VOTES AGAINST RESOLUTION GIVING HOUSE VOTE TO DELEGATES FROM THE TERRITORIES

Washington, Jan 24, 2007 - "Article I of the U.S. Constitution states 'The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every Second Year by the People of the several States,'" noted Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala). "Clearly, only members of Congress representing districts in the states should have a vote in Congress."

The House today approved H.Res. 78, which Stearns opposed. H.Res. 78 is a resolution amending House rules to allow Delegates and the Resident Commissioner to the Congress to cast votes on the House floor. Delegates represent the residents of the District of Columbia and the Territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, and the Resident Commissioner represents Puerto Rico. Although H.Res. 78 would not provide a vote on final passage of legislation; it would expand the vote to amendments and procedural motions on the House floor.

"In addition to the Constitutional impropriety of this resolution, there is the issue of fairness - most of these Delegates could vote to raise taxes without having to pay them since they and their fellow residents are exempt from federal income taxes," added Stearns. "Also, the Delegate from Americana Samoa, representing 57,000 people, should not have essentially the same vote as a Members of Congress who represents approximately 650,000 people. This resolution is an unseemly power grab by the congressional majority."