Political Quotes

“I rise to oppose gratuitous language that would forbid the District to use its own funds as part of a lawsuit testing whether American citizens who happen to live in the Nation's capital are constitutionally entitled to voting rights in the Congress of the United States. I stand here as the only Member who represents taxpaying American citizens who are denied full representation in the Congress. Are we to add to this basic denial an attempt to deny the right to seek redress in the courts, as well? Do we really want to add one basic denial onto another, first denial of fair representation, then denial of the right to test that notion in a court of law? This provision is unworthy of this House unless we want to be in the company of the authoritarian regimes of the world. The denial of court redress is gratuitous and futile because the lawsuit is being carried pro bono by a major downtown law firm. The District's involvement is marginal, involving only such occasional advice from the City's Corporation Counsel, as should be responsibly required. It would be hard to even calculate the amount of District funds, so great is the responsibility of the private lawyers. Please, do not allow history to add to the litany of denials to the people I represent.”