§131. Development of Washington metropolitan region; necessity for coordination

The Congress hereby declares that, because the District which is the seat of the Government of the United States and has now become the urban center of a rapidly expanding Washington metropolitan region, the necessity for the continued and effective performance of the functions of the Government of the United States at the seat of said Government in the District of Columbia, the general welfare of the District of Columbia and the health and living standards of the people residing or working therein and the conduct of industry, trade, and commerce therein require that the development of the District of Columbia and the management of its public affairs shall, to the fullest extent practicable be coordinated with the development of the other areas of the Washington metropolitan region and with the management of the public affairs of such other areas, and that the activities of all of the departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government which may be carried out in, or in relation to, the other areas of the Washington metropolitan region shall, to the fullest extent practicable, be coordinated with the development of such other areas and with the management of their public affairs; all toward the end that, with the cooperation and assistance of the other areas of the Washington metropolitan region, all of the areas therein shall be so developed and the public affairs thereof shall be so managed as to contribute effectively toward the solution of the community development problems of the Washington metropolitan region on a unified metropolitan basis.

( Pub. L. 86–527, §2, June 27, 1960, 74 Stat. 223 .)

Short Title

Section 1 of Pub. L. 86–527 provided that: "This Act [enacting this section and sections 132 to 135 of this title] may be cited as the 'Washington Metropolitan Region Development Act'."

Advisory Group

Pub. L. 96–514, title I, §108, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2972 , provided that: "The Secretary is authorized to appoint an advisory group which may include government officials, as well as members from outside the government to undertake such activities as may be appropriate to study the effect of future growth and development on the beauty, historic values and other features that make the national capital area unique, and to recommend measures that will protect its values. The advisory group shall designate a chairman and shall complete its work and submit to the Secretary and to the Congress a report with its findings and recommendations within three years of the date of its organization. To support its activities, the advisory group may also receive gifts and grants from private sources. Members of the group shall receive no compensation, but may be reimbursed for travel, per diem, and other reasonable expenses."

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 132, 133 of this title.