Providing For Consideration Of H.R. 1905, District Of Columbia House Voting RIghts Act Of 2007 And Providing For Consideration Of H.R. 1906, Estimated

Floor Speech

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1905, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 2007 AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1906, ESTIMATED TAX PAYMENT SAFE HARBOR ADJUSTMENT -- (Extensions of Remarks - April 26, 2007)

* Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the District of Columbia Voting Rights Bill, and commend Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Tom Davis for their hard work and commitment to ensuring that District of Columbia residents have full representation in Congress.

* Eighty-two percent of Americans believe that the District should have voting rights in the House. It is time to end the 206 years of ``taxation without representation'' for District of Columbia residents.

* H.R. 1905 will provide District of Columbia residents a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. It will also grant a vote to the next State in line to get a congressional seat, which, according to the 2000 Census, is Utah. As a result, this bill will permanently expand the size of the House of Representatives from 435 to 437. This bipartisan legislation also includes a ``non-severability clause'' providing that if a court determines that one section of this bill is invalid, then all other sections will be unenforceable.

* Ensuring that all citizens, including District of Columbia residents, have representation in the House is not only fair and just, but also critical to maintaining a strong democracy, in which all citizens' voices are heard. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.

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