Mayor Williams Presses for District Voting Rights on Capitol Hill

For more information contact: James Jones, Communications Director
202.462.6000 x12 office / 202.557.4864 mobile / jjones@dcvote.org

June 23, 2004

Mayor Williams Presses for District Voting Rights on Capitol Hill

CONTACT: Tony Bullock at 202-727-6864 or 202-368-4831 (cell)

Washington, DC - Mayor Anthony A. Williams testified today before the House Committee on Government Reform to exhort Congress to move forward on voting rights for the citizens of the District of Columbia. Mayor Williams' testimony focused on four bills with varied approaches, introduced by Chairman Tom Davis (R-VA), Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Congressman Ralph Regula (R-OH) and Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA).

Calling the hearing a milestone, Mayor Williams praised Chairman Davis, Congresswoman Norton, Congressman Regula and Congressman Rohrabacher for introducing legislation to address the critical question of representation for the residents of the District of Columbia. "That (these bills) provide a wide spectrum of alternatives for moving towards representative democracy for the nation's capital is another indication that this issue is beginning to mature... I credit the members of Congress who have authored them for their efforts at the forefront of the push for human and democratic rights for District residents."

Mayor Williams said Congresswoman Norton's bill "provided the most comprehensive solution to our disenfranchisement insofar as it provides representation for the District in the House and the Senate." He thanked Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) for shepherding similar legislation through the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee several years ago.

Mayor Williams concluded his remarks by urging Congress to hold further hearings on this significant issue. He said, "The United States should be a beacon around the world for the virtues and inclusiveness of democracy. That light should shine the brightest at the core—right here in Washington, DC. It is the ultimate hypocrisy that its citizens suffer from the exact disenfranchisement this nation was founded to end. Let's work together to correct this injustice."

For Mayor Williams' Complete Testimony, visit DC Vote's Committee on Government Reform Hearing on DC Voting Rights Bills event page.

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