Eleanor Holmes Norton: “I want to thank the chairman of the full committee, Mr. Issa and my good friend on the other side who is managing the…”

“I want to thank the chairman of the full committee, Mr. Issa and my good friend on the other side who is managing the bill for the committee, the chair of the subcommittee, Mr. Gowdy, for working closely with us on this bill so that we could get it to the floor today. I also thank the ranking member of the full committee and Mr. Davis, the subcommittee ranking member, for their very important consultation. H.R. 2297 will allow development of the waterfront area in Southwest Washington, D.C., by making technical changes concerning land owned by the District of Columbia. The District has owned the Southwest waterfront since the early 1960s, but the legislation that transferred the land to the District contained restraints typical of the pre-home- rule period. H.R. 2297 updates that outdated legislation to allow for the highest and best use of the land. The limitations serve no Federal purpose, but the unintended effect was to make a wasted asset of land that could be productive and revenue- and jobs-producing. Federal agencies have been consulted on H.R. 2297 and raised no objections. The bill will allow mixed-use development on the waterfront for the first time and will create jobs and raise local and Federal revenue at a time when they are needed most.…”