Appropriations for FY2004: District of Columbia
Publication Date: September 2003
Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Author(s):
Research Area: Banking and finance
Type:
Abstract:
On February 3, 2003, the Bush Administration released its FY2004 budget recommendations. The Administration’s proposed budget included $420.5 million in federal payments to the District of Columbia. This includes $166.5 million for the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia, an independent federal agency that has assumed management responsibility for the District’s pretrial services, adult probation, and parole supervision functions. In addition, the Administration requested $163.8 million in support of court operations, and $32 million for Defender Services. These three functions represent 86.3% of the President’s proposed $420.5 million in federal payments to the District of Columbia.
On July 9, 2003, the Bush Administration transmitted the city’s $5.7 billion proposed operating budget to Congress for its review and approval. In addition, the District requested $916 million in special federal payments, including $159 million for emergency preparedness assistance, $75 million for public safety, $42 million for public education, and $18 million for human support services targeted primarily to improvements at the St. Elizabeth Hospital and substance abuse facilities.
On July 17, 2003, the House Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 2765, the District of Columbia Appropriations Act for FY2004 (H. Rept. 108-214). On September 9, 2003, the House approved H.R. 2765 by a vote of 210 to 206 (Roll Call Vote No. (491). The House bill recommended $466 million in special federal payments for the District of Columbia. The bill includes $17 million for a college tuition assistance plan, $15 million for security planning, and $163.1 million for court services and offender supervision. H.R. 2765 also includes $10 million in special federal payments for a school choice program designed to provide financial assistance to families of District school age students attending private and parochial schools. The bill does not include $48.7 million in funding for public education requested by the District.
On September 4, 2003, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported S. 1583 (S. Rept. 108-142). As reported, the bill would appropriate $545 million in special federal payments to the District. This includes $17 million for a college tuition assistance program; $15 million for emergency planning and security; $10 million for hospital bioterrorism preparedness; and $377.5 million in court and criminal justice-related assistance, including $172.1 million for court operations, $32 million for Defender Services, and $173.4 million for the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency.
The House and Senate bills, as reported, would continue to allow the District to use its local funds to administer a domestic partners health insurance act approved by the city in 1992, prohibit the use of District or federal funds to prepare a medical marijuana ballot initiative, and restrict the use of federal or District funds for abortion services except in instance of rape or incest or a threat to the mother’s health. The House bill would prohibit the use of local and federal funding for a needle exchange program, while the Senate bill would allow the use of District funds for such activities. This report will be updated as warranted.