Alcee Hastings: “Mr. Speaker, there is no perfect legislation and certainly not when it comes to funding matters. The underlying…”

“Mr. Speaker, there is no perfect legislation and certainly not when it comes to funding matters. The underlying conference report providing appropriations for the District of Columbia in fiscal year 2005 includes a variety of provisions that are controversial and detrimental to the District's residents and, frankly, the country as a whole. I do not have to tell my colleagues about the uniqueness of the District of Columbia as a Federal city. It is the only place in the Nation where constitutionally Congress can exercise micromanagement at the highest and lowest of levels. Taking into consideration the fact that the District of Columbia has no voting representation in Congress, we should be mindful of this privileged duty and careful not to put our parochial agendas on the table when considering this conference report.”