The Local Flexibility Act of 1993 : hearing before the Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee of the Committee on Government Operations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Third Congress, first session, on H.R. 2856 ... October 13

122 Pages·1995·3.2 MB·English

by  United States. Congress. House. Committee on Government Operations. Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee

TOE LOCAL FLEXIBILITY ACT OF 1993
Y 4.e 74/7: F 63
EARING
The Local Flexibility ftct of 1993,... before the
ixuiri^. xva.K.ww.v..^S AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL
RELATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON
GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
H.R. 2856
TO INCREASE THE OVERALL ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY OF GOVERN-
MENT OPERATIONS AND ENABLE MORE EFFICIENT USE OF FEDERAL
FUNDING, BY AUTHORIZING A DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM THAT
ENABLES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PRIVATE, NOT-FOR-PROFIT OR-
GANIZATIONS TO USE AMOUNTS AVAILABLE UNDER CERTAIN
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPROVED
INTEGRATED ASSISTANCE PLANS
OCTOBER 13, 1993
Printed for the use of the Committee on Government Operations
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE '*'*^"'*'^*'^C."
85-737CC WASHINGTON : 1995
ForsalebytheU.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice
SuperintendentofDocuments,CongressionalSalesOffice,Washington,DC 20402
ISBN 0-16-046503-6

THE LOCAL FIEXIBILTTY ACT OF 1993
Y 4. G 74/7: F 63
EARING
The Local Flexibility Act of 1993#... before the
AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL
ixuiri^. xv^..v.^xvv.^S
RELATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON
GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
H.R. 2856
TO INCREASE THE OVERALL ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY OF GOVERN-
MENT OPERATIONS AND ENABLE MORE EFFICIENT USE OF FEDERAL
FUNDING, BY AUTHORIZING A DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM THAT
ENABLES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PRIVATE, NOT-FOR-PROFIT OR-
GANIZATIONS TO USE AMOUNTS AVAILABLE UNDER CERTAIN
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPROVED
INTEGRATED ASSISTANCE PLANS
OCTOBER 13, 1993
Printed for the use of the Committee on Government Operations
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE **-*<1'C«lj;r;
85-737CC WASHINGTON : 1995
ForsalebytheU.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice
SuperintendentofDocuments,CongressionalSalesOffice,Washington,DC 20402
ISBN 0-16-046503-6
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
JOHNCONYERS, Jr., Michigan, Chairman
CARDISS COLLINS, Illinois WILLIAM F. CLINGER, JR., Pennsylvania
GLENN ENGLISH, Oklahoma AL MCCANDLESS, California
HENRY A. WAXMAN, California J. DENNIS HASTERT, Illinois
MIKE SYNAR, Oklahoma JON L. KYL, Arizona
STEPHEN L. NEAL, North Carolina CHRISTOPHER SHAYS. Connecticut
TOM LANTOS, California STEVEN SCHIFF. New Mexico
MAJOR R. OWENS, New York CHRISTOPHER COX. California
EDOLPHUS TOWNS. New York CRAIG THOMAS, Wyoming
JOHN M. SPItATT. JR., South Carolina ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN. Florida
GARY A. CONDIT, California DICK ZIMMER. New Jersey
COLLIN C. PETERSON, Minnesota WILLIAM H. ZELIFF. JR.. New Hampshire
KAREN L. THURMAN, Florida JOHN M. McHUGH, New York
BOBBY L. RUSH. Illinois STEPHEN HORN, California
CAROLYN B. MALONEY, New York DEBORAH PRYCE. Ohio
THOMAS M. BARRETT, Wisconsin JOHN L. MICA, Florida
DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey ROB PORTMAN, Ohio
FLOYD H. FLAKE, New York
JAMES A. HAYES, Louisiana
CRAIG A. WASHINGTON, Texas BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont
BARBARA-ROSE COLLINS, Michigan (Independent)
CORRINE BROWN, Florida
MARJORIE MARGOLIES-MEZVINSKY,
Pennsylvania
LYNN C. WOOLSEY, California
GENE GREEN. Texas
BART STUPAK. Michigan
JUUAN Epstein, StaffDirector
Matthew R. Fletcher, Minority StaffDirector
Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations SuBcoMMirrEE
EDOLPHUSTOWNS, New York, Chairman
HENRY A. WAXMAN, California STEVENSCHIFF, New Mexico
THOMAS M. BARRETT, Wisconsin STEPHEN HORN, California
DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey JOHN L. MICA, Florida
CRAIG A. WASHINGTON, Texas
BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont (Ind.)
Ex Officio
JOHN CONYERS, JR.. Michigan WILLIAM F. CLINGKR. Jr.. Pennsylvania
Ronald A. STROMAN. StaffDirector
Benjamin I. Cohen. Associate Counsel
MaRTINE M. DiCROCE. Clerk
Martha B. Morgan. Minority ProfessionalStaff
KRISTINE I. Simmons, Minority StaffAssistant
(ID
CONTENTS
Page
Hearingheldon October 13, 1993 1
TextofHJl. 2856 5
Statementof:
Blaquiere, Sister Teresa, RSM, executive director. Core City Neighbor-
hoods, Detroit,MI 72
Fox, Lynda, deputy chief administrative officer for human services.
Prince George's County, MD, onbehalfofNationalAssociation ofCoun-
ties 35
Lipscomb, Sharron, vice president. EmpowermentNetwork Foundation ... 62
Monteith, MichaelA., assistantcity manager, Hampton, VA 51
Towns, Hon. Edolphus, a Representative in Congress from the State
ofNew York, and chairman, Human Resources and Intergovernmental
RelationsSubcommittee: Opening statement 1
Letters, statements, etc., submitted forthe recordby:
Blaquiere, Sister Teresa, RSM, executive director. Core City Neighbor-
hoods, Detroit, Mi: Prepared statement 75
Borut, Donald, executive director. National Leagaue of Cities: Prepared
statement 97
Clinger, Hon. William F., Jr., a Representative in Congress from the
State ofPennsylvania: Prepared statement 33
Conyers, Hon. John, Jr., a Representative in Congress from the State
ofMichigan: Prepared statement 48
Fox, Lynda, deputy chief administrative officer for human services.
Prince George's County, MD, on behalfofNational Association ofCoun-
ties: Prepared statement 39
Lipscomb, Sharron, vice president, Empowerment Network Foundation:
Prepared statement 65
Monteith, Michael A., assistant city manager, Hampton, VA: IVepared
statement 57
Towns, Hon. Edolphus, a Representative in Congress from the State
ofNew York, ana chairman, Human Resources and Intergovernmental
RelationsSubconrunittee: Opening statement 3
APPENDIX
Material submitted forthehearingrecord 101
(III)

