Norton Celebrates Sweet Send-Off of D.C. Voting Rights Bill (3/15/07)

Washington, DC-The District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 (H.R. 1433) today traveled successfully through the Judiciary Committee on another huge vote of 21-13, with the bill expected on the floor by the end of next week.  The lopsided vote surprised many because the Judiciary Committee has long been the most polarized committee in the House.  "I am grateful that Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) wasted no time in scheduling today's markup," Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton said.  "The strong, Judiciary Committee vote in his committee is a terrific send-off to the House floor by the new chairman, coming on the heels of the lopsided 24-5 approval by the Oversight and Government Reform (OGR) Committee." 

       
        As expected, Republicans expressed their opposition by offering numerous amendments designed to slow or gut the bill, but all were defeated.  Norton said, "I am especially grateful to Chairman Conyers, who has helped lead all the attempts for the rights of District citizens in the House throughout his political career, including the Home Rule Act.  There is perfect justice today that Rep. Conyers has become chairman in time to lead the primary committee of jurisdiction to this historic day."  From the beginning of the bill's consideration, the Congresswoman said, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been the powerful engine behind the scenes that kept the bill moving as a priority to the House floor with the first set of bills passed in the 110th Congress before the April recess. Norton also thanked Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) for continuously and steadfastly using his leadership position from the moment the 110th Congress convened to press the bill forward for full House consideration.  Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), whom Norton has worked with for more than four years on the bill, was in a class by himself for creatively spotting the Utah-DC possibility and persisting until it worked," Norton said.  The bill not only presented challenges for Davis among his Republican colleagues, but also for Norton who encountered some unforeseen circumstances that made the bill initially difficult for Democrats for whom D.C. voting rights has long been a priority.