[House Report 106-664]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



106th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session                                                     106-664

======================================================================



 
PROVIDING THAT THE SCHOOL GOVERNANCE CHARTER AMENDMENT ACT OF 2000 
  SHALL TAKE EFFECT UPON THE DATE SUCH ACT IS RATIFIED BY THE VOTERS OF 
  THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

                                _______
                                

 June 12, 2000.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. Burton, from the Committee on Government Reform, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 4387]

    The Committee on Government Reform, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 4387) to provide that the School Governance 
Charter Amendment Act of 2000 shall take effect upon the date 
such Act is ratified by the voters of the District of Columbia, 
having considered the same, report favorably thereon without 
amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
  I. Summary of Legislation...........................................1
 II. Background and Need for the Legislation..........................2
III. Legislative Hearings and Committee Actions.......................2
 IV. Committee Hearings and Written Testimony.........................2
  V. Explanation of the Bill..........................................2
 VI. Compliance With Rule XI..........................................2
VII. Budget Analysis and Projections..................................2
VIII.Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office.................2

 IX. Specific Constitutional Authority for This Legislation...........3
  X. Committee Recommendations........................................3
 XI. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act; Public Law 104-4, Sec. 423.........4
XII. Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) Section 5(b)......4
XIII.Changes in Existing Law..........................................4


                    I. SHORT SUMMARY OF LEGISLATION

    H.R. 4387 makes the School Governance Charter Amendment Act 
of 2000 effective upon the date it is ratified by a majority of 
the registered qualified District of Columbia electors voting 
in a referendum held to ratify the Act.

              II. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION

    H.R. 4387 would waive a section of the District of Columbia 
Home Rule Act that requires a 35-day review period after a 
charter amendment has been ratified by the voters. This would 
permit the School Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000 to 
take effect on the date it is ratified by D.C. voters in a 
referendum. Without this waiver, the results of the upcoming 
June 27, 2000, referendum would not be allowed to proceed.

            III. LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS AND COMMITTEE ACTIONS

    H.R. 4387 was introduced on May 4, 2000, by Delegate 
Eleanor Holmes Norton. It was referred to the House Committee 
on Government Reform, which in turn referred it to the District 
of Columbia Subcommittee. The Subcommittee approved the bill at 
a hearing on May 5, 2000, and referred it to the Committee on 
Government Reform by voice vote.

              IV. COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND WRITTEN TESTIMONY

    The Subcommittee held no hearings concerning H.R. 4387.

                       V. EXPLANATION OF THE BILL

Section 1

    Section 1 waives the congressional review period for the 
School Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000. It provides 
that the School Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000 will 
be effective on the date it is ratified by a majority of 
District of Columbia electors voting in a referendum.

                      VI. COMPLIANCE WITH RULE XI

    Pursuant to rule XI, clause 2(1)(3)(A) of the rules of the 
House of Representatives, under the authority of rule X, clause 
2(b)(1) and clause 3(f), the results and findings from 
Committee oversight activities are incorporated in the bill and 
this report.

                  VII. BUDGET ANALYSIS AND PROJECTIONS

    The budget analysis and projections required by section 
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 are contained in 
the estimate of the Congressional Budget Office.

         VIII. COST ESTIMATE OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE

    Under current law, the Congress has 35 legislative days to 
review ratified amendments to the charter of the District of 
Columbia. H.R. 4387 would waive that requirement for the School 
Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000. CBO estimates that 
enacting H.R. 4387 would have no impact on the federal budget. 
Because the bill would not affect direct spending or receipts, 
pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
    H.R. 4387 would preempt a section of the District of 
Columbia Home Rule Act that requires a 35-day review period 
after a charter amendment has been ratified by the voters. 
Although this preemption would benefit the District of Columbia 
by allowing a charter amendment to take effect immediately, it 
is considered a mandate under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. 
This mandate would impose no costs on the District of Columbia, 
or any other state, local, or tribal government.

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                      Washington, DC, May 25, 2000.
Hon. Dan Burton,
Chairman, Committee on Government Reform,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4387, a bill to 
provide that the School Governance Charter Amendment Act of 
2000 shall take effect upon the date such act is ratified by 
the voters of the District of Columbia.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are John R. 
Righter (for federal costs), and Susan Sieg Tompkins (for the 
state and local impact).
            Sincerely,
                                         Barry B. Anderson,
                                    (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
    Enclosure.

H.R. 4387--A bill to provide that the School Governance Charter 
        Amendment Act of 2000 shall take effect upon the date such act 
        is ratified by the voters of the District of Columbia

    Under current law, the Congress has 35 legislative days to 
review ratified amendments to the charter of the District of 
Columbia. H.R. 4387 would waive that requirement for the School 
Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000. CBO estimates that 
enacting H.R. 4387 would have no impact on the federal budget. 
Because the bill would not affect direct spending or receipts, 
pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
    H.R. 4387 would preempt a section of the District of 
Columbia Home Rule Act that requires a 35-day review period 
after a charter amendment has been ratified by the voters. 
Although this preemption would benefit the District of Columbia 
by allowing a charter amendment to take effect immediately, it 
is considered a mandate under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. 
This mandate would impose no costs on the District of Columbia, 
or any other state, local, or tribal government.
    The CBO staff contacts are John R. Righter (for federal 
costs), and Susan Sieg Tompkins (for the state and local 
impact). This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, 
Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

       IX. SPECIFIC CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY FOR THIS LEGISLATION

    Clauses 1 and 18 of Article I, Sec. 8 of the Constitution 
grant Congress the power to enact this bill.

                      X. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

    On May 18, 2000, a quorum being present, the Committee 
ordered the bill favorably reported.

Committee on Government Reform--106th Congress.--Rollcall

    Date: May 18, 2000.
    Final Passage of H.R. 4387.
    Offered by: Hon. Dan Burton.
    Adopted by voice vote.

      XI. UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT; PUBLIC LAW 104-4, SEC. 423

    H.R. 4387 is considered a mandate, but does not impose any 
costs on the District of Columbia, state, local, or tribal 
governments.

    XII. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT (5 U.S.C. App.) Section 5(b)

    The Committee finds that H.R. 4387 does not establish or 
authorize establishment of an advisory committee within the 
definition of 5 U.S.C. App., Section 5(b).

                     XIII. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    H.R. 4387 does not change existing law.

                                  
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