The resolution, titled the Volunteer Services Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026, addresses the urgent need to amend the Volunteers Services Act of 1977. It specifically seeks to clarify that the Attorney General for the District of Columbia has the authority to create regulations regarding the use of volunteers. This resolution was prompted by the expiration of previous emergency and temporary acts that were passed to address similar issues, with the emergency act set to expire on August 27, 2026, and the temporary act projected to become law on September 4, 2026.

To prevent a legal gap between the expiration of the emergency act and the effective date of the temporary act, the Council of the District of Columbia has determined that immediate action is necessary. The resolution allows for the adoption of the Volunteer Services Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2026 after a single reading, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. The resolution is effective immediately upon passage.