Robin Carnahan: “The District of Columbia shares a unique relationship with the Federal Government. It is the only locality in the…”

“The District of Columbia shares a unique relationship with the Federal Government. It is the only locality in the country whose budget intersects so directly with Congress. Congress is charged with approving both the Federal and local budget for the District. Consequently, the city cannot move forward with its own new budget until the Congress finishes its work and approves the bill. I encourage the Senate to approve this bill as quickly as possible. Several amendments may be offered to this bill that impose Federal restrictions on how the District of Columbia spends the money that it collects in local taxes. I do not intend to support amendments to this bill that impose restrictions on how the District spends its money. I would not want Congress telling St. Louis or Kansas City how to spend their local tax dollars. The same standard should be applied to the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia is our Nation's Capital and an international symbol of democracy.”