February 26, 2009 5:49 PM

Senate Votes To Give D.C. Voting Rights In House

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
Congress
(AP)
The Senate today voted to give the citizens of the District Of Columbia a vote in the House Of Representatives.

The D.C. House Voting Rights Act gives a seat to both D.C. and Utah, which fell just short of getting an additional vote following the last census. While the D.C. seat is likely to go to a Democrat, the Utah seat would most likely go to a Republican.

The House is scheduled to take up, and easily pass, the legislation next week, according to the Associated Press. But it could be derailed by legal challenges from those who say D.C. residents do not have Constitutional voting rights because they do not live in a state.

Visitors to the District may have noticed that many residents have license plates proclaiming "Taxation Without Representation" in protest of their lack of voting rights.

The District is currently represented in the House by delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, a non-voting member.

Add a Comment
by harbinger19 February 27, 2009 3:28 AM EST
About time. It is a shameful commentary on this country that any citizens had gone without true, voting representation in Congress.
Reply to this comment
by debinok1 February 26, 2009 7:42 PM EST
and why does Utah get another seat?
Posted by saturn05

That part is easy, if the Democrats want to give D.C. a vote they have to give the Republicans something. So Utah gets another vote.
Reply to this comment
by creed95 February 26, 2009 7:03 PM EST
All this is is a tactic to create bigger government and another democratic seat in the house; it is unconstitutional George Washington would be ashamed
Reply to this comment
by scb1111_1 February 26, 2009 6:39 PM EST
Congress is taking the rights that an amendments to the Constitution is for, the Spreme Court will overturn it when it goes to the court to be found "Unconstitutional"!
Reply to this comment
by saturn05 February 26, 2009 6:19 PM EST
Why shouldn't DC have voting rights and why does Utah get another seat?
Reply to this comment
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