Press Releases

Today, the Council passed Councilmember Henderson’s emergency legislation to require that District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Fiscal Year 2022 school budgets be no less than one hundred percent of their Fiscal Year 2021 budgets. This is the first step toward providing robust post-pandemic investment in the education of District students and our school communities.

Today, Councilmember Christina Henderson (At-Large) introduced two pieces of legislation that are crucial for equity in access: The Minor Access to Medical Records and Appointments Amendment Act of 2021 and the Student and Minor Access to Records and Transcripts (SMART) Act of 2021. In order to equip minors living in DC with the tools they need for success, our 16-year-olds must be able to access medical records, make medical appointments, and request school transcripts.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Councilmember Christina Henderson (At-Large) introduced the Record Expungement Simplification to Offer Relief and Equity (“RESTORE”) Amendment Act to significantly expand the eligibility to seal or expunge publicly available criminal records for DC residents. This legislation is a bold step forward in DC’s commitment to reducing employment and housing barriers for those who were arrested but not convicted, convicted of a crime that has been decriminalized, or who have served their time and are returning home. The RESTORE Amendment Act simplifies the expungement and sealing processes to foster an environment in which they can be treated fairly.

Today, Councilmember Christina Henderson (At-Large) introduced legislation to address the ongoing student loan debt crisis and better protect over 116,000 District of Columbia student loan borrowers from unfair practices by lenders and loan servicers. More than 45 million student loan borrowers collectively owe $1.7 trillion of student loan debt, making student debt the second largest class of consumer debt in the country. The District’s 116,000 student loan borrowers collectively owe $7.5 billion in student loan debt, with the average balance exceeding $64,000. These borrowers owe more than any other state, carrying typical debt loads of $20,000 higher than the national average.

"The failure of the District’s COVID-19 vaccination registration portal on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of last week along with the inability of callers to connect with the call center for assistance were entirely unacceptable and avoidable events. As a member of the Committee on Health and the Committee on Government Operations, I have requested that both Chairpersons hold emergency oversight hearings with DC Health and the Office of the Chief Technology Officer for a thorough review of the events and decision-making that led to this government failure. I have also requested information from the Office of Contracting and Procurement regarding the contract for the registration portal.

Today, At-Large Councilmember Christina Henderson introduced the FairWage Amendment Act of 2021, the Safe Passage to School Expansion Act of2021, and the Interagency Council on Behavioral Health Establishment Act of 2021. “I am proud to introduce three bills that advance an equity agenda that supports women, students, and vulnerable communities in the District of Columbia,” saidHenderson. “I firmly believe that in the District of Columbia your zip-code should not determine your opportunity for success, and the three bills I introduced today will help expand opportunity for District residents.”