S.1156 - District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 1998105th Congress (1997-1998)

Summary: S.1156 — 105th Congress (1997-1998)All Information (Except Text)

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Introduced in Senate (09/09/1997)

District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 1998 - Makes appropriations for the District of Columbia for FY 1998, including amounts for: (1) the Federal payment for management reform; (2) the Federal contribution toward costs of operating the District government; (3) Federal payments to the District's Corrections Trustee for operations and correctional facilities; and (4) the Federal payment to the District courts.

Appropriates specified sums out of the District's general fund (and other funds, in some cases) for the current fiscal year for: (1) governmental direction and support; (2) economic development and regulation; (3) public safety and justice; (4) the public education system; (5) human support services; (6) public works; (7) financing and other uses; (8) enterprises and other uses; (9) the Water and Sewer Authority and the Washington Aqueduct; (10) the Lottery and Charitable Games Control Board; (11) the Starplex Fund; (12) D.C. General Hospital; (13) the D.C. Retirement Board; and (14) the Washington Convention Center Enterprise Fund.

Makes appropriations for: (1) the District's Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority (Authority); (2) capital outlays; and (3) deficit reduction and revitalization.

Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, such funds.

Bars the use of revenues from Federal sources to support the operations of the D.C. Statehood and Statehood Compact Commissions. Requires the District to identify the sources of funding for Admission to Statehood from its own locally-generated revenues.

(Sec. 110) Prohibits funds appropriated in this Act from being available to pay the salary of any District government employee whose name, title, grade, salary, work experience, and salary history are not available for inspection by specified congressional committees and subcommittees and the District Council.

(Sec. 114) Bars the D.C. Mayor from borrowing any funds for capital projects without prior approval of the District Council.

(Sec. 124) Applies any sequestration orders under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to each account appropriating Federal funds in this Act rather than to the aggregate total of such accounts. Requires the Mayor, in the event such an order is issued after amounts appropriated to the District have been paid, to pay sequestered amounts to the Secretary of the Treasury (Secretary).

(Sec. 128) Bars the use of Federal funds provided in this Act to provide for salaries or other expenses associated with the offices of U.S. Senator or Representative under the District of Columbia Statehood Constitutional Convention Initiatives of 1979.

(Sec. 130) Makes the evaluation process and instruments for evaluating District public school employees a non-negotiable item for collective bargaining purposes.

(Sec. 132) Amends the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act to require the Authority (currently, the Mayor) to submit certain annual reports and plans on performance accountability of the District government to specified congressional committees and the Comptroller General. Requires the Chief Financial Officer (currently, the Mayor) to submit annual plans and reports regarding financial accountability as well as quarterly financial reports. Changes the deadline for the initial plans and reports.

(Sec. 133) Sets forth conditions regarding the Mayor's nomination of department heads pursuant to the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Improvement Act of 1997.

(Sec. 134) Prohibits the expenditure of funds appropriated under this Act for abortions except where the mother's life would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term or in cases of rape or incest.

(Sec. 135) Bars the use of funds made available by this Act to implement any system of registration of unmarried, cohabitating couples for purposes of extending benefits to such couples on the same basis as such benefits are extended to married couples or to implement the District Domestic Partner Act (also known as the District of Columbia Health Care Benefits Expansion Act of 1992).

(Sec. 140) Establishes a ceiling on total operating expenses for the District for FY 1998. Permits increases of such amount for: (1) one-time emergency or unanticipated operating or capital needs transactions approved by the Authority; and (2) additional approved expenditures which the Chief Financial Officer certifies will produce additional revenues during such fiscal year at least equal to 200 percent of such expenditures. Sets forth conditions under which grants excluded from such ceiling may be accepted.

(Sec. 141) Amends the District of Columbia Retirement Reform Act to exclude up to 50 police officers and 50 fire and emergency medical services members who were hired before February 14, 1980, and who retire on disability before the end of 1998 from the computation of the rate of disability retirements for purposes of reducing the authorized Federal payment to the District of Columbia Police Officers and Fire Fighters' Retirement Fund.

(Sec. 142) Directs the District of Columbia Emergency Transitional Education Board of Trustees to: (1) develop a comprehensive plan to identify and accomplish energy conservation measures to achieve maximum cost-effective energy and water savings; (2) enter into innovative financing and contractual mechanisms for such purposes; and (3) encourage District agencies to participate in programs conducted by utilities for the management of electricity or gas demand or energy or water conservation.

(Sec. 143) Amends the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act to require all Special Masters appointed by the District Superior Court or the U.S. district court for the District circuit to any District government agency to submit annual estimates of expenditures and appropriations to the Authority for inclusion in the annual budget.

(Sec. 144) Authorizes the Secretary to reimburse the District government for District law enforcement services, personnel, equipment, and facilities used for protection of the President and Vice-President.

Repeals provisions of Federal law that authorize the U.S. Government and the District government to enter into intergovernmental service agreements.

(Sec. 145) Makes additional appropriations for U.S. Park police operations in the District.

(Sec. 146) Requires the District government to maintain funding for homeless services in FY 1998 at FY 1997 levels.

(Sec. 147) Directs the Authority and the Chief Executive Officer of the District public schools to report to specified congressional committees on measures to be taken to ensure that the District's public schools open on time to begin the 1998-99 academic year.