Republican files bill to give DC seat in Congress

[Freddie Stubbs]

Bishop seeks 4th Utah seat

Bill would also give seat to District of Columbia

Wed, Jan 26, 2005

By HEIDI BURTON
Standard-Examiner staff
[e-mail]

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, wants the District of Columbia to get representation in Congress -- but only if Utah gets a fourth seat in the bargain.

Bishop is co-sponsor with Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., of a bill that would give the district a seat in the House of Representatives in return for another Utah seat.

"It would give us the extra seat we should have had at the turn of the decade," Bishop said. "I'm looking at it very selfishly. I want the extra seat for Utah. ... It's probably not the grandest of motives I've ever had for a bill."

Utah narrowly missed earning another seat based on the population census of 2000. Utah is bound to get another representative or maybe two after the next census, Bishop said, but this bill would speed up the process.

more: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00050125235501369160

[el_gato]

1. I saw a DC license plate yesterday

and the saying on it is "Taxation without Representation"

[MountainLaurel]

2. Yeppers!

And I can't wait to get mine -- if I manager to survive both the inspection station and the DMV wait on Saturday.

[Skinner]

3. I've got one of those license plates.

I love it.

[northzax]

6. as do I,

I actually went back ot the DMV after they issued them and changed the plates on my car to get one.

[Skinner]

4. This DC/Utah scheme is interesting.

Our congressional delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton, has said she opposes this bill. But I kinda think it's worth considering. After all, if the goal is congressional representation, this would do it.

[Zuni]

7. It will only get another seat for uber-right utah

I think it would be OK only if DC got at least one seat in the senate as well and at least 1 voting rep in congress

[journalist3072]

5. The DC/Utah Bill

I sent Rep. Bishop an email to let him know I am opposed to our right to representation in the Congress, being tied to an extra seat for DC. Following is the text of an email I sent him.

Rep. Bishop:

I am writing to you regarding your recent remarks regarding representation in the U.S. Congress for citizens of the District of Columbia. Regarding why you are co-sponsoring legislation with Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) to give D.C. a seat in Congress, you said "It would give us the extra seat we should have had at the turn of the decade," Bishop said. "I'm looking at it very selfishly. I want the extra seat for Utah. ... It's probably not the grandest of motives I've ever had for a bill."

In case you miss the point, I want to state unequivocally to you that full representation in the Congress for DC residents should not be tied to an extra seat for Utah.
District of Columbia residents deserve adequate representation in the House and Senate, regardless of what happens with the extra seat for Utah.

I am a life-long resident of DC, and pay federal taxes just like every other resident of DC. And we are being taxed without representation. This goes against everything that a so-called democracy should stand for.

There are many, many issues that come before the United States Congress, that affect each and every American. Yet, DC residents have no elected offical in the Congress to contact to express their views on the business before our nation's legislative body. We are being left out and locked out.

I find it curious that the current administration talks ad nauseum about democracy in Iraq; yet the United States has failed to bring democracy to the citizens of DC. The current occupent of the Oval Office is on record as being against full representation in the Congress for DC residents.

Again, I want to state in closing that I am opposed to DC's right to representation in Congress, being tied to an extra seat in Congress for Utah. It is morally incomprehensible.