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 pro-
vide the District of Columbia with autonomy over its
budgets.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES IN ACT.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘District of Columbia Budget Autonomy Act of 1999’’.
(b) REFERENCES IN ACT.—Whenever in this Act an
amendment is expressed in terms of an amendment to or
repeal of a section or other provision, the reference shall
be considered to be made to that section or other provision
of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act.
SEC. 2. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BUDGET AUTONOMY.
(a) ENACTMENT OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BUDG-
ET WITHOUT FURTHER CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 446 (DC Code, sec.
47–304) is amended by striking the third, fourth,
and fifth sentences and inserting the following: ‘‘Ex-
cept as provided in section 445A(b), section 467(d),
section 471(c), section 472(d)(2), section 475(e)(2),
section 483(d), and subsections (f), (g), and (h)(3)
of section 490, no amount may be obligated or ex-
pended by any officer or employee of the District of
Columbia government unless such amount has been
approved by an act of the Council, and then only in
accordance with such authorization.’’.
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(A) Sections
467(d), 471(c), 472(d)(2), 475(e)(2), and 483(d),
and subsections (f), (g)(3), and (h)(3) of section 490
are each amended by striking ‘‘fourth sentence’’ and
inserting ‘‘second sentence’’.
(B) Section 412(a) (DC Code, sec. 1–229(a)) is
amended by striking ‘‘(other than an act to which
section 446 applies)’’.
(3) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—(A) The heading
of section 446 is amended to read as follows:
‘‘ENACTMENT OF BUDGET BY THE COUNCIL’’
(B) The item relating to section 446 in the
table of contents is amended to read as follows:
‘‘Sec. 446. Enactment of budget by the Council.’’.
(b) ACTION BY COUNCIL OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
ON BUDGET ACTS.—Section 404(f) (DC Code, sec. 1–
227(f)) is amended by striking ‘‘transmitted by the Chair-
man to the President of the United States’’ both places
it appears and inserting ‘‘incorporated in such Act’’.
(c) PERMITTING EMPLOYEES TO BE HIRED IF POSI-
TION AUTHORIZED BY ACT OF THE COUNCIL.—Section
447 (DC Code, sec. 47–305) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘Act of Congress’’ and inserting
‘‘act of the Council’’ both places it appears; and
(2) by striking ‘‘Acts of Congress’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘acts of the Council’’.
(d) AMENDMENTS TO LIMITATIONS ON BORROWING
AND SPENDING BY THE DISTRICT TO REFLECT CHANGES
IN BUDGET PROCESS.—
(1) FEDERAL AUTHORITY OVER BUDGET-MAK-
ING PROCESS.—Section 603 (DC Code, sec. 47–313)
is amended—
(A) by striking subsections (a) and (d);
and
(B) by redesignating subsections (b), (c),
and (e) as subsections (a), (b), and (c).
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(A) Section
443(8) (DC Code, sec. 47–302(8)) is amended by
striking ‘‘section 603(b)’’ and inserting ‘‘section
603(a)’’.
(B) Section 445 (DC Code, sec. 47–304) is
amended 
by 
striking 
‘‘603(c)’’ 
and 
inserting
‘‘603(b)’’.
(C) Section 445A (DC Code, sec. 43–1691) is
amended 
by 
striking 
‘‘603(c)’’ 
and 
inserting
‘‘603(b)’’.
(D) Section 461(a)(1) (DC Code, sec. 47–
321(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘section 603(b)’’ and
inserting ‘‘section 603(a)’’.
(E) Section 475(b) (DC Code, sec. 47–
330.1(b)) is amended by striking ‘‘section 603(b)’’
and inserting ‘‘section 603(a)’’.
(F) Section 487(a) (DC Code, sec. 43–1615(a))
is amended by striking ‘‘section 603(b)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘section 603(a)’’.
(G) Section 490(i) (DC Code, sec. 47–334(i)) is
amended by striking ‘‘section 603(b)’’ and inserting
‘‘section 603(a)’’.
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall apply to budgets of the District of Co-
lumbia for fiscal years beginning on or after October 1,
1999.
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