H.R. 5778: District Of Columbia Water And Sewer Authority Independence Preservation Act

Congress recently passed H.R. 5778, the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority Independence Preservation Act. This bill amends the District of Columbia Home Land Rule Act of 1973 to declare that the Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia does not have financial authority over the DC Water and Sewer Authority (WASA).

Eighth District Congressman Chris Van Hollen has been working to enact this very minor administrative clarification since September 2007. "The first Hill salvo came in a Sept. 17 letter to Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray, and WASA General Manager Jerry N. Johnson. In the letter, sent on Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen's stationery, suburban Hill honchos explained that the WASA power move was unacceptable but they weren't going to block enactment of the law. Instead, they played nice." (Mike DeBonis, "Water Not Under The Bridge," Washington City Paper, February 27, 2008)

While residents of Maryland's Eighth District can rest assured that Congress finally settled this matter, one cannot help but think that perhaps Congress (especially Congressman Van Hollen) might have better spent the last nine months dealing with gas prices, illegal immigration, the housing crisis. and other more pressing issues...

After all, Congressman Van Hollen did admit he should be focusing his attention on more productive matters. "I am working with Congresswoman Norton to put these problems behind us so that we can spend our time on more productive matters." (Mike DeBonis, "Water Not Under The Bridge," Washington City Paper, February 27, 2008)