HR 1433 IHRHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To provide for the treatment of the District of Columbia as a Congressional district for purposes of representation in the House of Representatives, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

March 9, 2007

Ms. NORTON (for herself, Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. HOYER, Mr. ISSA, Mr. NADLER, Mr. PORTER, and Mr. MATHESON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To provide for the treatment of the District of Columbia as a Congressional district for purposes of representation in the House of Representatives, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds as follows: CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) Over half a million people living in the District of Columbia, the capital of our democratic Nation, lack direct voting representation in the United States Senate and House of Representatives. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) District of Columbia residents have fought and died to defend our democracy in every war since the War of Independence. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) District of Columbia residents pay billions of dollars in Federal taxes each year. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) Our Nation is founded on the principles of `one person, one vote' and `government by the consent of the governed'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. TREATMENT OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

(a) In General- NRepresentation in House of Representatives- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- Whereas the District of Columbia is drawn from the State of Maryland, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the District of Columbia shall be considered a Congressional district for purposes of representation in the House of Representatives. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) NO REPRESENTATION PROVIDED IN SENATE- The District of Columbia shall not be considered a State for purposes of representation in the House of RepresentativesSenate. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Conforming Amendments Relating to Apportionment of Members of House of Representatives- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) INCLUSION OF SINGLE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA MEMBER IN REAPPORTIONMENT OF MEMBERS AMONG STATES- Section 22 of the Act entitled `An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for apportionment of Representatives in Congress', approved June 28, 1929 (2 U.S.C. 2a), is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(d) This section shall apply with respect to the District of Columbia in the same manner as this section applies to a State, except that the District of Columbia may not receive more than one Member under any reapportionment of Members.'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) CLARIFICATION OF DETERMINATION OF NUMBER OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS ON BASIS OF 23RD AMENDMENT-Section 3 of title 3, United States Code, is amended by striking `come into office;' and inserting the following: `come into office (subject to the twenty-third article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States in the case of the District of Columbia);'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Conforming Amendments Regarding Appointments to Service Academies- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY-Section 4342 of title 10, United States Code, is amended-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (5); and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) in subsection (f), by striking `the District of Columbia,'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY- Such title is amended-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) in section 6954(a), by striking paragraph (5); and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) in section 6958(b), by striking `the District of Columbia,'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY-Section 9342 of title 10, United States Code, is amended-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (5); and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) in subsection (f), by striking `the District of Columbia,'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) EFFECTIVE DATE- This subsection and the amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on the date on which a Representative from the District of Columbia takes office for the One Hundred Tenth Congress. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

(a) Permanent Increase in Number of Members- Effective with respect to the One Hundred Tenth Congress and each succeeding Congress, the House of Representatives shall be composed of 437 Members, including any Members representing the District of Columbia pursuant to section 3(a). CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Reapportionment of Members Resulting From Increase- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- Section 22(a) of the Act entitled `An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for apportionment of Representatives in Congress', approved June 28, 1929 (2 U.S.C. 2a(a)), is amended by striking `the then existing number of Representatives' and inserting `the number of Representatives established with respect to the One Hundred Tenth Congress'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to the regular decennial census conducted for 2010 and each subsequent regular decennial census. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Special Rules fFor Period Prior to 2012 Reapportionment- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) TRANSMITTAL OF REVISED STATEMENT OF APPORTIONMENT BY PRESIDENT- Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall transmit to Congress a revised version of the most recent statement of apportionment submitted under section 22(a) of the Act entitled `An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for apportionment of Representatives in Congress', approved June 28, 1929 (2 U.S.C. 2a(a)), to take into account this Act and the amendments made by this Act. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) REPORT BY CLERK- Not later than 15 calendar days after receiving the revised version of the statement of apportionment under paragraph (1), the Clerk of the House of Representatives, in accordance with section 22(b) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 2a(b)), shall send to the executive of each State a certificate of the number of Representatives to which such State is entitled under section 22 of such Act, and shall submit a report to the Speaker of the House of Representatives identifying the State (other than the District of Columbia) which is entitled to one additional Representative pursuant to this section. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTION OF ADDITIONAL MEMBER- During the One Hundred Tenth Congress, the One Hundred Eleventh Congress, and the One Hundred Twelfth Congress-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) notwithstanding the Act entitled `An Act for the relief of Doctor Ricardo Vallejo Samala and to provide for congressional redistricting', approved December 14, 1967 (2 U.S.C. 2c), the additional Representative to which the State identified by the Clerk of the House of Representatives in the report submitted under paragraph (2) is entitled shall be elected from the State at large; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the other Representatives to which such State is entitled shall be elected on the basis of the Congressional districts in effect in the State for the One Hundred Ninth Congress. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Seating of New Members- The first Representative from the District of Columbia and the first additional Representative to which the State identified by the Clerk of the House of Representatives in the report submitted under subsection (c) is entitled shall each be sworn in and seated as Members of the House of Representatives on the same date. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. REPEAL OF OFFICE OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DELEGATE.

