InsideGov
Congress · Laws

District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority Act of 1996

Public Law 104-184 · H.R. 3663 · 104th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Aug 6, 1996 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA-11)

Cosponsors (11): Rep. Eleanor Norton,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

Report a correction

Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority Act of 1996 - Amends the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act to authorize the District of Columbia Council to issue revenue bonds, notes, and other obligations to borrow money to finance water and sewer facilities (defined as facilities for the obtaining, treatment, storage, and distribution of water, the collection, storage, treatment, and transportation of wastewater, storm drainage, and the disposal of liquids and solids resulting from treatment).

Allows water and sewer enterprise fund revenues, assets, or other property to be used as payments and security for obligations issued with respect to water and sewer facilities.

Permits the D.C. Council to delegate to the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority the authority to issue obligations to finance utilities facilities, pollution control facilities, and water and sewer facilities. Provides that such obligations issued by the Authority shall be issued by resolution of the Authority and not by an act of the Council.

Makes provisions requiring congressional approval before amounts may be obligated or expended by District government employees or officers inapplicable with respect to any amount obligated or expended: (1) from the proceeds of the sale of such obligations; (2) for the payment of the principal of, interest on, or any premium for such obligations; (3) to secure such obligations; and (4) for repair, maintenance, and capital improvements to facilities financed by such obligations.

Removes from the calculation of the District's debt service ceiling: (1) revenues, charges, or fees dedicated for the purposes of water and sewer facilities; and (2) obligations incurred pursuant to general obligation bonds issued before FY 1997 for the financing of Department of Public Works, Water and Sewer Utility Administration capital projects.

Requires: (1) the Authority to submit to the Mayor for inclusion in the annual budget annual estimates of the expenditures and appropriations necessary for its operation for the year; and (2) the Mayor, without revision but subject to recommendations, to forward the estimates to the Council for its action. Permits the Council to comment or make recommendations concerning, but not revise, such annual estimates.

Prohibits the Mayor from reducing amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the Authority if determined necessary to reduce the District's budget in a fiscal year.

Amends the Water and Sewer Authority Establishment and Department of Public Works Reorganization Act of 1996 to require employees transferred from the Department of Public Works to the Authority to perform their duties under the personnel system developed by the Authority's Board or a collective bargaining agreement entered into after the enactment of such Act.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.

  1. Aug 6, 1996Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-184.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Aug 1, 1996PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Jul 30, 1996FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  5. Jun 27, 1996FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
  7. FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
  8. FloorFloor · Mr. Davis asked unanimous consent discharge the Committe of the Whole House on the State of the Union and consider.
  9. Jun 26, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  10. Jun 20, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  11. Jun 18, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by District of Columbia Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  13. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by District of Columbia Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to District of Columbia Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  15. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

Report a correction

Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.