On February 6, 2006, the President sent Congress his budget request for FY2007, which included a request for $597.2 million in special federal payments to the District of Columbia. On June 9, 2006, the House Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 5576 , the Departments of Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act for FY2007 (TTHUD). The bill would appropriate $597 million in special federal payments for the District. In support of post-secondary education, H.R. Instead, the House bill would provide the requested $20 million as an earmark under the Department of Transportation's capital investment account. The Senate bill includes $15 million in special federal payments to support improvements in the city's library system, and it would provide a $4 million special federal payment for improvements to the Navy Yard Metro Station. These four functions (court operations, defender-related services, offender supervision, and criminal justice coordination) represent $455.8 million, or 76%, of the President's proposed $597.2 million in federal payments to the District of Columbia. FY2007: District's Budget Request

On May 9, 2006, the District's city council unanimously approved the city's $9.2 billion operating budget for FY2007 and forwarded it to the President for review, approval, and transmittal to Congress. The proposed budget included a request for $634 million in special federal payments. Senate Bill

On July 13, 2006, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved and ordered reported the District of Columbia Appropriations Act for 2007, S. 3660 ( P.L. The bill would appropriate $597 million in special federal payments. This is $21.8 million more than recommended by the House and approximately the same amount as appropriated in FY2006. The bill also includes $206.6 million in special federal payments for court operations, which is $13 million less than recommended by the House. 5576 , including the following:
$4.5 million for bioterrorism preparedness activities and a forensic laboratory for the District; $5 million for the construction of a nature trail along the Anacostia River; $2 million for improvements in the city's foster care system; $4 million for improvements to the Navy Yard Metro Station; $4 million for marriage development accounts, and $15 million for improvements to the city's public library system. The budget also provides $2.341 billion in capital outlays, including $63 million to finance the construction of a new baseball stadium. 5576 as approved by the House on June 14, 2006, and S. 3660 as reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee also includes a provision that would have retained the current law prohibiting the use of federal and District funds for a needle exchange program. Medical Marijuana

The city's medical marijuana initiative is another issue that engenders controversy. During its consideration of the District budget for FY2007, the city council included language that would prohibit the use of federal, but not District, funds to implement the initiative. 5576 , and the S. 3660 as reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee include a provision that would continue to prohibit the use of both District and federal funds for abortion services, except in instances of rape or incest, or when pregnancy endangers the life of the mother. The House version of the TTHUD Appropriations Act for FY2007, consistent with the provision first included in the District's FY2002 Appropriations Act, includes a general provision that allows the use of District, but not federal, funds to administer the program.
On February 6, 2006, the Bush Administration released its FY2007 budget request, which included $597.2 million in proposed special federal payments to the District of Columbia. Four payments (court operations, defender services, offender supervision, and criminal justice coordination) represented $455.767 million, or 76.3%, of the proposed $597.2 million in total federal payments to the District requested by the Administration.
On May 9, 2006, the District's city council approved the city's $9.2 billion operating budget for FY2007. The District's budget is submitted for the approval of Congress, as required by the District of Columbia Self-Government and Government Reorganization Act, P.L. 93-198 (87 Stat. 801). It also included $2.6 billion in capital outlays, including an additional $63 million to finance a new major league baseball stadium, and $634 million in special federal payments. The 109th Congress was unable to complete its passage of the District Appropriations Act, but did included a provision in a continuing budget resolution allowing the District to implement its FY2007 Budget and Financial Plan (120 Stat. 1315).
On June 9, 2006, the House Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 5576—the Departments of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act for FY2007 (TTHUD). The House approved the bill on June 14, 2006. The Senate approved the District of Columbia Appropriations Act for FY2007, S. 3660, on July 13, 2006. The House bill would appropriate $575.2 million in special federal payments to the District, including $75.9 million in special federal payments in support of elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education initiatives. The Senate bill would appropriate $597 million in special federal payments. The House bill also recommends $478.8 million for criminal justice activities, including court operations, defender services, offender supervision, and the criminal justice coordinating council. This is $11 million more than the $467.8 million recommended by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Senate bill would appropriate $15 million in special federal payments for public library improvements and $4 million for expansion of the Navy Yard Metro Station. The House bill does not include funding for library improvements. It does include $20 million for expansion of the Navy Yard Metro Station, but not as a special federal payment to the District as requested by the Administration. Instead it would be funded as part of the federal Transportation Department's capital investment fund account.
Consistent with provisions included in previous appropriations acts, the House and Senate bills would prohibit the use of federal and District funds to finance or administer a needle exchange program; fund abortion services, except in an instance of rape or incest, or when the life of the mother is threatened; and implement the city's medical marijuana initiative, which would decriminalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The bills also include provisions that would prohibit the use of federal and District funds to support activities aimed at achieving statehood for the District or voting representation in Congress. This report will be updated as events warrant.