Blog - D.C. Voting Rights Passes the Big Test

With the Senate’s 63 – 34 vote today on the District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2009, the District is all but assured to finally get a voting member on the House of Representatives.

Today’s vote was on breaking a Republican-led filibuster. It sets the Senate up for final passage of the bill later this week.

Crossover votes were Republican Senators Cochran, Collins, Hatch, Lugar, Murkowski, Snowe, Specter and Voinovich voting “aye,” and Democrats Baucus and Byrd voting “no.” The House easily passed a version of this bill last session, and with an even stronger Democratic majority this session, they are expected to pass it again without any problems.

Besides giving D.C., which leans blue, a voting member in the House, the bill would also give another seat in the House to the state of Utah, which leans red. More information on the bill can be found here, including concerns over its constitutionality that could eventually bring the issue to the Supreme Court.