[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 10, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S123]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, let me also make a couple of comments 
about the District of Columbia, being the chairman of the subcommittee 
on District of Columbia appropriations.
  This also points out how hard strapped the District is with respect 
to meeting emergencies such as we have had recently. I know I 
personally have not seen a single snowplow in the days that I have been 
walking back and forth. I do know that we have a fleet of 50 snowplows, 
8 of which are out of service because of mechanical failure. Usually in 
the past they have had funds available to be able to hire plows. In 
fact, 4 years ago over 200 private plows were hired to clear the 
streets. However, sufficient funds were not available. Only 55 private 
plows have been able to help out. In addition to that, we have another 
30 trucks that are sitting there idle because of the failure of the 
mechanical parts.
  So I think it is important that we keep in mind that for the District 
that we have to get their physical matters in shape so that we can 
handle these kind of problems.
  I also point out with respect to the District of Columbia that I will 
be meeting this afternoon with Congressman Gunderson in the House, and 
we will be communicating with subcommittee Chairman Walsh on trying to 
bring a reconciliation to our difficulties over the changes that are 
being recommended with respect to the District of Columbia educational 
system.
  I will be proposing to them a hopeful compromise which will on the 
one hand allow us really to do something substantial to improve the 
educational capacity of our schools in the District of Columbia but at 
the same time will make it unlikely that we will have a filibuster in 
the Senate on the controversial issue of vouchers.
  So I am hopeful that we will be able to take care of that. I 
anticipate that when we come back on the 22d of January that we will 
have a budget agreement for the House and Senate to vote on.

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