E-bulletin - Issue IV - May 31, 2006
Dear DC Vote Supporters:
At DC Vote, we are busier than ever! We are excited about the historic mark-up of the DC Voting Rights Act, and we are working every day to make sure this momentum carries us to the next pivotal step. Thanks for sharing in the celebration surrounding the DC voting rights movement!
Click the links below to learn more about the latest DC Vote news.
Crown Jewel of the Decade: DC Voting Rights Act Passes Committee 29-4!
In a momentous vote cast by the House Committee on Government Reform, the DC Fair and Equal House Voting Rights Act (DC Voting Rights Act, H.R. 5388) passed by a vote of 29-4. The bill would give Washington, DC, residents a voting member in the House of Representatives for the first time ever.
After inching toward our goal of DC voting representation for years, the mark-up of this bill moves Washingtonians miles closer to the finish line. Republicans and Democrats came together on a consensus bill, now called the DC Voting Rights Act. Representative Tom Davis (R-VA), sponsor of the bill and the chair of the House Committee on Government Reform, marked-up the legislation with the support of Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).
A high point in the committee hearing occurred when Representative Dan Burton (R-IN) expressed a change of heart about his opposition to the bill. After speaking with former vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp and a young African-American woman who pressed him to finish the work of the civil rights movement, Burton voted in favor of the bill.
The DC Voting Rights Act now moves to the House Judiciary Committee, and DC Vote needs your help to move the bill. Act NOW! and ask your member of Congress to work to enact H.R. 5388!
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Shout From the Rooftops and Tell Friends about the DC Voting Rights Act
DC Vote is constantly working to make our award-winning Web site more accessible for our supporters. We have streamlined our Tell a Friend page to make it easier to engage friends and family across the country.
By encouraging friends to contact their members of Congress, we move toward securing a voting member of Congress for DC residents! Tell a Friend today about DC's denial of democracy and Let DC Vote!
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Media Buzz Across the Country
The mark-up of the DC Voting Rights Act grabbed the attention of media outlets nationwide. DC Vote landed on the front page of the Washington Post two days in a row, and the story was picked up by the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times. The Boston Globe and Salt Lake Tribune covered the legislation from new angles, and bloggers offered fresh perspective on the bill.
Headlines ranged from "D.C. Vote's Stars are Aligning" to "Votementum Building -- Committee Passes D.C. Legislation". Read our extensive media coverage on the DC Vote Web site.
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Students in the Loop: Lowell School Tea Party and Young Suffragists
DC Vote staffers Lateefah Mims and Katie Reardon spoke to a bright, attentive group of students at Lowell School who wanted to learn more about Taxation Without Representation.
To prepare for their lesson, students created clay tea pots and brushed up on the history of the Boston Tea Party in 1773. Older students dressed up in colonial garb and served 5th graders tea and scones, as Katie and Lateefah spoke about what taxes pay for, why representation is important, and what makes the District of Columbia's treatment in Congress unique. The students made a pact to tell more friends and family about DC's injustice and spread the word when they go on vacation to different parts of the country.
Young Suffragists snacked on Belgian waffles as they toured the Embassy of Belgium and learned about democracy around the world. The articulate youth speakers also explained to their new Belgian friends how residents of Washington, DC, are denied democracy. The event was a success, as the Young Suffragists learned more about governments abroad and were given the opportunity to speak about their efforts to bring democracy to America's capital.
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Calling All Volunteers for Upcoming Events
Summertime festivals and parades provide a prime opportunity for DC Vote to spread the word about DC's denial of democracy. We are seeking volunteers to help us staff information booths and march in parades. Events can be split into shifts, and any time you can give is much appreciated!
Tabling Events:
UNIFEST 2006
Saturday, June 3 - Sunday, June 4
Capital Pride Festival 2006
Sunday, June 11
11:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Marching Events:
Palisades 4th of July Parade
Tuesday, July 4
10:15 AM - 12:00 PM
8th Street 4th of July Parade
Tuesday, July 4
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
To RSVP, please contact Lateefah Mims at lmims@dcvote.org.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Marian Patten
Marian Patten, DC Vote volunteer extraordinaire, has taken her voting rights outreach from the River Road Unitarian Church in Maryland to the national congregation.
Marian first met up with DC Vote at a happy hour two years ago to learn more about the organization. Her passion for voting rights soon prompted her to engage fellow churchgoers, and it wasn't long before Marian's work was featured in a national Unitarian newsletter.
A Washingtonian for the past 30 years, Marian most recently corralled a dozen friends and traveled to a town hall meeting hosted by Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). The advocates asked several questions relating to DC voting rights at the meeting, and incidentally Rep. Van Hollen voted 'yea' on the DC Voting Rights Act when it passed committee earlier this month.
Kudos to Marian Patten, a true friend and dedicated volunteer for DC Vote!
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Shop DC Vote Merchandise
DC Vote has merchandise available for sale through our cafepress.com store! Our merchandise is perfect for gifts for friends and family both in and outside of DC. If you're looking for DC Vote shirts, hats, mugs, aprons, buttons, cards or even boxer shorts, our online store has it all.
Here are some samples:
  
  
  
Click here or on any of the images above to go to DC Vote's online store.
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My DC Vote
Log in to My DC Vote from the left navigation bar on DC Vote's Web site and you will be able to manage your contact information, e-mail subscriptions, and learn what's new since your last visit. DC Vote has also updated its membership and contribution page. Using My DC Vote makes it easier and more secure than ever to donate to DC Vote online. (All online transactions are handled by our secure server).
Signing up on our Web site is now easier than ever, and one of the keys to our success will be the ability to reach supporters across the country to ask them to help us end taxation without representation. We invite all of our members and supporters to log in to My DC Vote to tell us where you are currently registered to vote. If you are a DC resident, you can tell us what Ward you are in, and, if applicable, you can tell us the state where you were registered to vote before moving to DC. DC Vote has a secure server and does not share its e-mail list or any information about voting registration with anyone.
It takes a great deal of resources to work on all these projects and stay engaged in all these activities. Please help DC Vote by making a donation today.
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