Statements on Intoduced Bills and Joint Resolutions
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - April 14, 2005)
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By Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Akaka, Ms. Landrieu, and Mr. Durbin):
S. 800. A bill to amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to provide the District of Columbia with autonomy over its budgets, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Ms. Collins. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation that includes the District of Columbia Budget Autonomy Act of 2005 and the District of Columbia Independence of the Chief Financial Officer Act of 2005. Last Congress, I introduced this legislation, which passed the Senate unanimously. This legislation would provide the District of Columbia with more autonomy over its local budget and make permanent the authority of the D.C. Chief Financial Officer.
Providing the District of Columbia with more autonomy over its local budget will help the Mayor and the Council of the District of Columbia better manage and run the city. Currently, the District of Columbia must submit its budget through the normal Federal appropriations process. Unfortunately, this process is often riddled with delays. For example, the average delay for enactment of an appropriations bill for the District of Columbia has been 3 months. The result of this delay is clear. For a local community these delays affect programs, planning and management initiatives important to the everyday lives of the residents of the city.
The ability of D.C., like any other city in the Nation, to operate efficiently and address the needs of its citizens is of utmost importance. Unlike other budgets that are approved by Congress, the local D.C. budget has a direct effect on local services and programs and affects the quality oflife for the residents of D.C. Congress has recognized the practical issues associated with running a city. As a result, in the 1970s, Congress passed the D.C. Home Rule Act which established the current form of local government. Congress also empowered D.C. to enact local laws that affect the everyday lives of District residents. And, now, I believe it is time for Congress to do the same with regard to the local budget.
The District of Columbia Budget Autonomy Act of 2005 would address these problems by authorizing the local government to pass its own budget each year. This bill would only affect that portion of the D.C. budget that includes the use oflocal funds, not Federal funds. In addition, the bill still provides for congressional oversight. Prior to a local budget becoming effective, Congress will have a 30-day period in which to review the local budget. In addition, the local authority to pass a budget would be suspended during any periods of poor financial condition that would trigger a control year.
Having the locally elected officials of those providing the funds that are the subject of the budget process decide on how those funds should be spent is a matter of simple fairness. There are also the practical difficulties that the current system causes when the local budget is not approved until well into the fiscal year. By enacting this bill, Congress would be appropriately carrying out its constitutional duties with respect to the District by improving the city's ability to better plan, manage and run its local programs and services. This is what the taxpayers of the District of Columbia have elected their local officials to do.
The legislation also includes the District of Columbia Independence of the Chief Financial Officer Act of 2005 which would make permanent the authority of the District of Columbia Chief Financial Officer. The current Chief Financial Officer for the District of Columbia is operating under authority it derived from the D.C. Control Board, which is currently dormant due to the city's improved financial situation. That authority was set to sunset when the D.C. Control Board was phased out; however, the CFO's authority continues to be extended through the appropriations process, until such time as permanent legislation is enacted.
Ensuring continued financial accountability of the D.C. government is crucial for the fiscal stability of the city. The CFO has played a significant role in maintaining this stability. While providing the District with more autonomy over its budgets, it is also important that the CFO's authority is made permanent and that its role is clear.
I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.
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Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to join with my colleague from Illinois in reintroducing the Conserve by Bike Act to recognize and promote bicycling's important impact on energy savings and public health.
With America's dependence on foreign oil, it is vital that we look to the contribution that bike travel can make toward solving our Nation's energy challenges. The legislation we are reintroducing today would establish a Conserve by Bike pilot program that would oversee pilot projects throughout the country designed to conserve energy resources by providing education and marketing tools to convert car trips into bike trips. Right now, fewer than 1 trip in 100 nationwide is by bicycle. If we could increase this statistic to 1 1/2 trips per 100, we could save over 462 million gallons of gasoline per year, worth nearly $1 billion.
While more bike trips would benefit our energy conservation efforts, additional bicycling activity would also help improve the Nation's public health. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, fewer than one-third of Americans meet Federal recommendations to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 days a week. Even more disturbing is the fact that approximately 300,000 American deaths a year are associated with obesity. By promoting biking, we are working to ensure that Americans, young and old, will increase their physical activity.
In my home State of Maine, citizen activists have led the way in encouraging their fellow Mainers to use bicycling as an alternative mode of transportation. Founded in 1992, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, BCM, has grown substantially in its first decade plus of operation. In 1996, when BCM hired its current executive director, Jeffrey Miller, the organization had 200 individual and family memberships. Today, it has over 1,700. For a State of less than 1.3 million residents--many of them elderly--BCM's broad membership is especially impressive.
Over the years, this group has advocated increased bicycle access to Maine's roads and bridges, organized the first ``Bike to Work Day'' in our State, initiated bicycle safety education in our classrooms--teaching more than 60,000 schoolchildren in over 500 Maine schools--and produced ``Share the Road'' public service announcements for television stations statewide, among numerous other accomplishments.
No matter how energetic, committed, and organized BCM and other bicycle activists are, however, these groups cannot accomplish their mission alone. There is an important role for Government to play in encouraging more individuals to make bicycling their alternative mode of transportation. In Maine, BCM has built strong, active partnerships with local governments and the State's Department of Transportation. These key relationships have benefitted bicyclists throughout Maine and, in doing so, have encouraged more Mainers to ride their bikes on a regular basis. Indeed, more than 4 percent of Maine's commuters currently bike or walk, ranking the State 14th in that category nationwide. I believe the Federal Government needs to become more engaged in encouraging bicycling as a means of alternative transportation, and the Conserve by Bike Act would contribute to the worthy goal of convincing more Americans to travel by bicycle.
The Senate is already on record in support of this bill. In the previous Congress, during consideration of the Energy bill, identical legislation was accepted by voice vote as an amendment. I urge my colleagues to maintain their support for the Conserve by Bike Act.
By Mr. LAUTENBERG (for himself, Mr. CORZINE, and Mrs. BOXER):
S. 809. A bill to establish certain duties for pharmacies when pharmacists employed by the pharmacies refuse to fill valid prescriptions for drugs or devices on the basis of personal beliefs, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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