Washington, DC - Congressman Edolphus Towns, 10th District New York, is one of many Democrats backing legislation that would give the District of Columbia a full vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.  H.R. 1433, scheduled for a vote in the U.S. House today, also gives the State of Utah an additional seat in the U.S. House, permanently increasing the number of seats in the chamber from 435 to 437.

"The citizens of the District of Columbia are the only residents of any democratic capital city in the world who are not allowed a vote in their full legislature.  This bill ends that 206-year-old injustice, said Congressman Towns.

The citizens of the District of Columbia serve in the military, pay billions of dollars in federal taxes each year, serve on juries, and assume other responsibilities of U.S. citizenship.  Residents of every state have a vote regarding the laws that govern the District however those living within D.C. do not.

The White House threatened to veto H.R. 1433 claiming it is unconstitutional.  However, there are many experts who strongly believe the measure is constitutional, including attorney Ken Starr and Viet Dinh, a former assistant attorney general under President George W. Bush.  Both of these experts site the "District" clause in the Constitution which gives Congress sweeping powers over the city.

In addition, most Americans are in favor of granting D.C. a vote in the U.S. House.  In a nationwide poll conducted in 2005, 82 percent of the American people believed that the District should have equal voting rights.  In addition, several organizations have expressed their support of D.C. voting rights including:  The League of Women Voters; The American Jewish Committee; The Black Leadership Forum; The National Urban League; and The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.

###