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H.J.Res. 142 · Where this bill is now

Became law

Public Law 119-78, Feb 18, 2026

What this bill does

In plain words · AI-written from the official summary

D.C. tax law realigned with federal rules

Congress is using a special process to block a recent D.C. law that separated the city's tax rules from federal ones. If approved, this resolution would undo that D.C. law and realign D.C. taxes with federal tax changes, restoring provisions that give larger standard deductions, expanded charitable deductions, new deductions for seniors and workers, and changes to how businesses can deduct depreciation and research costs.

How it affects you

This directly affects D.C. residents and businesses. If the resolution passes, some D.C. taxpayers would see changes to their deductions and credits, including potentially higher standard deductions and new deductions for those 65 and older, though the D.C. child tax credit that the recent law restored would be removed.

Read the official summary (Public Law, Feb 18, 2026)

This joint resolution reinstates provisions of District of Columbia (DC) tax law to conform with federal tax law.

As background, DC generally automatically adopts changes to federal tax law (known as rolling conformity). Therefore, upon enactment of the 2025 reconciliation act (commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act), many of its tax provisions became DC law. DC subsequently enacted its own legislation (the DC Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025) that decoupled DC tax law from these federal provisions.

This joint resolution nullifies the DC legislation, thereby generally realigning DC tax law with the tax provisions of the 2025 reconciliation act.

Specifically, the joint resolution reinstates for DC provisions that

• increase the higher basic standard deduction;

• increase deductible charitable cash contributions (for taxpayers who take the standard deduction);

• establish a $6,000 tax deduction for taxpayers 65 years and older;

• allow a tax deduction of qualified tips, qualified overtime pay, and qualified car loan interest;

• authorize an elective 100% depreciation allowance for nonresidential real property; and

• authorize businesses to deduct 100% of research and experimental costs retroactive to tax year 2022.

The DC legislation also amended several other provisions of DC tax law, including restoring the DC child tax credit. The joint resolution negates these changes.

Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.

119th Congress
2nd Session
H.J.Res. 142

JOINT RESOLUTION

Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025.

Passed HouseFeb 4, 2026 · 215–210Passed SenateFeb 12, 2026 · 49–47Public Law 119-78Feb 18, 2026

Sponsor: Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX-26) · Introduced Jan 22, 2026 · Government Operations and Politics · 4 versions of the text

Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Feb 18, 2026: “Became Public Law No: 119-78.”

How Congress voted

Official roll calls

House · On Passage · Feb 4, 2026

Passed 215–210

YesNoDidn’t vote
PartyYesNoDidn’t vote
Democrats02104
Republicans21503

Source: Clerk of the House · roll call 56

215–210Passed
DemocratsRepublicans

Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.

Sections

The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 4 official versions.

Sections · 2
H.J.Res. 142: Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025. — Bill Status, Votes and Text · Public Law Tracker