I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1197

To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to provide the District

of Columbia with autonomy over its budgets.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 18, 1999

Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Government Reform

A BILL

To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to provide the District of Columbia with autonomy over its

budgets.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES IN ACT.

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the

5 ‘‘District of Columbia Budget Autonomy Act of 1999’’.

6 (b) REFERENCES IN ACT.—Whenever in this Act an

7 amendment is expressed in terms of an amendment to or

8 repeal of a section or other provision, the reference shall

9 be considered to be made to that section or other provision

10 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act.
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1 SEC. 2. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BUDGET AUTONOMY.

2 (a) ENACTMENT OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BUDG3 ET WITHOUT FURTHER CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL.—

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 446 (DC Code, sec.

5 47–304) is amended by striking the third, fourth,

6 and fifth sentences and inserting the following: ‘‘Ex7 cept as provided in section 445A(b), section 467(d),

8 section 471(c), section 472(d)(2), section 475(e)(2),

9 section 483(d), and subsections (f), (g), and (h)(3)

10 of section 490, no amount may be obligated or ex11 pended by any officer or employee of the District of

12 Columbia government unless such amount has been

13 approved by an act of the Council, and then only in

14 accordance with such authorization.’’.

15 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(A) Sections

16 467(d), 471(c), 472(d)(2), 475(e)(2), and 483(d),

17 and subsections (f), (g)(3), and (h)(3) of section 490

18 are each amended by striking ‘‘fourth sentence’’ and

19 inserting ‘‘second sentence’’.

20 (B) Section 412(a) (DC Code, sec. 1–229(a)) is

21 amended by striking ‘‘(other than an act to which

22 section 446 applies)’’.

23 (3) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—(A) The heading

24 of section 446 is amended to read as follows:
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1 ‘‘ENACTMENT OF BUDGET BY THE COUNCIL’’

2 (B) The item relating to section 446 in the

3 table of contents is amended to read as follows:

‘‘Sec. 446. Enactment of budget by the Council.’’.

4 (b) ACTION BY COUNCIL OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

5 ON BUDGET ACTS.—Section 404(f) (DC Code, sec. 1–

6 227(f)) is amended by striking ‘‘transmitted by the Chair7 man to the President of the United States’’ both places

8 it appears and inserting ‘‘incorporated in such Act’’.

9 (c) PERMITTING EMPLOYEES TO BE HIRED IF POSI10 TION AUTHORIZED BY ACT OF THE COUNCIL.—Section

11 447 (DC Code, sec. 47–305) is amended—

12 (1) by striking ‘‘Act of Congress’’ and inserting

13 ‘‘act of the Council’’ both places it appears; and

14 (2) by striking ‘‘Acts of Congress’’ and insert15 ing ‘‘acts of the Council’’.

16 (d) AMENDMENTS TO LIMITATIONS ON BORROWING

17 AND SPENDING BY THE DISTRICT TO REFLECT CHANGES

18 IN BUDGET PROCESS.—

19 (1) FEDERAL AUTHORITY OVER BUDGET-MAK20 ING PROCESS.—Section 603 (DC Code, sec. 47–313)

21 is amended—

22 (A) by striking subsections (a) and (d);

23 and

24 (B) by redesignating subsections (b), (c),

25 and (e) as subsections (a), (b), and (c).
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1 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(A) Section

2 443(8) (DC Code, sec. 47–302(8)) is amended by

3 striking ‘‘section 603(b)’’ and inserting ‘‘section

4 603(a)’’.

5 (B) Section 445 (DC Code, sec. 47–304) is

6 amended by striking ‘‘603(c)’’ and inserting

7 ‘‘603(b)’’.

8 (C) Section 445A (DC Code, sec. 43–1691) is

9 amended by striking ‘‘603(c)’’ and inserting

10 ‘‘603(b)’’.

11 (D) Section 461(a)(1) (DC Code, sec. 47–

12 321(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘section 603(b)’’ and

13 inserting ‘‘section 603(a)’’.

14 (E) Section 475(b) (DC Code, sec. 47–

15 330.1(b)) is amended by striking ‘‘section 603(b)’’

16 and inserting ‘‘section 603(a)’’.

17 (F) Section 487(a) (DC Code, sec. 43–1615(a))

18 is amended by striking ‘‘section 603(b)’’ and insert19 ing ‘‘section 603(a)’’.

20 (G) Section 490(i) (DC Code, sec. 47–334(i)) is

21 amended by striking ‘‘section 603(b)’’ and inserting

22 ‘‘section 603(a)’’.

23 (e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by

24 this section shall apply to budgets of the District of Co-
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1 lumbia for fiscal years beginning on or after October 1,

2 1999.

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