A Major Win for Democracy: League Strongly Applauds Passage of DC House Voting Rights Act - Yahoo! News

A Major Win for Democracy: League Strongly Applauds Passage of DC House Voting Rights Act - Yahoo! News: " A Major Win for Democracy: League Strongly Applauds Passage of DC House Voting Rights Act " Thu Apr 19, 4:49 PM ET ADVERTISEMENT To: POLITICAL EDITORS Contact: Maggie Duncan of League of Women Voters, +1-202-263-1332, mduncan@lwv.org WASHINGTON, April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The League of Women Voters today celebrated the passage of the District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act before the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation, which passed by a vote of 241-177, will grant the more than 600,000 citizens living in our nation's capital voting representation in the House. "Finally, Congress has begun to right the wrong they've committed against DC citizens," said national League president Mary G. Wilson. "As this legislation moves on to the Senate, the League will be behind lawmakers every step of the way, urging them to do the right thing. We will also look to President Bush to put his full backing behind this bill and provide equal rights to the half-million Americans at his doorstep." "For two hundred years, citizens living in our nation's capital have been denied their constitutional right to elect a voting member to the body that taxes them, makes their laws, and sends their men and women to war. That changes today." Since 1938, the League of Women Voters has worked to support self- government and representation in the District of Columbia. In the 110th Congress, the League has worked closely with lawmakers and other groups to encourage the immediate passage of long overdue legislation granting voting rights in the House of Representatives. The "DC House Voting Rights Act," sponsored by Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (news, bio, voting record) (D DC) and Representative Tom Davis (R VA), provides voting representation in the House for DC citizens by increasing the size of the House by two seats -- one for DC and the other for the state of Utah, which is entitled to the next seat by size of population. This balanced approach provides voting rights for District citizens without upsetting the partisan balance of the House. Contact: Maggie Duncan (202) 263-1332 mduncan@lwv.org SOURCE League of Women Voters