[House Report 106-664]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
106th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 106-664
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PROVIDING THAT THE SCHOOL GOVERNANCE CHARTER AMENDMENT ACT OF 2000
SHALL TAKE EFFECT UPON THE DATE SUCH ACT IS RATIFIED BY THE VOTERS OF
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
_______
June 12, 2000.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Burton, from the Committee on Government Reform, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4387]
The Committee on Government Reform, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 4387) to provide that the School Governance
Charter Amendment Act of 2000 shall take effect upon the date
such Act is ratified by the voters of the District of Columbia,
having considered the same, report favorably thereon without
amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Summary of Legislation...........................................1
II. Background and Need for the Legislation..........................2
III. Legislative Hearings and Committee Actions.......................2
IV. Committee Hearings and Written Testimony.........................2
V. Explanation of the Bill..........................................2
VI. Compliance With Rule XI..........................................2
VII. Budget Analysis and Projections..................................2
VIII.Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office.................2
IX. Specific Constitutional Authority for This Legislation...........3
X. Committee Recommendations........................................3
XI. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act; Public Law 104-4, Sec. 423.........4
XII. Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) Section 5(b)......4
XIII.Changes in Existing Law..........................................4
I. SHORT SUMMARY OF LEGISLATION
H.R. 4387 makes the School Governance Charter Amendment Act
of 2000 effective upon the date it is ratified by a majority of
the registered qualified District of Columbia electors voting
in a referendum held to ratify the Act.
II. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION
H.R. 4387 would waive a section of the District of Columbia
Home Rule Act that requires a 35-day review period after a
charter amendment has been ratified by the voters. This would
permit the School Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000 to
take effect on the date it is ratified by D.C. voters in a
referendum. Without this waiver, the results of the upcoming
June 27, 2000, referendum would not be allowed to proceed.
III. LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS AND COMMITTEE ACTIONS
H.R. 4387 was introduced on May 4, 2000, by Delegate
Eleanor Holmes Norton. It was referred to the House Committee
on Government Reform, which in turn referred it to the District
of Columbia Subcommittee. The Subcommittee approved the bill at
a hearing on May 5, 2000, and referred it to the Committee on
Government Reform by voice vote.
IV. COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND WRITTEN TESTIMONY
The Subcommittee held no hearings concerning H.R. 4387.
V. EXPLANATION OF THE BILL
Section 1
Section 1 waives the congressional review period for the
School Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000. It provides
that the School Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000 will
be effective on the date it is ratified by a majority of
District of Columbia electors voting in a referendum.
VI. COMPLIANCE WITH RULE XI
Pursuant to rule XI, clause 2(1)(3)(A) of the rules of the
House of Representatives, under the authority of rule X, clause
2(b)(1) and clause 3(f), the results and findings from
Committee oversight activities are incorporated in the bill and
this report.
VII. BUDGET ANALYSIS AND PROJECTIONS
The budget analysis and projections required by section
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 are contained in
the estimate of the Congressional Budget Office.
VIII. COST ESTIMATE OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Under current law, the Congress has 35 legislative days to
review ratified amendments to the charter of the District of
Columbia. H.R. 4387 would waive that requirement for the School
Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000. CBO estimates that
enacting H.R. 4387 would have no impact on the federal budget.
Because the bill would not affect direct spending or receipts,
pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
H.R. 4387 would preempt a section of the District of
Columbia Home Rule Act that requires a 35-day review period
after a charter amendment has been ratified by the voters.
Although this preemption would benefit the District of Columbia
by allowing a charter amendment to take effect immediately, it
is considered a mandate under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
This mandate would impose no costs on the District of Columbia,
or any other state, local, or tribal government.
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, May 25, 2000.
Hon. Dan Burton,
Chairman, Committee on Government Reform,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4387, a bill to
provide that the School Governance Charter Amendment Act of
2000 shall take effect upon the date such act is ratified by
the voters of the District of Columbia.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are John R.
Righter (for federal costs), and Susan Sieg Tompkins (for the
state and local impact).
Sincerely,
Barry B. Anderson,
(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
Enclosure.
H.R. 4387--A bill to provide that the School Governance Charter
Amendment Act of 2000 shall take effect upon the date such act
is ratified by the voters of the District of Columbia
Under current law, the Congress has 35 legislative days to
review ratified amendments to the charter of the District of
Columbia. H.R. 4387 would waive that requirement for the School
Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000. CBO estimates that
enacting H.R. 4387 would have no impact on the federal budget.
Because the bill would not affect direct spending or receipts,
pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
H.R. 4387 would preempt a section of the District of
Columbia Home Rule Act that requires a 35-day review period
after a charter amendment has been ratified by the voters.
Although this preemption would benefit the District of Columbia
by allowing a charter amendment to take effect immediately, it
is considered a mandate under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
This mandate would impose no costs on the District of Columbia,
or any other state, local, or tribal government.
The CBO staff contacts are John R. Righter (for federal
costs), and Susan Sieg Tompkins (for the state and local
impact). This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine,
Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
IX. SPECIFIC CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY FOR THIS LEGISLATION
Clauses 1 and 18 of Article I, Sec. 8 of the Constitution
grant Congress the power to enact this bill.
X. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
On May 18, 2000, a quorum being present, the Committee
ordered the bill favorably reported.
Committee on Government Reform--106th Congress.--Rollcall
Date: May 18, 2000.
Final Passage of H.R. 4387.
Offered by: Hon. Dan Burton.
Adopted by voice vote.
XI. UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT; PUBLIC LAW 104-4, SEC. 423
H.R. 4387 is considered a mandate, but does not impose any
costs on the District of Columbia, state, local, or tribal
governments.
XII. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT (5 U.S.C. App.) Section 5(b)
The Committee finds that H.R. 4387 does not establish or
authorize establishment of an advisory committee within the
definition of 5 U.S.C. App., Section 5(b).
XIII. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
H.R. 4387 does not change existing law.