MARKUP OF H.R. 4286, 4287, 4284, AND H.R. 8288 DISCUSSION OF RENT CONTROL ACT OF 1975 MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1975 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Washington, D.C. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:15 a.m., in room 1310, Longworth House Office Building, Honorable Charles C. Diggs, Jr., chairman, presiding. Present: Representatives Diggs (presiding), Stuckey, Rees, Delegate Fauntroy, and Representatives Mann, Harris, Sharp, Gude, McKinney, and Whalen. Also present: Ruby Martin, general counsel; Daniel Freeman, staff counsel; and James Christian, deputy minority counsel. The CHAIRMAN. The committeee will come to order. [The committee then proceeded to the consideration of other business.] RENTAL ACCOMMODATIONS ACT OF 1975 The CHAIRMAN. The Chair would like to again recognize Mr. Fauntroy for purpose of reporting on a matter before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Housing and Transportation. Mr. FAUNTROY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, you have in your possession a letter which was sent on October 3, signed by myself and the distinguished gentleman from Georgia and the chairman of our Subcommittee on Commerce, Housing and Transportation, suggesting that all of the evidence compiled by the subcommittee on the question of the Rent Control Act of 1975 be transmitted to the City Council for their further consideration. As indicated in the letter, it was not intended that this be construed as either the recommendation of the course of action now or at a future date for the Council, and, pursuant to that letter, I should like to move now to discharge the Subcommittee on Commerce, Housing and Transportation from further consideration of the House Concurrent Resolution 399, disapproving the District of Columbia Rental Accommodations Act of 1975. And if I may be permitted to give an explanation thereafter, I would appreciate the opportunity. The CHAIRMAN. I would like to recognize the gentleman from Georgia. Mr. STUCKEY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I share the view of my distinguished colleague from the District of Columbia. We both have worked on this, and it is appropriate. (559) Mr. FAUNTROY. Thank you so much. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to the letter of October 3, signed by the chairman and myself, this motion is introduced in order that the committee or its subcommittee will be able to discharge its responsibilities with respect to this resolution. Passage of the motion which I offered will return the resolution to the full committee, thereby leaving us to table it, with the understanding that the evidence compiled by the subcommittee will be transmitted to the City Council for its further consideration. This motion and the expected motion to table together do not pass upon the merits of the city's proposed Rental Accommodations Act, nor would it prevent the proposed act from going into full force and effect. It should not be necessary to further instruct the subcommittee or the full committee and its chairman and staff in this matter, since it would appear that the record which is being compiled will adequately assure transmittal of evidence will occur. During the course of our review of the various testimony which was submitted and of our review of a very significant study done by the Federal City Council and then Urban Land Institute, as commissioned by it, additional information came to light which we think would be well considered by the Council pursuant to the actions we are recommending at this time. Mr. STUCKEY. Mr. Chairman, I would just like to reiterate the words of my colleague from the District of Columbia. After careful consideration, we felt that we were not judging on the merits of Act No. 1-46, but really the question that we had to deal with was would this in effect constitute a proper rule for the subcommittee in regard to the home rule charter. We felt if you wanted to stretch the point because of the possibility of lack of revenues coming in and eventually having to come back to the Congress for additional Federal payments, that it was a verv. very thin case with a very thin argument made in that area, so we felt like not to recommend but purely that the study of the Urban Land Institute, which was commissioned by the Federal City Council, and it did come out after this bill was passed, that we simply send this back purely for consideration with no recommendation or suggestion, because, as I said. there were manv on the subcommittee, and I am sure many on the full committee, who feel that the bill does have in its serious problems and defects, but it was not the proper role of the subcommittee to consider those problems and defects because of the jurisdictional question. I would like to support the gentleman's motion that House Concurrent Resolution 399 be discharged to the full committee, and I move the previous question. Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. The previous question has been ordered, and the question is. shall the Subcommittee on Commerce, Housing and Transportation be discharged from further consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 399. All those in favor of that motion, signify by saving aye. [Chorus of aves.] The CHAIRMAN. Opposed; nay? [No response.] The CHAIRMAN. The ayes have it, and it is so ordered. Mr. STUCKEY. A point of parliamentary procedure, Mr. Chairman. I think that was on the previous question. I think the question now occurs on the motion. The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the subcommittee will be discharged of further consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 399. Mr. STUCKEY. I would like to be recognized for a motion. The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Georgia. Mr. STUCKEY. Now that the resolution has been discharged to the full committee, I would like to make a motion at this time that the full committee table the House Concurrent Resolution 399. The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the motion of the gentleman from Georgia to table further consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 399. All those in favor, signify by saying aye. [Chorus of ayes.] The CHAIRMAN. Opposed; nay. [No response.] The CHAIRMAN. The ayes have it. It is so ordered. Mr. GUDE. In view of the fact that a member of my family has interest in property which would be subject to the provisions of this act, I do not believe it would be appropriate for me to participate in the proceedings on this measure, and, therefore, I would like to be recorded as present and permit a letter stating this matter be made a part of the record. The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, it is so ordered. Mr. McKinney? Mr. MCKINNEY. As a landlord in the District of Columbia, I also would like to be recorded as present and not voting. The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the record will so indicate. Mr. STUCKEY. Mr. Chairman, as a property owner in the District of Columbia of a private home who would pick up a lot of the excess taxes, I would like to go on the record as voting for the bill. [The committee then proceeded to the consideration of other business.] The CHAIRMAN. Well, that certainly is a prime problem. There are other problems, collateral problems, that also go to this same issue, and so, therefore, this kind of study would be designed to try to uncover what these problems are. The committee stands adjourned. [Whereupon, at 10:25 a.m., the committee adjourned, subject to the call of the Chair.] |