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House passes District voting rights bill
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Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty and District Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton announce the passing of legislation through the House to give the District voting powers on Thursday.
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to give the District of Columbia its first full vote in Congress in more than two centuries, a critical but early step in a difficult journey to make the bill a law.
Three days after thousands of D.C. residents marched on the U.S. Capitol to demand representation, House members voted for the D.C. Voting Rights Act 241-177, sending the bill to an uncertain fate in the Senate. The legislation, co-sponsored by Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., would expand the 435-member House by two seats, one for the heavily Democratic District and the other for Republican-stronghold Utah.
Norton, a tireless supporter who stands to become the city’s first voting representative in 206 years, called the bill a “labor of love.” Mayor Adrian Fenty described the vote as “a statement of our country’s principles, values and morals.”
“Today the House of Representatives said you’re a part of this country 100 percent,” Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said during a post-vote press conference.
The measure’s critics argue it flouts the Constitution, which explicitly provides representation only to residents of “the several states.” If the District wants a vote, they say, it should do so through a constitutional amendment or by ceding to Maryland.
“I would submit the new Democratic majority is trying to pad their numbers here on the House floor,” Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., said.
The proposal now goes to the Senate, where Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., is expected to lead the charge to corral the 60 required votes. But a Republican filibuster looms, and the vital support of Utah’s two senators, Republicans Orrin Hatch and Robert Bennett, is unclear.
In a statement, Hatch said the GOP’s constitutional concerns and President Bush’s opposition present serious problems.
“I am supportive of the efforts to gain another seat for Utah,” Hatch said. “But it’s not clear that we would have the votes to pass the bill that’s currently being debated in the House.”
Former Rep. Jack Kemp, a critical ally and renowned arm-twister, said he would “use the shame factor” with the Senate.
“As they send our boys to Baghdad and Kabul, what are they going to do for D.C.?” Kemp asked.
Examiner Staff Writer Charles Hurt contributed to this article.
mneibauer@dcexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
2:16 PM MST on Sun., Jul. 6, 2008 re: "Vote tallying could present another fiasco"
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11:55 AM MST on Wed., Jun. 6, 2007
re: "Virginia primaries open to all voters, regardless of party"
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2:07 PM MST on Fri., Apr. 20, 2007
re: "House passes District voting rights bill"
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Jiminy Cricket said:
What a wicked we weave !!!- The Supes were warned not to buy these bogus systems - but except for Ammiano and Daly, they did it anyway .. The shame !! Now SF is the biggest fool as they too are in the HAVA trap - Bob Ney paved the way for the big $ vendors to skim the cream - billions of our tax dollars sent to the boys in the back. We must make a stand against the black hats and take back our democracy- He who counts the votes must not be allowed to skate away- JC
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Steve Rankin, Jackson, Mississippi said:
The Virginia Republicans' lawsuit against their open-primary law is now in the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond. It's based largely on the US Supreme Court's 2000 ruling in the California case that you noted. The lower court held in the Virginia case that, when a party is forced to nominate by primary, the party decides who votes in that primary. This was the first time any court had ever said that there is a situation in which the state may not require a party to hold an open primary. The Mississippi Democrats' similar open-primary lawsuit will be heard by the US District Court on July 30. If the courts outlaw state-mandated open primaries-- as I believe they will-- each party will be free to determine who votes in its primaries. Utah, e.g., registers voters by party. The Republicans there invite independents to vote in their primaries, whereas the Democrats invite ALL voters into their primaries.
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Zeadman said:
mmmmmmmmmm interesting. i am a republican populist moderate. i think that most people in the us are now that. any way i believe that the district should be treated as any other district in any state in the Union. it is a district just like the first district of Utah. or Iowa or Idaho...... so yes it is good that they now have a vote even thow they have always had a vote because of what they are. they are a district out side of a state. thats is all they deserve a vote just like us. thanks -Zeadman
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