District of Columbia: Appropriations for 2007 (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Jan. 18, 2007 |
| Report Number |
RL33563 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Eugene Boyd, Government and Finance Division; David Smole, Domestic Social Policy Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
On February 6, 2006, the Bush Administration released its FY2007 budget request, which included $597.2 million in proposed special federal payments to the District of Columbia. Four payments (court operations, defender services, offender supervision, and criminal justice coordination) represented $455.767 million, or 76.3%, of the proposed $597.2 million in total federal payments to the District requested by the Administration.
On May 9, 2006, the District's city council approved the city's $9.2 billion operating budget for FY2007. The District's budget is submitted for the approval of Congress, as required by the District of Columbia Self-Government and Government Reorganization Act, P.L. 93-198 (87 Stat. 801). It also included $2.6 billion in capital outlays, including an additional $63 million to finance a new major league baseball stadium, and $634 million in special federal payments. The 109th Congress was unable to complete its passage of the District Appropriations Act, but did included a provision in a continuing budget resolution allowing the District to implement its FY2007 Budget and Financial Plan (120 Stat. 1315).
On June 9, 2006, the House Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 5576âthe Departments of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act for FY2007 (TTHUD). The House approved the bill on June 14, 2006. The Senate approved the District of Columbia Appropriations Act for FY2007, S. 3660, on July 13, 2006. The House bill would appropriate $575.2 million in special federal payments to the District, including $75.9 million in special federal payments in support of elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education initiatives. The Senate bill would appropriate $597 million in special federal payments. The House bill also recommends $478.8 million for criminal justice activities, including court operations, defender services, offender supervision, and the criminal justice coordinating council. This is $11 million more than the $467.8 million recommended by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Senate bill would appropriate $15 million in special federal payments for public library improvements and $4 million for expansion of the Navy Yard Metro Station. The House bill does not include funding for library improvements. It does include $20 million for expansion of the Navy Yard Metro Station, but not as a special federal payment to the District as requested by the Administration. Instead it would be funded as part of the federal Transportation Department's capital investment fund account.
Consistent with provisions included in previous appropriations acts, the House and Senate bills would prohibit the use of federal and District funds to finance or administer a needle exchange program; fund abortion services, except in an instance of rape or incest, or when the life of the mother is threatened; and implement the city's medical marijuana initiative, which would decriminalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The bills also include provisions that would prohibit the use of federal and District funds to support activities aimed at achieving statehood for the District or voting representation in Congress. This report will be updated as events warrant.
