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Neighbors,
And just like that – budget season has concluded. On Tuesday, the Council took the final vote on the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Support Act (FY25 BSA). So much has happened over the past 70 days, and I’m always immensely impressed by the staff and members’ ability to get it done in such a short period of time. This was a tough budget cycle, but I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish on behalf of District residents and workers.
A major highlight, of course, is the restoration of the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund (PEF). Nothing else in this budget went from $0 to $280 million (over the financial plan) in 70 days, however there is still more work to be done. Right now, the Early Childhood Educator Compensation Task Force has reconvened to review the formula and make recommendations on a new salary scale for educators in the field. They will submit recommendations in September and the Council will revisit this issue in October.
We were also able to get some non-health related bills passed and/or funded through the FY25 budget. For example, the New Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights Amendment Act, which enhances consumer protections for the 100,000+ student loan borrowers in the District, has been fully funded. The Committee on Business and Economic Development approved this bill on June 17, and it will receive a full vote of the Council in July. Another bill of mine, the Middle School Career Exploration Pilot Amendment Act of 2023 (otherwise known as the Career Ready Early Scholars Program), was also officially passed through the FY25 BSA. This is a program for middle school youth that provides occupational skills, academic enrichment, life skills, career exploration, work readiness, and youth development trainings. You can review further investments made in the Fiscal Year 2025 Local Budget Act of 2024 here.
Though summer has just begun, we have already experienced several heat emergency activations, and I urge residents to take precautions to avoid heat related illnesses and to check on those who may be more susceptible to warmer temperatures, such as seniors and children. There are several cooling centers in the District, and those in need of transportation to them can call 311 to receive assistance. You can access the 2024 Cooling Center map here. You can also access the complete list of DC pools (indoor and outdoor) and spray parks here.
I’d also like to wish everyone an early Fourth of July. As the nation’s capital, the District will have numerous events in celebration of Independence Day. You can find a list of offerings further along in this newsletter.
In service,
Christina Henderson
Councilmember, At-Large
On Thursday, June 20, the Committee on Health held a markup to vote on nominees to the Food Policy Council and on the Counseling Compact Approval Act of 2024. All nominees to the Food Policy Council were approved without comment, and the present Committee members voted unanimously in favor of the Counseling Compact Approval Act of 2024.
On Thursday, June 20, the Committee on Transportation and the Environment held a roundtable on the nomination of Sharon Kershbaum for the position of Director of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). Councilmember Henderson shared her preferred qualities in a director: someone who listens to the community, is adept at moving projects along, can be innovative, and delegates efficiently. Councilmember Henderson questioned Acting Director Kershbaum regarding her approach to solving emerging problems and issues as an agency leader, her process of incorporating community feedback into DDOT’s projects, her sense of urgency in advancing transportation safety projects in the eastern part of the city, and the agency’s process for making the automated traffic enforcement camera placement system more transparent.
On June 26, the Committee of the Whole held a two-part hearing on student absenteeism and discipline. During the first half of the hearing, Councilmember Henderson inquired about the logistics of the Utilizing Partnership and Local Interventions for Truancy and Safety (UPLIFT) Act of 2024 and the ramifications it may have on the Parent and Adolescent Support Services (PASS) case management program with the Deputy Mayor of Education and the Director of the Department of Human services. Councilmember Henderson also discussed utilizing home visiting programs as a tool to combat truancy and absenteeism.
During the second half of the hearing, in conversations with government witnesses from DCPS and the Office of State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), Councilmember Henderson inquired about OSSE’s truancy data collection and reporting methods and the agency’s vision for utilizing home visiting programs in their efforts to increase attendance rates. Councilmember Henderson also expressed her concern that the proposed bills do not address truancy and absenteeism driven by inaccessible transportation services.
Upcoming Hearings and Roundtables
The upcoming schedule for the Committee on Health is below. If you are interested in testifying or submitting written testimony you can sign up on the Council’s website at dccouncil.gov/hearings.
Christina in the Community
DC Silver Pride
On Thursday, June 20, Councilmember Henderson attended DC Silver Pride. The event is a celebration of the senior members of the LGBTQ+ community in the District and aims to generate conversation on the importance of civic duty and community advocacy. Silver Pride was organized by Whitman-Walker and sponsored by AARP DC.
DC Boys & Girls State
At the beginning of this week, on June 24, Councilmember Henderson met with rising high schoolers participating in the 2024 Session of the American Legion Department of the District of Columbia Boys and Girls State. Staters raised questions on public safety, school lunches and quality control, accessibility to pre-k, and the steps the DC Council takes to create “the budget.”
