Phil Mendelson was first elected to the Council in November 1998 as an At-Large Councilmember. He served the District in that role until June 2012 when, following the resignation of the previous Council Chairman, Phil was selected by his colleagues to take over that role. In November 2012, 2014 and 2018, District voters elected and re-elected Phil as Chairman of the Council.

As Chairman, Phil leads the Council on all legislative matters. Phil also presides over the Committee of the Whole which has purview over matters concerning the DC Auditor, the District’s budget, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, federal relations, planning and zoning, regional bodies (except WMATA and DC Water), the retirement system, statehood, and the University of the District of Columbia. The Committee shares jurisdiction over pre-k through 12 schooling with the Committee on Education.

Prior to becoming Chairman, Phil served eight years chairing the Council’s Committee on the Judiciary (2005-2012). In that role he was responsible for all legislation affecting criminal laws in the District, as well as oversight over the District’s public safety agencies, including the Metropolitan Police Department, Fire & Emergency Medical Services, the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Corrections, and the Office of the Medical Examiner.