Davis wants hearing on Metro’s troubles

Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) wants Congress to look into the District’s infrastructure problems, which include breakdowns in the Metro system and poorly maintained fire hydrants, as well as emerging financial concerns over emergency building reconstruction.

{mosads}Davis on Tuesday asked Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia, to look into the “matters of critical importance.”

Tom Davis said the committees should investigate five recent Metro incidents, where fire and smoke forced shutdowns and evacuations. The Metro failures raise security questions for the millions of D.C. residents, commuters and tourists who use the Metro, the lawmaker stated.

In addition, the Virginia Republican cited concerns about the safety of improperly maintained fire hydrants, after two April 30 fires revealed that many of the city’s 10,000 fire hydrants had not been comprehensively tested in almost seven years. Testing of the fire hydrants is ongoing, but Davis stated that 10 percent of them do not work at all.

David Marin, Republican staff director for the committee, said Davis “wants to make sure Congress remains vigilant in making sure the nation’s capital remains vibrant and sound.”

Davis also voiced his concern over the hiring of new police to deal with security concerns downtown and noted it is unclear how the city will pay for the additional police and a host of other projects — including reconstruction of the Georgetown library, Eastern Market and $120 million in emergency school repairs.

The lawmaker stated that Congress is responsible for preventing another financial crisis in D.C. and noted that “excessive borrowing and drawing-down of reserves led to the last fiscal crisis.”