ernment; (3) the allocation of authority between the executive and legislative branches of the District government; (4) the fiscal authority of the District government, including its ability to borrow on short and long term bases; (5) the taxing authority of the District government; (6) the financial administration of the District government and the audit of its affairs; (7) the adjustment of expenses between the Federal and District Governments; (8) elections in the District; (9) the extent to which the Congress should retain its authority to amend any charter of self-government, the extent to which any such charter may be amended by the people of the District, and the extent to which the latter amendments should be subject to the approval of the President or Congress; (10) all other and necessary legislative matters relating to the affairs of the District and Federal Governments; and (11) the means and extent to which the District government can (A) limit expenditures to the lowest amount consistent with the efficient performance of essential services, activities, and functions, (B) eliminate duplication and overlapping of services, activities, and functions, (C) consolidate services, activities, and functions of a similar nature, and (D) abolish services, activities, and functions not necessary to the efficient conduct of the District government.

The Commission is authorized to make interim reports, but is required to submit a final report of its findings and recommendations to the President and the Congress with reasonable expedition and no later than 18 months after the election of the elected members of the Commission. The Senate District Committee has proposed in S. 2164, as reported, the 18-month limitation-judging a year and one-half to be a more reasonable period of time for a thorough execution of the arduous and historic responsibilities of the Commission on Government (including the additional responsibility, not assigned as such in the bill as introduced, of serving as a local Hoover Commission).

The Commission, under S. 2164, shall cease to exist 30 days after the submission of its final report.

Section 4 provides that the Commission may hold hearings, issue subpenas, and administer oaths for the purpose of carrying out its functions provided in the bill.

The Commission may request information and assistance from any agency, department, or instrumentality of the Federal or District Governments, and these organs of government are required to assist. the Commission within the scope of their lawful functions and appropriations.

The Commission is authorized to receive and utilize gifts for lawful Commission purposes, and is authorized to appoint necessary personnel, except that no such employee shall be compensated at a rate higher than that provided for GS-18.

Section 5 provides that members of the Commission who are fulltime members of Congress, or full-time officers or employees of the United States or District of Columbia Governments shall receive no additional compensation as members of the Commission. All other members of the Commission are to be compensated at a rate equivalent to that provided for GS-18 for such periods of time as the members. are engaged in the work of the Commission.

Members of the Commission are to be allowed expenses for travel while on official Commission business.

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Section 6 provides that four members of the Commission shall be elected at-large in the District of Columbia, on a nonpartisan basis, pursuant to the provisions of the District Election Act of 1955, as amended, and other appropriate legislation.

The election of such members is to take place on the date of the first general, primary, or runoff election (whichever first occurs) to be held in the District pursuant to the Election Act and which takes place more than 99 days after the approval of the instant act (presently bill S. 2164). However, if no such election is to take place within 180 days after approval of the act, then the Board of Elections is to hold a special election as soon as is reasonable, but no sooner than 99 days after such date of approval and no later than 180 days after such date. Section 7 provides that the General Services Administration shall provide services for the Commission on a reimbursable basis.

Section 8 provides that funds necessary to carry out the provisions of the instant act (presently bill S. 2164) are authorized to be appropriated from the U.S. Treasury.

APPENDIX

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT AND HOME RULE

The first government of the city of Washington in 1802 consisted of a Mayor, appointed by the President, and a City Council, elected by the people. In 1812, the City Council itself was permitted to elect the Mayor, and then, from 1820 until 1871, both the Mayor and Council, under varying forms and names, were elected by the residents of the District.

An act of Congress, February 21, 1871, abolished the corporations of Washington and Georgetown, and established a territorial form of government, consisting of a Governor and Board of Public Works, along with a Legislative Assembly. The Assembly consisted of a Council of 11 members and a House of Delegates of 22 members. The Governor, Board of Public Works, and Council were appointed by the President. The 22-member House of Delegates, however, was elected by the people. The District elected a further delegate, to the U.S. House of Representatives, until 1875.

The territorial government remained in existence for 3 years, until June 20, 1874, when Congress provided that on a temporary basis the District should be governed by a Board of three Commissioners, appointed by the President. The Board of Commissioners was made permanent by an act dated June 11, 1878. This form of government continued largely unchanged, until the President's Reorganization Plan No. 3, in 1967, transferred the commissioners' functions to a single commissioner and council of nine members, all appointed by the President.

Starting with the government of 1874, no provision was made for the local franchise. In 1955, however, Congress provided for the election of local officers of the major political parties. The 23d Amendment of the Federal Constitution in 1961 provided for local voting in Presidential elections. The Act of April 22, 1968, provided for the election of a local school board. Also notably, in recent primary

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elections (especially that of 1964) the voters of the District, both Republican and Democratic, have expressed approval of home rule, in response to party questions.

Finally, legislation to provide some form of local government for the District of Columbia was initiated with the introduction of H.R. 3545 in the 43d Congress, in 1874. Since that time, approximately 50 home rule bills have been placed before biennial sessions of the Congress. The Senate on six separate occasions in the 81st, 82d, 84th, 85th, 86th, and 89th Congresses-enacted self-government legislation for the District. All of these bills as enacted, however, failed to win approval in the House.

Mr. YOUNG of Ohio, from the Committee on Armed Services, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H.R. 10420]

The Committee on Armed Services, to which was referred the bill (H.R. 10420) to permit certain real property in the State of Maryland to be used for highway purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

EXPLANATION OF THE BILL

The act of March 4, 1923 (42 Stat. 1450), authorized the sale of certain property, including Fort Armistead, Md. Section 3 of the act provided that the conveyance of land shall be on the condition and limitation that the property shall be limited to use for public park purposes and upon cessation of such use shall revert to the United States.

Pursuant to the act, on February 23, 1927, a deed was executed by the Secretary of War, on behalf of the United States, conveying to the mayor and City Council of Baltimore 45.5 acres of land for a price equal to the then appraised fair market value of $27,306. In accordance with section 3 of the act the deed restricts the use of the property to public park purposes and provides that property shall revert to the United States on cessation of that use. Since the conveyance in 1927 the city of Baltimore has used the property for public park purposes.

The Maryland State Roads Commission desires to acquire approximately 8 acres of the property conveyed to the mayor and City Council of Baltimore in 1927, in connection with the construction and operation of the Baltimore Harbor outer tunnel project. As a result of the restriction on use of the property contained in the act of 1923 and the deed of 1927, the city is unable to convey the property to the State