Statement: Councilmember Robert White on the Office of the DC Auditor’s DGS Report
I appreciate the work that the Office of the DC Auditor and their external partners put into their review of work management practices at the Department of General Services (DGS) based on 2021 data. As chair of the Council committee with oversight of DGS, I find the report unsurprising and, unfortunately, in line with the […]
Statement: Councilmember Robert White Shares Path Forward for Stop Discrimination by Algorithms Act
I know that many people, from civil rights advocates to business leaders, are closely following the Stop Discrimination by Algorithms Act. This legislation is very important. I want to thank Attorney General Karl Racine and his team for their groundbreaking work to pioneer new civil rights protections for the automated era in which we live. […]
Statement: Complete Overhaul Necessary to Fix DCHA
The damning HUD report on DCHA requires urgent and thorough action. DCHA is an agency in chaos. The Council must hold a hearing on this report immediately. Further, the Mayor and the Council must reconstitute the Board of Commissioners and appoint a Director with housing experience. It is clear that the current Board, as a […]
Statement: Councilmember Robert White Urges Administration & Council to Follow Legal Medicaid MCO Contract Awarding Process, Not Lobbyist Influence Campaign
On Friday, September 30, contract extensions were approved for the District’s current Managed Care Organization (MCO) contractors from October 1 through the end of 2022. These contract extensions are an interim measure while the Council awaits new contracts (totaling over $2 billion) from the executive, following an extremely delayed contract awarding process that should have […]
DGS Update: Keeping Our Kids Cool and Safe in School
The number of hot classrooms, broken HVAC systems, and other facility issues reported last summer was unacceptable, and these failures cannot be repeated during school reopening this fall. Students, teachers, and administrators of DC Public Schools (DCPS) deserve safe and well-maintained classrooms. And parents deserve to know that their children are learning in an environment […]
Statement: Committee on Government Operations and Facilities Markup, May 19, 2022
Today, the Committee on Government Operations and Facilities, which I chair, reviewed and voted on three bills: B24-0215, the Sexual Harassment Data Collection and Reporting Act B24-0229, the Human Rights Enhancement Amendment Act B24-0174, the Procurement Agencies Alignment Amendment Act I am proud to have introduced these needed bills, along with several of my Council […]
Councilmember Robert White Calls on Mayor to Secure Funding For a New DC Jail in Fiscal Year 2023 Budget
Citing the need to reduce recidivism, improve public safety, and bring equity to our criminal justice system, Councilmember Robert White called for new approaches to detention, starting with the construction of a new DC Jail with facilities that promote education, workforce training, reentry, and rehabilitation programs. The DC Jail has a long history of poor […]
It’s Time to Modernize the Office of the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions
Washington, DC’s Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) are the official voice for their neighborhoods, made up of Commissioners who each represent approximately 2,000 constituents. Since 1976, ANCs have been advising the District government about issues affecting their neighborhoods, from proposed construction projects to dangerous intersections. But the pace and volume of Commissioners’ job has changed significantly over […]
Approve the Nominations of Natalie Hopkinson and Cora Masters Barry
I am very disappointed to learn that Chairman Phil Mendelson is refusing to approve the nominations of Natalie Hopkinson and Cora Masters Barry to the Commission on the Arts and Humanities. These women are being scapegoated and their nominations have been allowed to linger in the DC Council where they will die on November 3rd if […]
Statement on Fraud and Waste Allegations at DCHA
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) must investigate—fully and completely—any and all allegations and concerns surrounding fraud and waste at the DC Housing Authority (DCHA). I agree that it was best for DCHA Chair Neil Albert to step down from his post. The residents of the District deserve an honest and transparent agency. Anything […]