Cleo Fields: “Mr. Speaker, since 1800, the residents of Washington, DC, have been the only tax paying U.S. citizens denied equal…”

“Mr. Speaker, since 1800, the residents of Washington, DC, have been the only tax paying U.S. citizens denied equal representation in Congress, denying the residents of the District of Columbia to send Representatives to Congress who can vote on taxes or decide questions of war and peace. At the same time we expect them to shoulder the burdens of citizenship--including the obligation to pay taxes and to fight and die for their country in time of war, this is wrong. The District of Columbia has more residents than three States, Alaska, Wyoming, and Vermont. Combined those three States have nine Representatives in Congress. The District of Columbia has only one nonvoting Member, that is unfair, unequal and not to mention unconscionable. I urge Members to reconsider their stand on this issue. How can we deny persons the right to fair representation, how can we provide for taxation without representation in the United States--and at the same time, in good faith, fight for democracy abroad?”