Congressional Record—House H7955
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September 5, 2003 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H7955 301, 401–407, 602–606, 609, 612, 705, 707, 712, July 25, 2003, and rule XVIII, the Chair dren in their schools and touring the 721, 1234, 1351–1352, 1704, and 1811 of the declares the House in the Committee of many neighborhoods that make up the Senate amendment, and modifications the Whole House on the State of the city. I want to thank Mayor Anthony committed to conference: Mr. POMBO, Union for the consideration of the bill, Williams, Council Chairman Linda Mrs. CUBIN and Mr. RAHALL. H.R. 2765. Cropp, and School Board President Provided that Mr. KIND is appointed b 0955 Peggy Cooper Cafritz for the support in lieu of Mr. RAHALL for consideration and advice they have given me. of Title IV of Division C of the House IN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE The Constitution, Mr. Chairman, bill, and modifications committed to Accordingly, the House resolved gives Congress exclusive legislative au- conference. itself into the Committee of the Whole thority over the affairs of the District, From the Committee on Science, for House on the State of the Union for the and I take this mandate seriously. The consideration of sections 11009, 11025, consideration of the bill (H.R. 2765) District is in a stronger financial posi- 12301–12312, 14001–14007, 14009–14015, making appropriations for the govern- tion today than a few years ago. Much 14029, 15021–15024, 15031–15034, 15041, ment of the District of Columbia and of this is due to Mayor Williams and 15045, Division B, section 30301, Divi- other activities chargeable in whole or the city council, but we cannot over- sion E, and Division F of the House bill in part against the revenues of said look the role Congress has played in and sections 501–507, 509, 513–516, 770– District for the fiscal year ending Sep- the financial recovery as well. tember 30, 2004, and for other purposes, 772, 807–809, 814–816, 824, 832, 1001–1022, b 1000 Title XI, Title XII, Title XIII, Title with Mr. BASS in the chair. XIV, sections 1502, 1504–1505, Title XVI, The Clerk read the title of the bill. The District still has a long way to and sections 1801–1805 of the Senate The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the go to resolve many personnel and man- amendment, and modifications com- order of the House of Friday, July 25, agement problems, but I believe that mitted to conference: Mr. BOEHLERT, 2003, the bill is considered as having progress is being made. I stand ready Mrs. BIGGERT and Mr. HALL. been read the first time. to help in any way I can. Provided that Mr. COSTELLO is ap- The gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Mr. Chairman, the committee has pointed in lieu of Mr. HALL for consid- FRELINGHUYSEN) and the gentleman carefully reviewed the District’s budg- eration of Division E of the House bill, from Pennsylvania (Mr. FATTAH) each et request and, as reflected in the bill, and modifications committed to con- will control 30 minutes. has given the Mayor and City Council’s ference. The Chair recognizes the gentleman priorities the highest consideration Provided that Mr. LAMPSON is ap- from New Jersey (Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN). when putting this bill together. pointed in lieu of Mr. HALL for consid- Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chair- As I mentioned earlier, the bill totals eration of section 21708 and Division F man, I yield myself such time as I may $7.9 billion of which $466 million are of the House bill, and sections 824 and consume. Federal payments to various programs 1223 of the Senate amendment and Mr. Chairman, the fiscal year 2004 and projects. This is $43 million below modifications committed to con- District of Columbia Appropriations last year’s allocation and equates to an ference. bill totals $7.9 billion. Included in this 8.4 percent reduction. From the Committee on Transpor- total are $466 million for Federal pay- Seventy-seven percent of these funds, tation and Infrastructure, for consider- ments to various District programs and or $359 million, is to continue funding ation of sections 11001–11004, 11006, projects, which I will describe shortly; of the D.C. courts, the Public Defender 11009–11011, 12001–12012, 12014, 12401, $1.8 billion in Federal grants to Dis- Service, the Court Services and Of- 12403, 13001, 13201, 13202, 15021–15024, trict agencies; and $5.6 billion in local fender Supervision Agency, CSSOSA. 15031–15034, 15041, 15043, 15051, 16012, funds for operating expenses and cap- These are District functions that the 16021, 16022, 16023, 16031, 16081, 16082, ital outlays of the District govern- Federal Government assumed financial 16092, 23001–23004, 30407, 30410, and 30901 ment. responsibility for in the National Cap- of the House bill and sections 102, 201, This bill, Mr. Chairman, is a product ital Revitalization and Self-govern- 205, 301, 701–783, 812, 814, 816, 823, 911–916, of the hard work of every member of ment Improvement Act of 1997. 