Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

White House Threatens D.C. Vote Bill (Would Veto Bill to Give D.C. Vote in House of Reps)
Associated Press ^ | March 20, 2007 | JIM ABRAMS

Posted on 03/20/2007 3:57:04 PM PDT by RWR8189

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House on Tuesday threatened a presidential veto of legislation giving the District of Columbia a vote in the House, possibly prolonging a two-century-long wait for representation in Congress. The bill, the White House said in a statement, violates constitutional language saying the House should be made up of representatives chosen by the people of the states. "The District of Columbia is not a state," it said, and if the legislation reaches President Bush's desk, "his senior advisers would recommend that he veto the bill."

The House is to vote Friday on the legislation that would give a vote to the D.C. delegate while creating, until the 2010 census, a new at- large seat for Utah.

That would increase House membership to 437, with the seat from overwhelmingly Democratic D.C. offset by the extra vote from Utah, a predominantly Republican state. Utah narrowly missed obtaining a fourth House seat after the 2000 census.

Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., who worked out that compromise with D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, said he hoped that Bush would override the advice of his aides and approve the legislation if it reaches his desk.

"I hope the president's legacy isn't vetoing democracy in the District of Columbia" while the United States is spending huge sums to promote democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq, he said

Davis, who said there are equally compelling arguments that the D.C. a vote is constitutional, said he expected it to pass the House. "Members will vote their conscience on this."

It would still have to pass the Senate before going to the president, and the constitutional question is also likely to be an issue there.

The White House cited Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, which states that the House "shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states." It said the Constitution also contains 11 other provisions expressly linking congressional representation to statehood.

Others look at language in Article I, Section 8, which empowers Congress to "exercise exclusive legislation" over the federal capital, in arguing that Congress can, if it chooses, give D.C. voting rights.

"The difference between the House and the Senate is clear," Davis said. "The Senate represents states, the House represents people."

The White House said only a constitutional amendment could give D.C. a vote. Congress in 1978 approved a constitutional amendment extending voting rights to the District, but it died when it was not ratified by three-fourths of the states.

Norton, a Democrat, has full voting rights at the committee level, and, like delegates from territories such as Guam and American Samoa, can vote on amendments on the House floor as long as the votes do not change the outcome.


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: bushveto; dc; veto; vetothreat; washingtondc
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

1 posted on 03/20/2007 3:57:07 PM PDT by RWR8189
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: RWR8189

"violates constitutional language"

You mean someone still thinks we have a valid constitution?


2 posted on 03/20/2007 4:00:19 PM PDT by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like what you say))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: freeangel

only when it suits that someone's purpose.


3 posted on 03/20/2007 4:01:26 PM PDT by flashbunny (<--- Free Anti-Rino graphics! See Rudy the Rino get exposed as a liberal with his own words!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189

The President would be quite correct in vetoing this bill -- but, historically, he's not seemed willing to veto clearly unconstitutional bills that show up on his desk, so who knows what he'll do?


4 posted on 03/20/2007 4:01:36 PM PDT by vetsvette (Bring Him Back)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: vetsvette

FYI: Snarkiness is REALLY unbecoming (and getting VERY old)!


5 posted on 03/20/2007 4:03:42 PM PDT by DrDeb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189

"I hope the president's legacy isn't vetoing democracy in the District of Columbia" while the United States is spending huge sums to promote democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq, he said...

What a freakin' moron. D.C. is the CAPITOL of our country, not a state. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't D.C. a self governing city? What's next, New York City having national representation? I think D.C. should remain a neutral zone in American national politics. That is what was intended.


6 posted on 03/20/2007 4:05:29 PM PDT by Hambone02 (NEW-DUNC '08 !!!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189

This bill is horse hockey to begin with.

Eleonor Holmes Norton. Just what we need another racist member of the Congressional Black caucus.


