Disapproving the Action of the District of Columbia Council in Approving the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding.

I strongly oppose this undemocratic, paternalistic resolution. There is only one question before this House. The question is: Do you believe in democracy?

More specifically: Should the District of Columbia's local legislature, whose members are elected by D.C. residents, make the laws for D.C., or should Congress, whose voting Members are elected by the residents of the several States, make laws for D.C.?

What is democracy?

The dictionary defines it as a ``government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.''

Perhaps President Lincoln described democracy best in the Gettysburg Address when he said that it is government of the people, by the people, for the people.

D.C.'s local legislature, the D.C. Council, has 13 members. The members are elected by D.C. residents. Eight members are elected by geographical area, and five members are elected at-large. If D.C. residents do not like how the members vote, then they can vote them out of office.

Congress has 535 voting Members. The Members are elected by residents of the several States. None are elected by D.C. residents. If D.C. residents do not like how the Members vote, even on legislation that applies only to D.C., they can only ask politely for the residents of the several States to vote them out of office.

The Revolutionary War was fought to give consent to the governed and to end taxation without representation. Yet, the nearly 700,000 D.C. residents cannot consent to any action taken by Congress, whether on national or D.C. matters, and they pay full Federal taxes. Indeed, D.C. residents pay more Federal taxes per capita than any State in the Union and more total Federal taxes than 23 States.

The legislative history and merits of this legislation enacted by the D.C. Council that is the subject matter of this resolution are irrelevant to the question before the House, but I do want to set the record straight.

The D.C. Council passed the legislation on two separate occasions, as required by Congress, by votes of 12-1 and 12-0 after holding a hearing. The legislation is not unprecedented. Indeed, there is a long history in the United States of noncitizens being allowed to vote in local, State, territorial, and Federal elections.

I will close with two final thoughts. D.C. residents, a majority of whom are Black and Brown, are worthy and capable of governing themselves. It is true Congress has absolute power over D.C., but might does not make right.

Mr. Speaker, if you believe in democracy, you will vote ``no'' on this resolution.

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding the time because I have something important to say and to put into the Record.

Forty States have permitted noncitizens to vote at various points. One of them is the State of the gentlewoman who has just spoken, Colorado. The other States are: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington State, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

At least 14 municipalities permit noncitizens to vote today. Eleven in Maryland: Barnesville, Cheverly, Chevy Chase section 3, Garrett Park, Glen Echo, Hyattsville, Martin's Additions, Mount Rainier, Riverdale Park, Somerset, and Takoma Park.

Two in Vermont: Montpelier and Winooski.

One in California. San Francisco allows voting for noncitizens who are a parent or legal guardian of a child living in San Francisco to vote in local school board elections.

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