Alcee Hastings: “I rise today, albeit reluctantly, in support of the District of Columbia appropriations bill for fiscal year 2005. Mr.…”

“I rise today, albeit reluctantly, in support of the District of Columbia appropriations bill for fiscal year 2005. Mr. Speaker, as there is no perfect legislation and certainly not when it comes to funding matters, I would be remiss if I did not say that the bill includes provisions that are controversial and detrimental, in my view, to the District's residents and the country as a whole. I do not have to tell any of 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 levels. It is the petri dish of the country where the ideological differences of those in this body wreak havoc on the lives of some 560,000-plus District of Columbia residents. Taking into consideration the fact that the District of Columbia has no voting representation in Congress, we should be mindful of the privileged duties and be careful not to put our own parochial agendas on the table when considering this legislation.”