Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, let me begin my thanking the gentleman from Indiana (Chairman Burton); the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) ranking member; and the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Davis) for their leadership and support in bringing to the floor H.R. 4566 to attend to some unfinished business of the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997. The revitalization act is already pulling the District out of insolvency by relieving the city of the most costly State functions, missions that are not performed by any other city in the country. However, the experience with such complicated and comprehensive legislation in the Congress is that technical corrections are almost always necessary. There is no need to detain the House on these small technical matters. One set of the corrections in this bill concerns detailed procedures that are necessary to accomplish the employee transfers, retirements and terminations while minimizing unnecessary dislocation, frustration and stress. The second set of technical corrections relates to matters involving the courts and various components of the justice system that have been transferred from the District of Columbia to the Federal Government. The transfer of Lorton to the Federal Government is in the first year of transition. The transfer of court costs has already taken place. The provisions of H.R. 4566, therefore, are overdue.”