THE LOCAL FLEXIBILITY ACT OF 1993
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1993
House of Representatives,
Human Resources and
Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee
OF THE Committee on Government Operations,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:10 a.m., in room
2154, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Edolphus Towns (chair-
man ofthe subcommittee) presiding.
Present: Representatives Edolphus Towns, Thomas M. Barrett,
Steven Schiff, and John L. Mica.
Also present: Representatives John Conyers, Jr., and William F.
dinger, Jr.
Staff present: Ronald A. Stroman, staff director; Benjamin I.
Cohen, associate counsel; Martine M. DiCroce, clerk; Martha B.
Morgan, minority professional staff; and Kristine I. Simmons, mi-
nority staffassistant, Committee on Government Operations.
OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN TOWNS
Mr. Towns. The Committee on Government Operations' Sub-
committee on Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations
will come to order.
Today, we will have a hearing on H.R. 2856, the Local Flexibility
Act of 1993, which was introduced by the chairman of the Grovern-
ment Operations Committee, Congressman John Conyers, and also
the ranking minority member ofthe committee, the Honorable Wil-
liam dinger, Jr.
At the subcommittee's first hearing this Congress, the Honorable
David Dinkins, mayor of the city of New York, testified that Fed-
eral funds going to local governments should be flexible in order to
permit the most effective use possible of those funds. Mayor
Dinkins also encouraged waiving Durdensome Federal regulations.
At that same hearing, not-for-profit organizations unanimously tes-
tified that the elimination ofburdensome regulations was their top
legislative priority. H.R. 2856 accomplishes these goals.
At our hearing last week on the financial ability of State and
local governments to implement the President's health care reform
plan, the House Majority Leader Richard Gephart testified elo-
quently about the need to eliminate cumbersome administrative
and regulatory requirements on State and local governments, and
in support ofthe Local Flexibility Act.
We are having this hearing this morning to learn more about the
Flexibility Act, so I am anxious and eager to hear from all of our
(1)
witnesses about what we might be able to do to enhance or to im-
prove the flow of government and to be able to make certain that
projects actually fit in terms community that they are designed to
serve.
I would like to yield at this time to the ranking member of the
subcommittee, Mr. Schiflffrom Albuquerque, NM.
[The opening statement of Mr. Towns and the text of H.R. 2856
follow:]
OPENING STATEMENT CHAIRMAN ED TOWNS
SUBCOMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES AND
INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
ON
H.R. 2856 THE "LOCAL FLEXIBILITYACT OF 1993"
Today's hearing is on H.R. 2856, the 'Local Flexibility Act".
On May 20, 1993, at this Subcommittee's first hearing this
Congress, the Honorable David Dinkins, Mayor ofthe City of NewYork,
testified that Federal funds to local governments should be flexible, so
that local governments can put these funds to the most effective use
possible. Mayor Dinkins also endorsed the concept of permitting
waivers from Federal regulations if a Jurisdiction had an approved
comprehensive programfor assisting individuals. Atthatsamehearing,
not-for-profitorganizationsunanimouslytestifiedthatthemostimportant
thingthe Federalgovernmentcould dotoassistthem, Istheelimination
of burdensome regulations. H.R. 2856 accomplishes these goals.
At our Subcommittee hearing last week on the financial ability of
state and local governments to implement the President's health care
reform plan, the House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt, testified
eloquently about the need to eliminate duplicative and cumbersome
administrative and regulatory requirements on state and local
governments, and in support of the Local Flexibility Act. I agree with
Majority LeaderGephardt, and I fullysupport H.R. 2856. We mustwork
todeveloptargeted economicdevelopmentpoliciesthatwill reversethe
economic decline of our central cities. H.R. 2856, can be an important
step in that process.