[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 31, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E939-E940]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION DISTRICT OF 
                         COLUMBIA HOME RULE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 31, 2021

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the National Capital 
Planning Commission District of Columbia Home Rule Act. This bill would 
remove the authority of the National Capital Planning Commission 
(NCPC), a federal agency, to review or approve the development of 
District of Columbia-owned land. This bill would also remove the 
requirement that the Mayor of the District get NCPC's approval before 
selling D.C.-owned real estate, and would allow D.C. agencies to 
transfer jurisdiction over D.C.-owned land among themselves without 
NCPC's approval.
  Under federal law, NCPC has approval authority for the development of 
D.C.-owned public buildings located in the central area, including the 
location, height, bulk, number of stories, and size of such buildings. 
The District is required to consult with NCPC on its buildings outside 
the central area, but NCPC has only advisory authority in those areas. 
The central area is defined by the concurrent action of NCPC and the 
D.C. Council and currently consists of the Downtown and Shaw Urban 
Renewal Areas.

[[Page E940]]

  This authority is unnecessary, as shown by the virtual absence of its 
use to disapprove sales or development, and violates D.C. home rule. 
This latent authority of the federal government should not be able to 
slow or block the development of D.C.-owned land or add to the cost of 
development. The District is not a federal agency and should not be 
treated any differently by federal law than other local jurisdictions, 
where local development proceeds without federal interference.
  This bill is one more important step to increase home rule for the 
District, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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