I
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5410
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 17, 2006
Ms. Norton introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on 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 concerned
A BILL
To provide for the treatment of the District of Columbia as a State for purposes of representation in the House of Representatives and Senate, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
No Taxation Without Representation Act
of 2006
.
Findings
Congress finds the following:
The residents of the District of Columbia are the only Americans who pay Federal income taxes and who have fought and died in every American war but are denied voting representation in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The residents of the District of Columbia suffer the very injustice against which our Founding Fathers fought, because they do not have voting representation as other taxpaying Americans do and are nevertheless required to pay Federal income taxes unlike the Americans who live in the territories.
The principle of one person, one vote requires that residents of the District of Columbia are afforded full voting representation in the House and the Senate.
Despite the denial of voting representation, Americans in the Nation’s Capital are third among residents of all States in per capita income taxes paid to the Federal Government.
Unequal voting representation in our representative democracy is inconsistent with the founding principles of the Nation and the strongly held principles of the American people today.
Representation in Congress for District of Columbia
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the District of Columbia shall be treated as a State for the purposes of representation in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Elections
First elections
Proclamation
Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Mayor of the District of Columbia shall issue a proclamation for elections to be held to fill the 2 Senate seats and the seat in the House of Representatives to represent the District of Columbia in Congress.
Manner of elections
The proclamation of the Mayor of the District of Columbia required by paragraph (1) shall provide for the holding of a primary election and a general election and at such elections the officers to be elected shall be chosen by a popular vote of the residents of the District of Columbia. The manner in which such elections shall be held and the qualification of voters shall be the same as those for local elections, as prescribed by the District of Columbia.
Classification of Senators
In the first election of Senators from the District of Columbia, the 2 senatorial offices shall be separately identified and designated, and no person may be a candidate for both offices. No such identification or designation of either of the 2 senatorial offices shall refer to or be taken to refer to the terms of such offices, or in any way impair the privilege of the Senate to determine the class to which each of the Senators elected shall be assigned.
Certification of election
The results of an election for the Senators and Representative from the District of Columbia shall be certified by the Mayor of the District of Columbia in the manner required by law and the Senators and Representative shall be entitled to be admitted to seats in Congress and to all the rights and privileges of Senators and Representatives of the States in the Congress of the United States.
House of Representatives membership
In general
Upon the date of enactment of this Act, the District of Columbia shall be entitled to 1 Representative until the taking effect of the next reapportionment. Such Representative shall be in addition to the membership of the House of Representatives as now prescribed by law.
Increase in membership of House of Representatives
Upon the date of enactment of this Act, the permanent membership of the House of Representatives shall increase by 1 seat for the purpose of future reapportionment of Representatives.
Reapportionment
Upon reapportionment, the District of Columbia shall be entitled to as many seats in the House of Representatives as a similarly populous State would be entitled to under the law.
Providing For Elections for House Members and Senators From District of Columbia
Application of District of Columbia Elections Code of 1955
The District of Columbia Elections Code of 1955 is amended as follows:
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, Senator,
.
In section 2 (sec. 1–1001.02, D.C. Official Code)—
by striking paragraph (6); and
in paragraph (13),
by striking the Delegate to Congress for the District of Columbia,
United States Senator and Representative,
and inserting the
Representative in the Congress, Senator,
.
In section 8 (sec. 1–1001.08, D.C. Official Code)—
in the heading, by
striking Delegate
and inserting Representative,
Senator,
; and
by striking
Delegate,
each place it appears in subsections (h)(1)(A),
(i)(1), and (j)(1) and inserting Representative in the Congress,
Senator,
.
In section 10 (sec. 1–1001.10, D.C. Official Code)—
in subsection (a)(3)(A)—
by
striking or section 206(d) of the District of Columbia Delegate
Act
, and
by
striking the office of Delegate to the House of Representatives
and inserting the office of Representative in the
Congress
;
in subsection
(d)(1), by striking Delegate,
each place it appears;
in subsection (d)(2)—
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
by striking subparagraph (B); and
by amending subsection (d)(3) to read as follows:
In the event of a vacancy in the office of Senator, the Mayor shall appoint a successor to complete the remainder of the term of office.
.
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, Senator,
.
In section 15(b)
(sec. 1–1001.15(b), D.C. Official Code), by striking Delegate,
and inserting Representative in the Congress, Senator,
.
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 and Senator
.
Treatment of District of Columbia Delegate
Continuation of service
Until the first Representative from the District of Columbia is seated in the House of Representatives, the Delegate in Congress from the District of Columbia shall continue to discharge the duties of his or her office.
Repeal of office upon election of first representative
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.
Effective date
Except as provided in section 4(a), the amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to the election of the first Representative and Senators from the District of Columbia pursuant to this Act and each subsequent election of Representatives and Senators from the District of Columbia pursuant to this Act.
Repeal of offices of statehood Representative and Senator
In general
Section 4 of the District of Columbia Statehood Constitutional Convention Initiative of 1979 (sec. 1–123, D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking subsections (d), (e), (f), and (g).
Conforming amendments
Statehood commission
Section 6 of such Initiative (sec. 1–125, D.C. Official Code) is amended—
in subsection (a)—
by
striking 27 voting members
and inserting 24 voting
members
;
by
adding and
at the end of paragraph (4); and
by striking paragraphs (5) and (6) and redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (5); and
in subsection (a–1)(1), by striking subparagraphs (F), (G), and (H).
Authorization of appropriations
Section 8 of such Initiative (sec. 1–127, D.C. Official Code) is repealed.
Application of honoraria limitations
Section 4 of D.C. Law 8–135 (sec. 1–131, D.C. Official Code) is repealed.
Application of campaign finance laws
Section 3 of the Statehood Convention Procedural Amendments Act of 1982 (sec. 1–135, D.C. Official Code) is repealed.
District of Columbia Elections Code of 1955
Section 2(13) of the District of Columbia
Elections Code of 1955 (sec. 1–1001.02(13), D.C. Official Code) is amended by
striking United States Senator and Representative,
.
Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall take effect upon the taking office of the first Representative and Senators from the District of Columbia pursuant to this Act.