Presidential Task Force on the District of Columbia Remarks of the Vice President on the President's Decisions on Task Force Recommendations.

For the past several months a congressional, District government, and executive branch task force has been meeting at the request of the President to review the major issues in Federal relations with the District of Columbia. On behalf of the President, I would particularly like to express our appreciation for the advice, help, and cooperation of the members of that task force. They include the Chairman, Charles Diggs, Senator Thomas Eagleton, Mayor Walter Washington, Chairman William Natcher, District Delegate Walter Fauntroy, Congressman Stewart McKinney, Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator Charles Mathias, and .Council Chairman Sterling Tucker.

The President has now reviewed the major issues identified by the task force and reached his conclusions based on the facts and views presented, and we are outlining his decisions here this morning.

Three overriding commitments are reflected in the President's judgments on the individual issues that have been reviewed.

First, the President is dedicated to upholding the principle of full voting representation for the citizens of the District. He believes that there is no justification for denying citizens equal representation at the Federal level simply because they happen to reside in the District of Columbia.

Second, we are determined to reduce and eliminate, where possible, Federal intrusion in decisions that are of purely local concern. The people of this city should not be subjected to burdensome and wasteful executive review procedures in matters that involve no significant Federal interest whatsoever. Where substantial Federal interest may be involved, we propose to streamline and simplify review procedures wherever possible.

Third, while the financial relationship between the Federal Government and the District are extremely complex, we have tried to identify several specific areas in which progress can be made now toward greater equity, predictability, and comparability with other cities and to pinpoint other areas and issues which require longer and more detailed analysis.

Following are some of the highlights of some of the specific decisions reached by the President, and attached to my statement is a more detailed analysis of many of the other issues.

First, to promote equal representation the administration supports approval of a constitutional amendment proposed by District Delegate Fauntroy, which would provide full voting representation in both Houses of the Congress, as well as in the selection of the President and the Vice President and in the ratification of constitutional amendments.

Secondly, to expand home rule for the District, the President supports congressional action to eliminate Presidential review of mayoral vetoes that are overridden 'by the City Council and to repeal the so-called Federal enclave and to streamline the procedures for congressional review of locally enacted legislation.

Third, to provide greater equity and predictability in the financial relationship between the Federal Government and the District, the administration is committed to an increase in the fiscal '79 Federal payment authorization from $300 to $317 million, with a simultaneous effort by the District to improve use of existing resources through reductions in any excessive employee authorization levels; to share financial responsibility for the RFK Stadium and pension plan funding; and to extend the city's authority to borrow from the Federal Treasury.

Creation of the D.C. task force last spring by the President reflects the high priority that he attaches to the key issues affecting our Nation's Capital and the people who live here. I'm proud of the decisions that have been made as the result of this process. I believe they represent the most progressive steps taken toward resolving problems of our Capital City by any administration in recent years.

As I indicated, fact sheets indicating more detail on these decisions are attached. And I'm asking Bunny Mitchell, who served as the convener of these meetings and of the task force and who serves as a special assistant to the President on these matters, and Jim Dyke, of my staff, to answer any questions that you might have.