However, the Constitution vests Congress with ultimate authority over the federal district, and therefore all acts of the council are subject to congressional review.

When Congress passed the Residence Act on July 16, 1790, they called for a new permanent capital of the United States to be located on the Potomac River.

The federal district originally comprised land in the form of a square measuring 10 miles (16 km) on each side donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia.

The Residence Act also provided for the selection of a three-member board of commissioners, appointed by the president, charged with overseeing the construction of the new capital.

The city's incorporation allowed for a local municipal government consisting of a mayor appointed by the president and an elected six-member council.

[7] This piecemeal governmental structure remained essentially intact until the passage of the Organic Act of 1871, which created a new government for the entire District of Columbia.

In 1873, President Ulysses S. Grant appointed the board's most influential member, Alexander Robey Shepherd, to the new post of governor.

Shepherd authorized large-scale projects to modernize Washington but overspent three times the approved budget, bankrupting the city.

However, pursuant to the Home Rule Act all legislation passed by the D.C. government, including the district's local budget,[14] remains subject to the approval of Congress.

To become a candidate for council an individual must be resident of the District of Columbia for at least one year prior to the general election, a registered voter, and hold no other public office for which compensation beyond expenses is received.

[17] Commentators have questioned the legislature's structure noting that with 13 members nearly any piece of legislation can pass with just seven votes, leading to accusations that the council can too easily overreach in its powers.

However, this unique governing structure has also allowed the council to operate more efficiently in comparison to some state legislatures with regard to consideration and passage of laws.

[23][24] According to a 2011 article in The Washington Post, the DC council were the second-highest-paid local representatives of large cities in the United States.