“Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives granted voting rights for delegates from four U.S. Territories and the District of Columbia.  Delegates from American Samoa, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands now have the right under the rules to vote on most matters considered in the people’s house. 

 

Ordinarily, this kind of inside baseball wouldn’t get much notice outside the Beltway, much less be the subject of my weekly column.  This matter is about as far from Missouri as you can get and still be within the territorial boundaries of the United States.  Still, this procedural action reduces the important standards for who does and who does not get voting representation in the Congress.

 

I voted against the measure, because the Constitution clearly states that the privilege of voting in the House is reserved for Representatives of States.

 

Proponents point out that the delegates’ yeas or nays only count if they do not affect the outcome of a roll call vote on an amendment.  Still, it is an unnecessary complication of procedure which will do nothing more than “stuff the ballot box” in the House of Representatives.

 

The reason for the standard set by the U.S. Constitution is clear – U.S. territories are simply not treated the same as States under federal law.  Though they are American, territories are not full partners in our Union.  Residents of Territories do not pay federal income taxes.  Some Territories have the right to apply for Statehood but have elected by referendum to not do so – three times in Puerto Rico’s case.  And none of our U.S. Territories approach the population numbers contained in a U.S. Congressional District, where the average population is 687,000.

 

Delegates from Territories are valued members of the U.S. House of Representatives.  I welcome the opportunity to work with them, and I will always be the first to cross party lines in order to achieve progress on important issues.

 

To better represent U.S. Territories, Congress invited delegates to participate in the proceedings of the House.  Often, the business conducted in Washington, DC, affects them in unique ways, and congressional delegates from U.S. territories provide a valuable, representative service both to the Congress and to their constituencies.  Like any other American who has to deal with the FAA or the Veterans Administration, those problems are not unique to States.  Constituent service is important for delegates, too.

 

On the issue of voting, however, the Constitution establishes a bright line which we must respect.

 

Now that we have started down the slippery slope, House members must guard against the further dilution of the votes of congressional districts in States. 

 

When the expenditure of tax dollars is at stake, the votes of non-taxpaying Territories are
extremely out of place and inappropriate.  The extra input on these matters, when it is reflected in the final vote tallies of the House, clouds the intent of the Congress, as well as the letter of our Constitution.”