Bills
| 3.23.22

The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby! (H. Con. Res. 21)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H. Con. Res. 21?

(Updated May 6, 2020)

This concurrent resolution would allow the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Association to sponsor free and public soap box derby races on the Capitol grounds for an event on June 20, 2015.

Argument in favor

NASCAR without the carbon footprint.

Argument opposed

This sounds like a traffic nightmare.

Impact

Soapbox derby racers and their dreams of making it big, Beltway traffic, the local public, tourists, and the Capitol grounds.

Cost of H. Con. Res. 21

Because the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Association (yes, there is one) would assume responsibility for all expenses and liabilities associated with the event, the CBO estimates that this concurrent resolution would cost the federal government absolutely nothing.

Additional Info

Of Note: 

Unlike other derbies that happen around the country, this D.C. soapbox derby requires an act of Congress to ensure that the appropriate parties are authorized to plan the event (including the Architect of the Capitol, the Capitol Police Board, and the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Association).

Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, (D-MD) has been sponsoring this concurrent resolution to ensure that the derby can be held on Capitol Hill for over two decades. 

In Depth: 

Roll Call has a helpful description of this event: 
"Enterprising young builders will careen down Constitution Avenue in home-assembled vehicles this summer, pending a green light from the House and Senate ... Scores of children and their families typically attend the event, which blocks off traffic around the Hill to make way for the wild driving. The winners go on to compete at the national final in Akron, Ohio. Soap box racing has a long history in Washington, beginning in 1938. The annual event has been moved around the city from Eastern Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue before finding a home on Capitol Hill."

Media: 

Sponsoring Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) Statement in Favor (Video)

CBO Cost Estimate

The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Facebook Page

Roll Call

IndependentMotors.net

(Photo Credit: Flickr user Chris DiGiamo)