Dorothy Celeste Boulding Ferebee Way Designation
Later in the week, on June 27, Councilmember Henderson attended Councilmember Zachary Parker’s honorary street designation ceremony for Dr. Dorothy B. Ferebee. Dr. Dorothy B. Ferebee was a medical doctor, as well as a remarkable civil rights activist who merged her passions by directing the Mississippi Health Project that provided healthcare to sharecropping families in Holmes, Mississippi. She also was an active member of the National Council for Negro Women (NCNW) and was elected as its president in 1949, and a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. where she also served as the Tenth International President of the sorority.
Read Aloud with Recreation Wish List Committee
To close the week, Councilmember Henderson visited the All In at Southeast Tennis and Learning Center Summer Camp on June 28 and participated in their Read Aloud program. Councilmember Henderson read Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly aloud to the students and participated in the summer camp’s group presentation of the book. The Recreation Wish List Committee’s Read Aloud program is a weekly part of the camp, which offers diverse programs such as African-American history, computer science, tennis, coding, dance, and sewing.
In Case You Missed It: Councilmember Henderson in the News
Five winners and losers in D.C.’s 2025 budget, Meagan Flynn for the Washington Post, 06/13/2024
Constituent Service Corner
Smithsonian Folklife Festival
Celebrate the National Museum of the American Indian by attending the 2024 Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall. Join in on the celebration and learn from Indigenous artists and makers, professional chefs and home cooks, musicians, dancers, athletes, and storytellers about the depth of multigenerational traditions as well as new and innovative approaches to cultural expression. The festival is ongoing now until July 1. You can learn more here.
ERAP Application
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) application portal opens on Monday, July 1 at 12pm. District residents may apply for rental assistance through the ERAP application portal here. The application portal will remain open until 4,000 applications are received.
Residents can call the ERAP hotline at (202)507-6666 to receive technical support with submitting an ERAP application. District residents may also receive in-person support submitting an application by visiting the ERAP Application Clinic at the UDC-CC Lamond-Riggs Campus at 5171 South Dakota Avenue, NE. Support will be available from 12pm to 4pm or until 4,000 applications have been received.
Independence Day Events
If you’re looking for Independence Day events you can visit the official tourism site of Washington, DC, washington.org for a list of ways to celebrate the nation’s birthday.
Community Feedback for Grant Circle
DDOT has presented its proposed plans for Grant Circle, which have been based on previous feedback sent in from ward members. The community response window for their proposed plans closes on July 12. Ward members can send feedback to Ward Engagement Lead, Kornelious Anderson at kornelius.anderson@dc.gov or Project Manager, Zhibo Zhang at zhibo.zhang@dc.gov.
Summer 2024 Red Line Construction
Summer construction has started on the Red Line, closing the Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen and Silver Spring stations. Stations will be closed through August 31. Follow the link to plan your travel here.
Be a Better Bus Hero
Share Your Input on Metro's Proposed 2025 Better Bus Network! Review and provide feedback on the proposed 2025 Network by using Metro's interactive comment map, taking a survey, submitting written comments, or uploading a document at wmata.com/betterbus by 5:00 p.m. on July 15. Or, provide testimony at an in-person or virtual Public Hearing. To view the full schedule of in-person events, visit wmata.com/betterbus. Share your feedback online by July 15 for a chance to win a $50 Visa gift card.
Stay Cool in a District Pool
The weather is getting warmer and taking advantage of the District’s many pools is a great way to cool off. The Department of Parks and Recreation has a complete list of indoor pools, outdoor pools, and spray parks. You can view them here.
Have a constituent service need related to the Health Committee or any of the other agencies in DC Government? Want Councilmember Henderson to come to your community event or meeting? Don’t hesitate to reach out to our Constituent Services Director Ana Berrios-Vazquez during regular business hours (9:00am - 5:30pm) at 202-724-8105, or ABerriosVazquez@dccouncil.gov.
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Stay Connected
Thank you for reading! Please stay in touch.
Christina Henderson
At-Large Councilmember
chenderson@dccouncil.gov
Mike Shaffer
Chief of Staff
mshaffer@dccouncil.gov
Heather Edelman
Deputy Chief of Staff
hedelman@dccouncil.gov
Gabrielle Rogoff
Legislative Director
grogoff@dccouncil.gov
Ana Berríos-Vázquez
Constituent Services Director
aberriosvazquez@dccouncil.gov
Sierra Wallace
Communications Director
swallace@dccouncil.gov
Nicholas Pcholkin
Senior Legislative Assistant
npcholkin@dccouncil.gov
Taylor Coleman
Legislative Aide
tcoleman@dccouncil.gov
Health Committee
Ona Balkus
Committee Director
obalkus@dccouncil.gov
Marcia Huff
Senior Policy Advisor
mhuff@dccouncil.gov
Rebecca Cooper
Health Policy Advisor
rcooper@dccouncil.gov
Ashley Strange
Legislative Assistant
astrange@dccouncil.gov