House Republicans abolished the historic D.C. subcommittee as part of a reorganization yesterday, but senators might keep a standalone District panel for now.
The arrangement will reduce involvement in D.C. matters by House members from across the country while keeping a Senate panel friendly to city leaders, according to lawmakers, committee sources and lobbyists.
By a party-line vote, Appropriations Committee members formally adopted a plan by the incoming chairman, Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.), to consolidate 13 subcommittees into 10. The key House panel overseeing District finances -- which has been around since at least 1886 -- will be folded into a subcommittee whose jurisdiction includes transportation, treasury, housing and judiciary agencies. Those agencies account for $60 billion in discretionary spending in President Bush's 2006 budget. The District accounts for $573 million.
"Because it's focused on a huge . . . transportation bill, with everything from federal pay raises to transportation in it, the city's not going to get much scrutiny. I think it's a real win for the city," said Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.), who oversees the District as chairman of the House Government Reform Committee. "Some people might think having a committee signifies prestige. But in the city's case, it's just meant trouble."
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) praised the outcome as the least harmful to the city.
"Retaining the D.C. subcommittee in the Senate is the best deal for the District," Norton said. "The Senate is likely to be helpful in preserving funding, advocating respect by both committees for local home rule and expanding self-government."
D.C. appropriation subcommittees traditionally have given the city a formal place in the spending process, with its own presidential budget allocation, subcommittee chairmen and staff.
But lawmakers will spend less time and political capital on District issues in a budget bill if they have to fight for issues, such as highway money, that are important to their own constituents, members said.
One drawback is that the District will have to compete for a share of subcommittee funds, instead of receiving its allocation outright.
Members said they also would watch to see if the District's budget passes on time each year.
Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.) will chair the new subcommittee. A moderate from suburban Detroit, Knollenberg chaired the D.C. panel from 2001 to 2003.
"I know most of the issues. I know many of the elected officials," he said. "As D.C. moves closer to becoming financially independent -- and they've made progress in that direction -- I'm going to make sure it gets the attention it deserves, and people will have a lot of say on that."
In the Senate, Republicans have told new Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) that they want changes kept to a minimum. A final decision is not expected before Congress returns from next week's Presidents' Day recess.
The Senate's D.C. subcommittee is chaired by Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), who has pressed for improvements in D.C. foster care and juvenile programs and encouraged Congress to address the District's fiscal problems.