918–920, 949, 1214, 1261–1262, and 1351–1352 the Subcommittee on the District of The remaining 23 percent, or $107 of the Senate amendment, and modi- Columbia. It is the culmination of sev- million, are for programs and projects fications committed to conference: eral weeks of hearings, visits to local that directly benefit the District. Messrs. YOUNG of Alaska, PETRI and schools and other city institutions, and These include: $17 million for the tui- OBERSTAR. meetings with elected city officials and tion assistance program for the Dis- From the Committee on Ways and numerous others who have a keen in- trict for college-bound District stu- Means, for consideration of Division D terest in helping the District. I want to dents; $15 million to reimburse the Dis- of the House bill and Division H and I thank each of them for their interest trict for added emergency planning and of the Senate amendment, and modi- in the District and their input into this security costs related to the presence fications committed to conference: bill. I especially want to thank the of the Federal Government in the Dis- Messrs. THOMAS, MCCRERY and RANGEL. gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. trict; $10 million for a D.C. scholarship There was no objection. FATTAH), my ranking member, for his program; $42.7 million for capital de- advice, counsel and support. He has velopment projects in the District; dol- f been a pleasure to work with. lars for the Anacostia Waterfront Ini- GENERAL LEAVE Mr. Chairman, I believe this bill re- tiative; and dollars for public school fa- Mr. FREYLINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speak- flects Congress’ commitment to help- cility improvements. er, I ask unanimous consent that all ing our Nation’s capital. This is where Lastly, Mr. Chairman, I am well Members may have 5 legislative days we all work and many of us live, our aware that the President’s request for within which to revise and extend their home away from home. So we have spe- a school choice program in the District remarks on H.R. 2765, and that I may cial reasons to help our capital city. of Columbia, which would provide D.C. include tabular and extraneous mate- How grateful I am to so many of my school scholarships, has stirred up con- rial. colleagues for their ongoing efforts, siderable controversy. Personally, I The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there prior to my chairmanship, to assist the have supported such scholarships for objection to the request of the gen- citizens of this great city, especially the District since they were first pro- tleman from New Jersey? its school children to have better lives, posed in 1995 by Members of Congress. There was no objection. and many thanks, as well, to a number There is excitement that surrounds f of my colleagues who now seek support the very successful charter movement for a number of new projects to further in this city. There are 37 charter DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA help the citizens in this budget. schools and 11 more on the drawing APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2004 When I became chairman, I wanted to boards, more than any other city in the The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- get to better know this city. I did this Nation. We have charter schools in this ant to the order of the House of Friday, by listening and learning, visiting chil- city. VerDate jul 14 2003 02:25 Sep 06, 2003 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K05SE7.010 H05PT1 H7956 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 5, 2003 That excitement is also apparent in hard, been sensitive to the issues aris- through this bill, have a passionate dis- those parents who strongly advocate ing here in the capital city. He has cussion about the question of vouchers for this new educational choice option been out and about visiting and visibly but not overlook the fact that we have for their children. showing the concern of the Congress broad agreement here on the direction While we are all supportive of the for the plight of the city’s neighbor- of what our fiscal responsibilities are District public school system and the hoods. I think he most appropriately to the District of Columbia. success of the city’s charter school understands and appreciates the work Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance movement, many more children can be that the city’s leadership, the Mayor of my time. helped by this new program. and the council and its delegate, the Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chair- The statistics in the U.S.