[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 161 (Monday, December 15, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2420]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CONTRACTING PRACTICES

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                               speech of

                          HON. THOMAS M. DAVIS

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 12, 1997

  Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, the revitalization of our 
Nation's Capital will require the participation and commitment of both 
the public and private sectors. Public-private partnerships will be the 
anchor of any economic revitalization. This goal will be successful 
only if all participants are assured that this is a sincere effort, 
with a level playing field, and not simply an extension of the two 
decades of poor policy decisionmaking that helped spiral Washington, DC 
into its recent situation.
  The Congress has no desire to run the daily affairs of the city. 
However, the Congress does have a unique constitutional responsibility 
to the District of Columbia. Without micromanaging the affairs of the 
city, the Congress does need to ensure that as a matter of Federal 
policy, it will support public-private efforts designed to assist in 
the Capital's revitalization; support creative, imaginative, and unique 
approaches; support the streamlining of the Federal and District of 
Columbia review and regulatory processes, where appropriate, to 
encourage revitalization; and exercise appropriate oversight to ensure 
that the District honors all of its contractual and financial 
commitments.
  It is well understood by the Congress that the District of Columbia 
containues to suffer from past financial problems. For example, the 
District of Columbia has experienced issues with a number of its 
current vendors as a result of its prior reputation of poor payment 
performance. A recent newspaper article documented that one of the 
reasons for schools not having textbooks was ``* * * twelve textbook 
companies refused to ship books because the District still owes for 
previous orders.''
  Prior negligence in these matters created a ripple effect that has a 
broad and negative reach. Vendors have been discouraged from responding 
to District of Columbia RFP's because of concerns over the selection 
process. Congress can assist in eliminating this perception without 
direct intervention. Congress can also assure all current and 
prospective private sector partners and their respective lenders that 
it will monitor and respond appropriately to any failing by the 
government of the District of Columbia to meet acceptable Government 
contracting practices.

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