5 1 mitted by the terms of any contract of the Transit Authority 2 with or for the benefit of holders of its bonds, notes, or 3 other evidences of indebtedness issued for any purpose re4 lating to the transit system, other than extensions thereof, 5 two-thirds of such excess revenues shall, at the end of each 6 fiscal year, beginning with the fiscal year in which the 7 Adopted Regional System (exclusive of extensions) is first 8 put into substantially full revenue service, be paid into the 9 Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts. 10 11 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AUTHORIZATIONS SEC. 7. (a) To finance the District of Columbia share 12 of the cost of the Adopted Regional System, the Commis13 sioner of the District of Columbia is authorized to contract 14 with the Transit Authority to make annual capital contri15 butions under this section aggregating not to exceed $216,16 500,000, and there is hereby authorized to be appropriated 17 out of the general fund of the District of Columbia such 18 amounts necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, 19 and to remain available until expended. 20 (b) Section 9-220 (b) (3) of the District of Columbia 21 Code is amended by striking the first clause of the last 22 sentence and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "$216,23 500,000 of the principal amount of the loans authorized to 24 be made to the Commissioner under this subsection shall 6 1 be utilized to carry out the purposes of the National Capital 2 Transportation Act of 1969: Provided, That the District 3 of Columbia may exceed by an amount not more than 4 $166,500,000, the limitation on the aggregate indebtedness 5 established pursuant to this Act;". 6 7 8 (c) The appropriations authorized in subsection (a) of this section shall be in addition to the appropriations authorized on behalf of the District of Columbia in section 9 5(a) (2) of the National Capital Transportation Act of 10 1965. 11 (d) The Commissioner of the District of Columbia is 12 further authorized to contract with the Transit Authority for 13 the service to be provided by the Adopted Regional System 14 and to pay in accordance with the terms thereof the Dis15 trict of Columbia's share of any operating deficiency of the 16 Adopted Regional System. REPEAL AND AMENDMENT OF EXISTING LAWS 17 18 SEC. 8. (a) The following laws are repealed: 19 (1) The Act of December 20, 1967 (Public Law 20 90-220; 81 Stat. 670). 21 (2) Sections 3, 4, and 5 (b) of the Act of September 8, 22 1965 (Public Law 89-173; 79 Stat. 664-666). 220 223 (3) The Act of July 14, 1960 (Public Law 86-669; 24 74 Stat. 537). 7 1 (b) Section 5 (a) of the Act of September 8, 1965 2 (Public Law 89-173; 79 Stat. 665), is amended by striking 3 the phrase "authorized in section 3 hereof" and inserting in 4 lieu thereof the following: "of the Adopted Regional 5 System". THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, Hon. SPIRO T. AGNEW, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: On January 16, 1969, the District of Columbia Government and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority jointly transmitted to the President of the Senate for the consideration of the 91st Congress, a draft bill "To authorize a Federal Contribution for the effectuation of a transit development program for the National Capital region, and to further the objectives of the National Capital Transportation Act of 1965 (79 Stat. 663) and Public Law 89-774 (80 Stat. 1324)." This proposed legislation was thereafter referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia. Subsequently, this legislation has been reviewed in terms of the objectives of the new Administration and in the light of the Authority's most recent engineering and financial stduies. Accordingly, a revised draft is submitted for the consideration of the Congress. While the objectives of the revised draft remain the same, its primary difference is that the Federal share would be provided through Federal capital grants rather than through federally supported bonds as previously proposed. Authorization of regular capital grants, rather than debt service grants is considered the most economical method of funding the two-thirds Federal share of the net project cost. Other changes reflect a decrease in the additional Federal share requirement from $1,051,000,000 to $1,047,044,000 and an increase in the District of Columbia share from $208,700,000 to $216,500,000. These latter changes represent the refinement of cost allocations resulting from more recent financial studies. The funds would be appropriated to the Department of Transportation which would disburse the Federal share to the Transit Authority. This proposed legislation would support a 97 mile system which, as stated by the President, would "relieve downtown congestion; make educational, cultural and recreational facilities more accessible; reduce air pollution; stimulate business, industry, and tourism; broaden tax bases; and promote orderly urban development of the Nation's Capital." A rapid transit system for the Washington Metropolitan Area will do much to improve the quality of urban life throughout the National Capital region. Enactment of this legislation would be a major step in achieving the President's objective of making the Capital City a "proud symbol of the quality of American life." Accordingly, the Bureau of the Budget has advised us that enactment of legislation as proposed in the attached draft Bill would be in accord with the program of the President. FREDERICK A. BABSON, Chairman, Board of Directors, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Senator TYDINGS. At this time, we would like to call on Chairman Fuqua, who chairs House Subcommittee No. 4, for any opening remarks he may have. Representative FUQUA. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are pleased to begin the hearings on legislation to provide for the rapid transit system for the District of Columbia. In the 88th Congress, 6 years ago, H.R. 7149, introduced by Mr. Whitener, inaugurated the legislation before the House District Committee for the beginning of the transit development program for the National Capital region. Extensive hearings were held and the bill reported, but the House felt otherwise and it was resubmitted to the District Committee. In the 89th Congress, under the leadership of Chairman McMillan and Mr. Whitener, the House took up a modified subway proposal, held further hearings, and this legislation passed the House and Senate and became law (Public Law 89-173). Then, rather than proceed at once to build within Washington the core of the rapid transit system its sponsors, after another session of the Congress, obtained legislation (Public Law 89-774) providing for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority compact, embracing the broad metropolitan areas of Maryland and Virginia which surround Washington. The regional organization provided is now anxious to proceed with the continuation of this system. In the 90th Congress, again the House District Committee considered further legislation (H.R. 11395) to modify the originally proposed routes within Washington, mainly to provide for the unheralded growth of the Government agencies south of Independence Avenue. The House and the Senate approved this measure (Public Law 90-220). Now, in the 91st Congress, we are ready to consider the pending bill (S. 2185) introduced by Senator Tydings for himself and others, and H.R. 11193 by Chairman McMillan and myself and others on the House District Committee, to authorize a Federal contribution, twothirds of the cost, toward the net cost of $2.5 billion for the full 97mile regional system. We are pleased to join with the Senate committee in proceeding in these joint hearings on this measure, Mr. Chairman. Senator TYDINGS. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Representative HARSHA. No. Senator TYDINGS. Mr. Broyhill? Representative BROYHILL. Mr. Chairman, I have a statement I would like to submit for the record. In deference to the witnesses who are scheduled to testify, I will just make a very brief observation. I should like to express my appreciation to you, Mr. Chairman, and to Mr. Fuqua for arranging these joint hearings on what I consider one of our most vexing area problems facing the Congress. It is an area problem that requires an area solution. It is impossible for each community operating independently to make a major contribution toward solving our area transportation problem. The Congress over the period of years has not only recognized that this problem has existed, but also its responsibility to be a partner with the National Capital area communities in helping to arrive at a solution to the problem. You, Mr. Chairman, pointed out some of the previous actions on the part of Congress. Actually, we could go back as far as 16 years when the 83d Congress approved the creation of a commission to study area problems with particular reference to the movement of people and goods. That legislation was vetoed by the President because Congress had added a provision for regulation of transportation that was somewhat controversial. But, even so, the then administration indicated its support of an approach to the problem by coming forth with an Executive order instructing the National Capital Planning Commission and Regional Planning Council to conduct an extensive study of the problem, and a grant of $500,000 was made to help to finance that study. Then, I think it was about 1956 or 1957, in further recognition on the part of Congress that this problem existed and that we had to do |