On the recordDecember 15, 2011
There is an answer to this, and I thank Mr. Issa for proposing a budget autonomy bill himself that mirrors my own budget autonomy bill--with some differences to be sure, in deference to the Congress. But this is a chairman of a committee who listened to the District, listened to witnesses, understood the harm imposed on the District--not only the shutdown, not only, of course, the amendments, but he was particularly impressed by the harm it does to the finances of a city that has done the right thing by its own finances. As we contemplate what will happen in the next few hours, we ought to find a way to do two things if we do nothing else: Make sure that the District budget passes as the District would have it--not as any Member of this House would have it--and that the abortion amendment is gone; and, finally, that under no circumstances, whatever happens to the Federal Government, under no circumstances should the government of a local jurisdiction, your Nation's capital, be shut down. ____________________
