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.

The Congress further declares that the policy to be followed for the attainment of the objective established by § 2-1101, and for the more effective exercise by the Congress, the executive branch of the federal government and the Mayor of the District of Columbia and all other officers and agencies and instrumentalities of the District of Columbia of their respective functions, powers, and duties in respect of the Washington metropolitan region, shall be that all such functions, powers, and duties shall be exercised and carried out in such manner as (with proper recognition of the sovereignty of the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia in respect to those areas of the Washington metropolitan region as are situate within their respective jurisdictions) will best facilitate the attainment of such objective of the coordinated development of the areas of the Washington metropolitan region and coordinated management of their public affairs so as to contribute effectively to the solution of the community development problems of the Washington metropolitan region on a unified metropolitan basis.

The Congress further declares that, in carrying out the policy pursuant to § 2-1102 for the attainment of the objective established by § 2-1101, priority should be given to the solution, on a unified metropolitan basis, of the problems of water supply, sewage disposal, and water pollution and transportation.

The Congress further declares that the officers, departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch of the federal government and the Mayor of the District of Columbia and the other officers, agencies, and instrumentalities of the District of Columbia, and other agencies of government within the Washington metropolitan region are invited and encouraged to engage in an intensive study of the final report and recommendation of the Joint Committee on Washington Metropolitan Problems with a view to submitting to the Congress the specific recommendations of each of the agencies of government specified.

As used in this chapter, the term "Washington metropolitan region" includes the District of Columbia, the Counties of Montgomery and Prince Georges in the State of Maryland, the Counties of Arlington and Fairfax and the Cities of Alexandria and Falls Church in the Commonwealth of Virginia.