In this chapter, the term “Washington metropolitan region” includes the District of Columbia, the counties of Montgomery and Prince Georges in Maryland, and the counties of Arlington and Fairfax and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church in Virginia.

Because the District of Columbia is the seat of the Federal Government and has 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 in the District of Columbia, the general welfare of the District of Columbia, the health and living standards of the people residing or working in the District of Columbia, and the conduct of industry, trade, and commerce in the District of Columbia require that to the fullest extent possible the development of the District of Columbia and the management of its public affairs, and the activities of the departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government which may be carried out in, or in relation to, the other areas of the Washington metropolitan region, shall be coordinated with the development of those other areas and with the management of their public affairs so that, with the cooperation and assistance of those other areas, all of the areas in the Washington metropolitan area shall be developed and their public affairs shall be managed so as to contribute effectively toward the solution of the community development problems of the Washington metropolitan region on a unified metropolitan basis.

The policy to be followed for the attainment of the objective established by section 8302 of this title, and for the more effective exercise by Congress, the executive branch of the Federal Government, the Mayor of the District of Columbia, and all other officers, 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 the functions, powers, and duties shall be exercised and carried out in a manner that (with proper recognition of the sovereignty of Maryland and Virginia in respect of those areas of the Washington metropolitan region that are located within their respective jurisdictions) will best facilitate the attainment of the coordinated development of the areas of the Washington metropolitan area and the 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.

In carrying out the policy pursuant to section 8303 of this title for the attainment of the objective established by section 8302 of this title, 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.