Scott Garrett: “I rise, too, in strong opposition to this resolution which violates the Constitution and the fundamental intent of the…”

“I rise, too, in strong opposition to this resolution which violates the Constitution and the fundamental intent of the Framers of the Constitution as well, and it does so in four ways. First, it would allow Delegates to vote, even though our Founding Fathers intended that this legislative body represent the people of the States. The Constitution, Article I, section 2, clause 1, states, ``The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen by the people of the several States.'' By definition, Delegates do not represent States. Secondly, this resolution violates the principle of one person, one vote. The average congressional district represents approximately 650,000 people, but three of these areas have populations of less than 160,000 people, and American Samoa has residents of less than 57,000 people. The Supreme Court has already spoken on this. In 1964, the decision of Wesberry v. Sanders, the Supreme Court said, ``To say a vote is worth more in one district than in another would run not only counter to our fundamental ideas of a democrat government, but it would also cast aside the principles of the House of Representatives elected by the people. That was a principle tenaciously fought for and established at the Constitutional Convention.''”