Findings.

The Council of the District of Columbia finds that: The District of Columbia is the nation’s capital and an international showcase. The Mayor of the District of Columbia serves as the highest elected official at both the state and local levels. Each of the 50 states in the United States provides an official residence for its top executive government official, the governor, for the purpose of serving as: an official state residence; a suitable official location for entertaining and honoring state, national, and international guests, as well as its own distinguished citizens; and an official location that houses and displays cherished memorabilia of the state’s cultural and social history. An official residence is also provided for the mayors of major cities in the United States, including Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles. The mayors of cities that serve as the capitals of other nations are also provided with an official residence, including London, England and Paris, France. The Mayor of the District of Columbia should have a residence suitable to entertain and honor citizens, businesses, local and federal officials, and the many official guests and distinguished persons who visit the District each year from other cities, states, and nations. After 25 years of limited home rule, it is time to establish an official residence of the Mayor of the District of Columbia.