution, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks at a news conference to address the impact of the proposed continuing resolution, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese star Shohei Ohtani showed off some prodigious power in his return to the Tokyo Dome on Saturday night.
In an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants, the three-time MVP belted a two-run homer to right field in the third inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 4-0 lead, setting off a roar from the roughly 42,000 fans in attendance.
“He always seems to rise to certain occasions, expectation to put on a performance,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Once again, he delivered.”
Ohtani led off the game with a walk and came to bat for a second time in the third inning. He didn't get his best swing on the ball, but the 6-foot-4, 210-pound slugger was still able to launch a slider from Yomiuri's Shosei Togo 391 feet, which was plenty of distance to get it over the fence.
The 30-year-old is just 4 1/2 months removed from surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder but has recovered remarkably fast. His big swing at the Tokyo Dome is another sign that he's feeling good heading into his eighth big league season, his second with the Dodgers.
“I was a bit out front on it, but it went out at a good angle and I thought it was going to be a home run," Ohtani said, through a translation.
The Dodgers put on quite a power display in the third with Michael Conforto, Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández all going deep to give Los Angeles a 5-0 advantage. Conforto said it was great to go deep in his first at-bat, but the conversation quickly switched to Ohtani.
“It's really amazing,” Conforto said. “In every big moment, he seems to just do what the fans want him to do.”
Los Angeles beat Yomiuri 5-1.
The Dodgers are playing in Japan as part of the Tokyo Series. The team is playing two exhibition games against Japanese teams before starting the regular season with two games against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In 2024, Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to have at least 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in one season. He played several seasons for the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan before coming to the U.S. in 2018 with the Los Angeles Angels.
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Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Yomiuri Giants' Makoto Kadowaki, left, throws to first to complete the double play after forcing Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, right, at second in the first inning of a spring training baseball game in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani connects for a two-run home run in the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, left, and first base coach Chris Woodward, right, greet each other after Ohtani earned a walk in the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani waves from the field as he warms up before a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, rear left, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, rear right, talk as they watch a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani waits on a pitch in the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, left, and Yomiuri Giants' Yoshihiro Maru, front, greet each other before the first inning of a spring training baseball game in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
