Regarding school choice, perhaps an approach would be a limited pilot, as you have described, but that would include not just the District, but several other cities, but quite limited, and the parameters quite secure.

And you do that all for a budget request of this year $166.5 million.

I call on this Subcommittee to once again eliminate this disincentive.

The last 2 years have been unprecedented in the amount of discretionary Federal dollars that have gone to the city, as well as an increase in congressional confidence in local leadership.

Senator Landrieu, you have stated that the District of Columbia Family Court should be a 'showcase' for the whole country.

I just want to clarify that if I add those two numbers, that is all the children we are talking about.

Congress ought to move this legislation or an alternative quickly.

I am committed to working with you, as I have in the past as the Chairman of this committee, to ensure that every child in the District has access to justice before the court, and families are strengthened, not made more fragile by the…

I remain concerned that there is a grave difference between checking the box of criteria and impacting the lives of children.

I do not think we can get much other reform done unless you get that caseload down.

We would like to work with you on that.

I just wanted to mention that there is some opportunity with this new faith-based initiative that is moving its way through Congress in a very bipartisan way and with the President's commitment to involve the District.