7 posted on 03/20/2007 4:06:14 PM PDT by sgtbono2002 (I will forgive Jane Fonda, when the Jews forgive Hitler.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DrDeb
"FYI: Snarkiness is REALLY unbecoming (and getting VERY old)!"

You'd make a pretty good DU'er -- can't stand the truth.
8 posted on 03/20/2007 4:27:42 PM PDT by vetsvette (Bring Him Back)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
If congress was suppose to have the right to "give" voting rights to D.C. the 23rd amendment wouldn't have been so narrowly defined.

Besides, this was tried as a constitutional amendment in 1978 and died a lonely death in 1985.

why does congress now think they don't have to go through the amendment process ?
9 posted on 03/20/2007 4:28:40 PM PDT by stylin19a (If you are living on the edge...MOVE OVER ! Some of us are ready to jump !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189

DC is a gold mine for Dimocraps with 2/3 illiteracy rate.


10 posted on 03/20/2007 4:29:43 PM PDT by caisson71
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189

Marion Berry is a good example of the constituents of D.C.


11 posted on 03/20/2007 4:32:17 PM PDT by Rosemont
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
The House is to vote Friday on the legislation that would give a vote to the D.C. delegate while creating, until the 2010 census, a new at- large seat for Utah. Sneaky little devils. The DC seat would be carged in granite and the Utah seat would go poof like a smoke ring in a gail.
12 posted on 03/20/2007 4:33:10 PM PDT by AmericaUnited
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DrDeb; vetsvette
"FYI: Snarkiness is REALLY unbecoming (and getting VERY old)!"

I know the truth hurts sometimes, but I would hardly consider speaking the truth to be "snarky". Have some more koolaid!

13 posted on 03/20/2007 4:38:49 PM PDT by KoRn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: stylin19a
I have an idea. Just roll the DC voting population into MD where they would become part of a few districts already dominated by dims. The Capitol mall area, where the actual seat of government is located would remain neutral because nobody except the president will actually live there.
This would eliminate the need for the 70,000 DC school employees, 100,000 ticket writers, and 200,000 government employees on disability would become the responsibility of the great state of Taxyland.
14 posted on 03/20/2007 4:39:55 PM PDT by newnhdad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: newnhdad
I'm in favor of giving D.C. residents the right to vote in Maryland Congressional and Senatorial elections. They can keep the rest of the foofoorah west of Eastern Avenue, thank you.
15 posted on 03/20/2007 4:44:26 PM PDT by GAB-1955 (being dragged, kicking and screaming, into the Kingdom of Heaven....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: sgtbono2002
"Eleonor Holmes Norton"

I wonder who wrote the Bill for her. Based on her being unable to gather her thoughts or read a simple statement at last Friday's Plame hearing, I'm wondering if she isn't in the 1/3 of D.C. found to be illiterate in a recent study.

16 posted on 03/20/2007 4:52:16 PM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway~~John Wayne)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: GAB-1955

They might as well be allowed to vote in Maryland. Thanks to DC refugees and bedroom liberals from Montgomery and PG county we cant get anything but Dumbocrats anyway.


17 posted on 03/20/2007 5:07:17 PM PDT by sgtbono2002 (I will forgive Jane Fonda, when the Jews forgive Hitler.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: mass55th

Lets just say she isnt the sharpest knife in the drawer.


18 posted on 03/20/2007 5:07:48 PM PDT by sgtbono2002 (I will forgive Jane Fonda, when the Jews forgive Hitler.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Hambone02

Maybe they should not pay taxes or something since they don't get a vote. Taxation without Representation or something to that effect. I bet that would shut them up. No taxes would do the trick for sure.


19 posted on 03/20/2007 5:16:39 PM PDT by napscoordinator (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: freeangel

"You mean someone still thinks we have a valid constitution?"

YES I DO!


20 posted on 03/20/2007 5:18:00 PM PDT by JOE43270 (JV43270 God Bless America and ALL WHO HAVE and WILL DEFEND HER.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson