HR 26 – AS INTRODUCED
2008 SESSION
05/10
HOUSE RESOLUTION 26
A RESOLUTION expressing regret that New Hampshire’s United States Senators voted to deny the District of Columbia the right to be represented in the Congress.
SPONSORS: Rep. Rosenwald, Hills 22; Rep. Splaine, Rock 16; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 24
COMMITTEE: State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs
This resolution expresses regret that New Hampshire’s United States Senators voted to deny the District of Columbia the right to be represented in the Congress.
08-2574
05/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eight
A RESOLUTION expressing regret that New Hampshire’s United States Senators voted to deny the District of Columbia the right to be represented in the Congress.
Whereas, nearly 600,000 residents of the District of Columbia pay taxes to the federal government but are denied a voting representative in the Congress of the United States; and
Whereas, on January 18, 2007, Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire stated that, “Our primary purpose in Iraq is to create an atmosphere in the Middle East where people will look at democracy, at liberty and say: It works;” and
Whereas, on February 2, 2005, Senator John E. Sununu stated the following regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, “Overseas, we’ve seen great progress with successful elections in Iraq, Afghanistan, and for the Palestinian presidency. The President and his administration will continue to support institutions and people around the world that are working to improve human rights, create representational government, and spread economic freedom. Those are principles that America has stood by time and time again, and we should emphasize them in our country’s diplomatic and national security policies;” and
Whereas, on September 18, 2007, the Senate of the United States was asked to consider S. 1257, the “District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007;” and
Whereas, S. 1257 would provide the residents of the District of Columbia with a voting member in the United States House of Representatives; and
Whereas, Senators Judd Gregg and John E. Sununu, both of New Hampshire, voted against S. 1257; and
Whereas, to date, 5 residents of the District of Columbia have been killed fighting to promote representative democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq; and
Whereas, before their deaths, these 5 soldiers were denied representation in the Congress of the United States; and
Whereas, the decision to vote in favor of sending American citizens to fight in a foreign country for the purpose of establishing a democracy there while simultaneously voting to deny American citizens the opportunity to fully participate in their own democracy is inconsistent with a commitment to democratic principles; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the New Hampshire house of representatives declares its regret that the United States Senators from New Hampshire voted to deny the citizens of the District of Columbia an opportunity to fully participate in the Congress of the United States; and
That the New Hampshire house of representatives formally declares its support for full representative democracy for all United States citizens, including the residents of the District of Columbia; and
That the house clerk transmit copies of this resolution to Senator Judd Gregg, Senator John E. Sununu, the Mayor of the District of Columbia, and the Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia, so that they may be apprised of the sentiments of the New Hampshire house of representatives on this matter.