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Bill to Give D.C. Full House Vote Advances
That is not contemplated in the voting rights bill. But Westmoreland attached an amendment saying that the District "shall not be considered a state for purposes of representation in the Senate."
Westmoreland's spokesman, Brian Robinson, acknowledged that if that language makes it into law, it can always be changed by another law. But he said the amendment could be important in any legal challenge to the voting rights bill.
  Rep. Paul Hodes (D-N.H.), left, Rep. Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) celebrate the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's endorsement of the bill. (By Michel Du Cille -- The Washington Post) |
"The judiciary can't read into this law congressional intent to treat the District as a state," he explained.
Several lawmakers said the amendment would fail to have any impact because Congress can't legally place such restrictions on future legislative action.
The Judiciary Committee opens its consideration of the bill today with a hearing expected to focus on whether it meets constitutional muster.
Opponents say it doesn't, because the Constitution limits representation in Congress to states. Proponents argue that another section of the Constitution, which gives Congress broad powers over the District, is sweeping enough to allow the creation of a D.C. seat in the House.
The legislation has the backing of the majority Democrats on the committee, led by Chairman John Conyers Jr. (Mich.). It is opposed by the committee's ranking Republican member, Lamar Smith (Tex.).
"The real fight is in Judiciary," said Ilir Zherka, executive director of DC Vote, the primary advocacy group supporting the legislation. "It's going to be closer there."
