Political Quotes

“last Congress, Republicans introduced 26 bills or amendments to change local D.C. election laws, including 14 to prohibit noncitizens from voting in D.C. or to repeal, nullify, or prohibit the carrying out of the local D.C. law that allows noncitizens to vote in local elections. Yet, Republicans refused to make the only election law change D.C. has requested, which is to make D.C. a State so they can hold elections for voting Members of the House and Senate. While Congress has the authority to legislate on local D.C. matters, it is not required to do so. In Federalist No. 43, James Madison said of D.C. residents: "A municipal legislature for local purposes, derived from their own suffrages, will of course be allowed them." In 1953, the Supreme Court held that "there is no constitutional barrier to the delegation by Congress to the District of Columbia of full legislative power." Mr. Speaker, I want to discuss democracy, or lack thereof, in D.C. There are 700,000 D.C. residents. D.C. residents are required to pay Federal taxes, register with the Selective Service System, and serve on Federal juries in the same manner as residents of States. Yet, D.C. residents have no voting representation in Congress, and Congress has the ultimate say on local D.C. matters. The council has 13 members. If D.C. residents do not like how the members vote, residents can vote them out of office or pass a ballot measure. That is called democracy. Congress has 535 voting Members.…”