Earl Blumenauer: “I strongly support the DC House Voting Rights Act. It is long overdue to give the nearly two-thirds of a million…”

“I strongly support the DC House Voting Rights Act. It is long overdue to give the nearly two-thirds of a million residents of our Nation's Capital the fundamental right of representation. This is not a partisan issue. Maintaining a fair and responsive government is a duty that transcends politics. This legislation fairly addresses both parties by granting one seat in the House to the District and one additional seat to Utah, which is next in line to receive an additional House seat based on its population. This elegant and equitable solution leaves the overall composition of the House unchanged as the District seat is anticipated to be Democratic and the Utah seat Republican. Given this bipartisan spirit, I am disappointed that the administration is fighting to deny citizens their basic voting rights. I hope the President has the good sense to withdraw his veto threat. Any concerns this administration has regarding this bill's constitutional appropriateness are best left up to the judicial branch to clarify. I am proud to support this important legislation and urge its speedy passage into law. Residents of the District have waited long enough.”