In a surprising move, Congress passed a bill early Saturday morning granting Washington, DC control of the now defunct RFK Stadium, potentially allowing the NFL's Washington Commanders to return to their former home.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed her excitement about the decision, stating, 'This is a win for DC, for our region, and for America. Everybody loves a good comeback story – and that’s DC’s story.'
Bowser has been a vocal advocate for redeveloping the RFK Stadium site and bringing the Washington Commanders back to the city after the team spent nearly thirty years playing in Landover, Maryland.
Washington Commanders managing partner Josh Harris also welcomed the bill, thanking lawmakers for providing the opportunity to consider potential future locations for the team's home. Harris emphasized the importance of creating an equal playing field for all potential locations to be fairly considered.
The bill was initially part of a larger spending package proposed by lawmakers but was later excluded from the spending bill passed by the Senate to prevent a government shutdown.
The decision to pass the bill was influenced by a false report reposted by Elon Musk, claiming that government funding for a new football stadium was included in the bill. However, the bill does not allocate any government funding for stadium projects.
