Senate Begins Hearings on DC Voting Rights

Thursday, May 17, 2007

DC voting rights took another step forward Tuesday when the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee began hearings on the DC Voting Right Act. “This is a historic time for the citizens of the District of Columbia,” said Senator Orrin Hatch (R., UT). “I intend to make the most of it and hope that my fellow Senate colleagues will support me in this endeavor.” Added former Republican Vice Presidential Candidate and Housing Secretary Jack Kemp, “White House advisors are putting the President of the United States in the position of outspoken opposition to expanding the democratic idea here in the nation's capital while simultaneously . . . [arguing that] the President has the constitutional authority to defend freedom and extend democratic rights to the people of Baghdad and Kabul,” After testimony by seven witnesses, including DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Wade Henderson of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Committee Chairman Senator Joe Lieberman announced that he plans to mark up the bill in early June. Click here to watch the hearing, read the testimony and get the latest on the campaign for DC Voting Rights. April 16 DC Voting Rights March, photo from the DCVote website
-Reported by Ann Hoffman

 

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