The lack of Congressional representation for American citizens living in the District of Columbia is a grave injustice. However, the oath we swear upon taking office is to uphold and defend the Constitution, not justice. Happily, the two rarely diverge. However, our Framers wisely foresaw the possibility of such divergence and provided a remedy. When all constitutional options are exhausted in pursuit of justice, the one remaining remedy is the constitutional amendment process.

We believe that there are constitutional options to remedy the injustice faced by District residents, but S.1257 is not one of them. If the American people, in their wisdom, deem that the plainly constitutional options of admitting new States into the union, or of States voluntarily redrawing their borders are not desirable, then the Constitutional amendment process is the exclusive remaining remedy.

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