DC Vote Bill Moves Ahead with AARP Support
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2006-06-21 12:06:00.004052-04:00
Currently, more than half a million United States citizens living in our nation's capital do not have a voting representative in the U.S. Congress—this, despite the fact that District of Columbia residents pay taxes and serve in the military.
On May 18, the US House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform began to address the inequity, overwhelmingly approving the D.C. Fair and Equal House Voting Rights Act of 2006 (H.R. 5388) by a vote of 29 to 4.
This bi-partisan bill introduced by Chairman Tom Davis (R-VA) and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) would grant the District a permanent, full voting member of the House of Representatives and add an additional seat to Utah's delegation.
Passage by the Government Reform Committee is a positive and meaningful step in the process. The bill now moves to the House Judiciary Committee, whose chairman has agreed to bring it up for a vote as well.
The AARP Policy Book, which endorses DC Congressional voting rights, states that "the right to vote, along with full and fair representation is the most basic of all political rights." AARP is also on the record in support of this specific legislation.
In a letter to DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, AARP DC Director Mimi Castaldi commended the Delegate as well as Chairman Davis for their bi-partisan initiative. "Your efforts remind everyone that one of the most fundamental civic rights in a democracy—the right to a representative government—rises above both partisanship in both importance and principle."
AARP also signed on to a letter circulated by Leadership Conference for Civil Rights in support of the bill, which urged members of the Government Reform Committee to "Please help bring American democracy to people living in America's capital by supporting H.R. 5388 when it comes before you." A majority of committee members heeded their plea.
AARP DC will continue to advocate for the bill's passage and for full and fair representation for District residents.
Find more information on the legislation online.
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