SCHOOL FARE SUBSIDY WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 1971 U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Washington, D.C. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9 a.m., in room 6226, New Senate Office Building, Senator Thomas F. Eagleton (chairman of the committee), presiding. Present: Senators Eagleton, Inouye, Weicker, and Buckley. Also present: Robert Harris, staff director; Gene E. Godley, general counsel; and James S. Medill, minority counsel. The CHAIRMAN. Good morning ladies and gentlemen. The Senate Committee on the District of Columbia will now commence hearings on S. 1340 and H.R. 6638, School Fare Subsidy. This morning we shall hold hearings on two subjects: the school fare subsidy and at a later time this morning, nominations by the President to fill three vacancies which exist on the District of Columbia City Council. First, of course, we shall begin with the hearing on the school fare subsidy. Before the committee is S. 1340, which I introduced, and H.Ř. 6638, which passed the House on May 10, 1971. These are identical bills which extend for 3 years the present subsidy arrangement. I now place in the record copies of these bills. (S. 1340 and H.R. 6638 follow:) (1) 92D CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 1340 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 23, 1971 Mr. EAGLETON (by request) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia A BILL To amend the Act of August 9, 1955, relating to school fare subsidy for transportation of schoolchildren within the District of Columbia. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 That section 2 of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for the 4 regulation of fares for the transportation of schoolchildren in 5 the District of Columbia," approved August 9, 1955 (D.C. 6 Code, Sec. 44-214a), as amended by an Act approved 7 October 8, 1968, is further amended by deleting "1971" 8 and substituting "1974." 92D CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 6638 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MAY 11, 1971 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia AN ACT To amend the Act of August 9, 1955, relating to school fare subsidy for transportation of school children within the District of Columbia. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 That section 2 of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for 4 the regulation of fares for the transportation of school chil5 dren in the District of Columbia," approved August 9, 1955 6 (D.C. Code, Sec. 44-214a), as amended by an Act ap7 proved October 18, 1968, is further amended by deleting 8 "1971" and substituting "1974". Passed the House of Representatives May 10, 1971. II Attest: W. PAT JENNINGS, Clerk. The CHAIRMAN. Prior to 1968 the transit companies were required to carry schoolchildren at reduced fare and were required to absorb the loss in revenue themselves. In 1968 Congress passed Public Law 90-605 which made it possible for the cost of carrying schoolchildren in the District to be borne by the community as a whole. Under the provisions of this act of 1968, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Commission is required to certify to the Commissioner of the District of Columbia for each calendar month, with respect to each bus company transporting schoolchildren in the city, an amount representing the difference between the total of all reduced fares paid to such carrier by schoolchildren and the amount which would have been paid if such fares had been at the lowest adult fare set by the Commission for regular route transportation. Upon receipt of such certification, the Commissioner of the District of Columbia is required to pay each carrier the amount so certified by the Transit Commission. At the time of enactment of this law, in October 1968, the reduced fare for schoolchildren was 10 cents, and has remained at that level to the present time. The lowest adult fare in 1968 was 25 cents, and since that time has increased to the present level of 40 cents. Our first witness is the Honorable Gilbert Hahn, Jr., Chairman of the City Council. Mr. Hahn, step forward please. STATEMENT OF GILBERT HAHN, JR., CHAIRMAN, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CITY COUNCIL Mr. HAHN. Good morning, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Good morning Mr. Hahn, you may be seated. Mr. Chairman, it has become apparent now, not only to the District of Columbia but to the entire Washington metropolitan community that the bus systems in the metropolitan area must be publicly owned and operated by the Transit Authority as part of an integrated mass transportation system with the subway. The States of Virginia and Maryland have already acted to adopt legislation necessary to amend the Transit Authority's charter to provide for acquisition of the regional bus companies by the Transit Authority. The only body that remains to act on this matter is the Congress of the United States. I append copies of the legislation adopted by Virginia and Maryland. On May 10, 1971, the Board of the Council of Governments, of which I have the honor of being this year's chairman, adopted a unanimous resolution calling for the Governor of Maryland to sign the Maryland legislation and for the Congress of the United States to act. I am happy to say that the Governor of Maryland acted during the month of May to sign the Maryland legislation. As chairman of the Council of Governments, I sent to you, Mr. Chairman, and each of the members of this committee, a copy of our unanimous resolution. I have appended a copy of that resolution to my testimony. (The material referred to follows:) |