Eleanor Holmes Norton: “I begin by thanking the chairman, Chairman Issa and, of course, Ranking Member Cummings for so quickly understanding the…”

“I begin by thanking the chairman, Chairman Issa and, of course, Ranking Member Cummings for so quickly understanding the importance of bringing this bill to the floor and for marking it up expeditiously. We brought it to the chairman and the ranking member after they had completed the list for the markup, and they immediately recognized how important this bill was. May I also take this moment to thank Chairman Issa for his continued partnership on legislation to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the District of Columbia, including budget autonomy, which got a boost this week when President Obama included a legislative provision-- that's the first time any President has ever included legislative language--to grant D.C. budget autonomy in his budget. This legislation is a whole lot more straightforward but is highly technical and could have been overlooked. The District of Columbia Chief Financial Officer Vacancy Act is, however, an important example of Chairman Issa's commitment to assist the District of Columbia in improving and safeguarding its vital operations. The bill, based on the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, is intended to clarify the authority of the Mayor of the District of Columbia to fill a vacancy in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer on an interim basis.…”