Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, H.R. 192, quite simply, prohibits noncitizens from voting in D.C. local elections and repeals the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act. This is common sense. Congress has a constitutional duty to oversee our Nation's Capital and H.R. 192 represents the exact role Congress should take in regard to the matters of the District's governance. Under the United States Constitution, Congress is granted exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever regarding our Nation's Capital. We recognize, as my colleagues have stated, the jurisdictional authority within the municipality and the local elected officials of our Nation's Capital, but when those local elected officials take actions which are injurious to the operations of our Nation's Capital, then we have constitutional authority and, indeed, duty to respond. Hence, why in February of last year, 260 Members of this House voted to overturn the D.C. act in question as being repealed through this bill and in that vote, 42 House Democrats did, indeed, vote to overturn that D.C. law. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”