PFAW urges Senate Leadership to Schedule Floor Vote on this Monumental Legislation

Today, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs voted to give nearly 600,000 American citizens living in the nation’s capital full voting representation in the House of Representatives. The District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act (S. 1257) now moves to the full Senate for a vote. People For the American Way President Ralph G. Neas released the following statement:

“For more than 200 years, some 600,000 residents of our nation’s capital have paid their taxes and served in the military, yet they’ve been denied voting representation in Congress. Today, a bipartisan group of Senators took an important step toward ending the unconscionable disenfranchisement of American citizens living in Washington, DC. We hope they will not have to wait much longer before their voices are heard at last.

“We thank Chairman Joseph Lieberman for his support of DC voting rights, and applaud Senators Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett of Utah for joining him in introducing S. 1257 last month. It is now up to the full Senate to take up the fight to end this historic injustice. We call on Senate leadership to schedule a floor vote immediately. We also urge President Bush to abandon his threat to veto this landmark legislation. Ours is a representative government – of the people, by the people, and for the people. That should always have included residents of our nation’s capital.”

“Even if this legislation is enacted, there is still more to be done before District residents have full representation on Capitol Hill. But at the very least, they are long overdue for a vote in the House of Representatives on issues that affect them and the future of the country.”