(a) Repeal of Office- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- Sections 202 and 204 of the District of Columbia Delegate Act (Public Law 91-405; sections 1-401 and 1-402, D.C. Official Code) are repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by such sections are restored or revived as if such sections had not been enacted. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on the date on which a Representative from the District of Columbia takes office for the One Hundred Tenth Congress. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Conforming Amendments to District of Columbia Elections Code of 1955- The District of Columbia Elections Code of 1955 is amended as follows: CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) In section 1 (sec. 1-1001.01, D.C. Official Code), by striking `the Delegate to the House of Representatives,' and inserting `the Representative in the Congress,' . CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) In section 2 (sec. 1-1001.02, D.C. Official Code)-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) by striking paragraph (6); and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) in paragraph (13), by striking `the Delegate to Congress for the District of Columbia,' and inserting `the Representative in the Congress,'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) In section 8 (sec. 1-1001.08, D.C. Official Code)-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) in the heading, by striking `Delegate' and inserting `Representative'; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) by striking `Delegate,' each place it appears in subsections (h)(1)(A), (i)(1), and (j)(1) and inserting `Representative in the Congress,'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) In section 10 (sec. 1-1001.10, D.C. Official Code)-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) in subsection (a)(3)(A)-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) by striking `or section 206(da) of the District of Columbia Delegate Act', and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) by striking `the office of Delegate to the House of Representatives' and inserting `the office of Representative in the Congress'; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) in subsection (d)(1), by striking `Delegate,' each place it appears; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) in subsection (d)(2)-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) by striking `(A) In the event' and all that follows through `term of office,' and inserting `In the event that a vacancy occurs in the office of Representative in the Congress before May 1 of the last year of the Representative's term of office,' and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) by striking subparagraph (B). CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) In section 11(a)(2) (sec. 1-1001.11(a)(2), D.C. Official Code), by striking `Delegate to the House of Representatives,' and inserting `Representative in the Congress,'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) In section 15(b) (sec. 1-1001.15(b), D.C. Official Code), by striking `Delegate,' and inserting `Representative in the Congress,'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) In section 17(a) (sec. 1-1001.17(a), D.C. Official Code), by striking `the Delegate to the Congress from the District of Columbia' and inserting `the Representative in the Congress'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. REPEAL OF OFFICE OF STATEHOOD REPRESENTATIVE.

(a) In General- Section 4 of the District of Columbia Statehood Constitutional Convention Initiative of 1979 (sec. 1-123, D.C. Official Code) is amended as follows: CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) By striking `offices of Senator and Representative' each place it appears in subsection (d) and inserting `office of Senator'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) In subsection (d)(2)-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) by striking `a Representative or'; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) by striking `the Representative or'; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) by striking `Representative shall be elected for a 2-year term and each'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) In subsection (d)(3)(A), by striking `and 1 United States Representative'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) By striking `Representative or' each place it appears in subsections (e), (f), (g), and (h). CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) By striking `Representative's or' each place it appears in subsections (g) and (h). CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Conforming Amendments- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) STATEHOOD COMMISSION- Section 6 of such Initiative (sec. 1-125, D.C. Official Code) is amended-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) in subsection (a)-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) by striking `27 voting members' and inserting `26 voting members'; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) by adding `and' at the end of paragraph (5); and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) by striking paragraph (6) and redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (6); and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) in subsection (a-1)(1), by striking subparagraph (H). CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- Section 8 of such Initiative (sec. 1-127, D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking `and House'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) APPLICATION OF HONORARIA LIMITATIONS- Section 4 of D.C. Law 8-135 (sec. 1-131, D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking `or Representative' each place it appears. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) APPLICATION OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS- Section 3 of the Statehood Convention Procedural Amendments Act of 1982 (sec. 1-135, D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking `and United States Representative'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ELECTIONS CODE OF 1955- The District of Columbia Elections Code of 1955 is amended-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) in section 2(13) (sec. 1-1001.02(13), D.C. Official Code), by striking `United States Senator and Representative,' and inserting `United States Senator,'; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) in section 10(d) (sec. 1-1001.10(d)(3), D.C. Official Code), by striking `United States Representative or'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date on which a Representative from the District of Columbia takes office for the One Hundred Tenth Congress. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. NONSEVERABILITY OF PROVISIONS.

If any provision of this Act, or any amendment made by this Act, is declared or held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions of this Act and any amendment made by this Act shall be treated and deemed invalid and shall have no force or effect of law. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink