WELCOME LETTER TO 107TH CONGRESS CALLS FOR AN END TO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL

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

November 22, 2000

Today DC Vote sent a letter of welcome to members of the 107th Congress that called on them to put an end to the egregiously unfair system of "Taxation Without Representation," under which the citizens of the nation's capital have suffered for 200 years. The letter to congressional members old and new highlighted the discrepancy between the rights enjoyed by their constituents and those living in the nation's capital, and called on them to support full voting representation for D.C.

In the letter, DC Vote Executive Director Amy Whitcomb Slemmer said, "We do not seek special treatment; we seek the same representation in Congress that your constituents enjoy ­ a voting member of the U.S. House of Representatives and two voting members of the U.S. Senate."

EXCERPT FROM THE LETTER TO CONGRESS

As you consider your policy priorities for this first session, I invite you to think about those of us living in the nation's capital where you serve. Your constituents have voted you into office, and you, in accordance with our national democratic principles, will dutifully serve them. Your voice will be heard, and your votes will be cast on behalf of those who put their trust in you.

Unfortunately, you will not be joined on Capitol Hill by a member of Congress who can do the same for the 515,000 people living in Washington, D.C. In spite of the fact that we pay taxes, serve in the military, and fulfill the duties and responsibilities of citizenship ­ exactly as your constituents do ­ the citizens of the District of Columbia are denied the fundamental democratic right of "one person, one vote."

As the presidential election has shown, Americans feel passionately that every person's vote counts. The letter called on Congress to extend that democratic right to the half million people living in the heart of democracy. In hopes of personalizing the appeal to members of Congress, the letter asked, "Will you support a legislative measure that provides full voting rights for the residents of the District of Columbia, or will you allow 'Taxation Without Representation' to remain?"

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