[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 111 (Thursday, July 31, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1569]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




NATIONAL CAPITAL REVITALIZATION AND SELF-GOVERNMENT IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 
                                  1997

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. THOMAS M. DAVIS

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 30, 1997

  Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, over 2 years ago the District of 
Columbia faced a spending and management challenge of epic proportions. 
We began in the 104th Congress a critically important process to 
address serious issues in a truly bipartisan way. I am grateful to 
Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton for working with me then and now in such 
a constructive manner.
  With patience and perseverance the control board we created is having 
the intended effect. The control board has begun to instill much-needed 
fiscal discipline into the city's budget process. The city's return to 
the private financial markets is solid evidence that what Congress did 
is finally producing more credible numbers and better performance.
  Without the control board the President's proposals are unlikely to 
have been made. I commend President Clinton for directing his 
administration to work with Congress as we now move into the next phase 
of our quest to revitalize the Nation's Capital. I also commend Speaker 
Gingrich and the congressional leadership in both Houses for the 
extraordinary leadership, time, and attention they have given to the 
District of Columbia.
  We have seized this rare opportunity to restructure and improve the 
complex relationship between the Federal Government and the Nation's 
Capital. Such improvement, which will more substantially involve the 
private sector, benefits the entire region. I have proceeded in the 
assumption, forged by years of service in local government, that we are 
all stakeholders in the Nation's Capital.
  Clearly, this is a moment of truth. We are lightyears away from where 
we were 2 years ago, and we are now building on that momentum.
  We have used the President's proposals as a starting point, enhanced 
by the memorandum of understanding between the city and the White 
House. No one ever expected Congress to rubberstamp these proposals, 
and we have not done so. We are substantially enhancing many aspects of 
the President's plan.
  This is a historic accomplishment. We have moved beyond visionary 
mission statements and are commencing now the practical process of 
passing legislation that will be signed by the President. That effort 
will result in a more stable District of Columbia and a more efficient 
local government. These measures provide a roadmap for growth in the 
city, as well as in the entire region. It is more than my hope, it is 
my intention that at the end of the day we will succeed together.
  The District of Columbia Subcommittee has invested considerable time 
and effort preparing for this hour. We have held six hearings, from 
February 20 to May 22. The subcommittee and its staff has worked 
diligently with local and Federal officials, along with many other 
stakeholders. The matter before us reflects the input we have received, 
enhanced by our vision for the District of Columbia.

  This bill seeks to renew the economic and fiscal strength of the 
Nation's Capital. Its essential elements include Federal assumption of 
some government functions normally performed by state governments, and 
necessary incentives for economic development and private sector jobs. 
Authorization of funds is conditional on the District making specific 
budget and management improvements.
  Our approach will reduce the District's financial burdens through 
cost avoidance of the fastest growing parts of its budget, such as 
Medicaid and its criminal justice system. The Federal Government will 
be making significant investments in these areas, along with other key 
areas. It is my firm belief that this enactment will realize the 
bipartisan vision for the Nation's Capital that has been so often 
expressed. That vision must now become a blueprint for progress, a 
renaissance in the Nation's Capital that will serve residents of this 
region, visitors, and the country as a whole.

                          ____________________