Just a few years ago, Congress acted in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion and passed the Continuity and Representative Act by huge margins that included the support of over two-thirds of the Democratic Caucus.

James Madison used the strongest of terms when stating the House must be composed of only those elected by the people.

Without an elected House, the entire Federal Government could be run, laws could be written, without a single branch representing the popular will.

I live in Alexandria and there was a vacancy in the House of Delegates in Alexandria and Governor Kaine called an election 16 days...

It should be consisted of only elected Representatives, and the fact that as a practical matter you can't elect people quickly.

But what we worry about is the extraordinary circumstance where we fear there will be no House or no Senate...

I think the message was given when the House voted down the Baird amendment by a vote of 63 yes to 353 no, that the House overwhelmingly opposed having appointed members, period.

I think that Mr. Baird's proposal and my own proposal will go a long way to making this country less vulnerable as it stands right now.

I would just suggest that having an alternate for a House and Senate Member would provide... for an elected Representative just always to be here in case of an emergency.

I have no doubt that the bond of the spirit of the American people will ensure that democracy prevails even in the most pressing conditions.

House Joint Resolution 53 would solve all of these constitutional problems by providing that each person who is elected to the House of Representatives or the Senate must be elected in combination with an alternate.