ACTION ALERT: The Time for DC Voting Rights Is Now!

[Action and Info]

 League of Women Voters
<http://www.lwv.org/AM/Images/LWV_Logos/LWVStandardName.gif> 

The Time for DC Voting Rights Is Now

Senate leaders are expected to bring DC Voting Rights legislation to the
floor the week of September 17. The House has already shown strong
bipartisan support and passed the bill. Now is the time to urge your
Senators to show the same support! 

The critical vote will come on a cloture motion to prevent opponents of the
bill from filibustering it. If cloture fails, the Senate will not even be
able to consider this vital voting rights measure. 

 <http://capwiz.com/lwv/utr/1/CPEYHPJHUU/MZLFHPJVWA/1410632236> Take action
today to ensure voting rights for our nation's capital!

Voters in our nation's capital are not afforded the same rights as voters in
the rest of the country. Citizens of the District of Columbia pay U.S.
taxes, fight and die for the U.S. during wartime, and are governed by the
laws that Congress passes. And yet they have no voting representation in
Congress. 

The District of Columbia Voting Rights Act of 2007 (S. 1257) will right this
wrong. The legislation provides voting representation in the House for DC
citizens by increasing the size of the House by two seats -- one for DC and
the other for the state of Utah, which is entitled to the next seat by size
of population. This balanced approach provides voting rights for District
citizens without upsetting the partisan balance of the House. The
legislation does not affect the composition of the Senate.

District voters deserve to have the same rights as the rest of America
including voting representation in the body that makes their laws, taxes
them and can call them to war. Only Congress can ensure that the democracy
Americans have espoused and fought for across the globe becomes a reality in
the nation's capital.

As in the past, opponents of voting rights will try to block the Senate from
even taking up S. 1257. They cannot be allowed to succeed. Please contact
your Senators and ask them to support cloture so the Senate can consider
this vital legislation

 <http://capwiz.com/lwv/utr/1/CPEYHPJHUU/AKGBHPJVWB/1410632236> We are
poised to make history. Take action today.

TAKE ACTION

1. Contact your Senator
<http://capwiz.com/lwv/utr/1/CPEYHPJHUU/JVJFHPJVWC/1410632236> now, by phone
or by email, and urge them to vote for cloture on the DC Voting Rights Act.
Tell your Senators that the democracy Americans have fought for around the
globe must be brought to our nation's capital. 

Phone calls are helpful and can be made through the Capitol Hill switchboard
at 202-224-3121 or 202-225-3121.
<http://capwiz.com/lwv/utr/1/CPEYHPJHUU/MXTGHPJVWD/1410632236> Enter your
zip code and send an instant message to your senators now!

2. Send this alert to other concerned citizens - your grassroots network,
your friends and coworkers. Encourage them to contact their Senators today!

BACKGROUND

 <http://capwiz.com/lwv/utr/1/CPEYHPJHUU/BMFPHPJVWE/1410632236> Learn more
about what the League has done to support DC Voting Rights. 

 <http://capwiz.com/lwv/utr/1/CPEYHPJHUU/OPBOHPJVWF/1410632236> Sign up to
receive Action Alerts directly by email. Don't miss an opportunity to take
action! It's easy to sign up and the League will never share your email with
others:  <http://capwiz.com/lwv/utr/1/CPEYHPJHUU/HTBCHPJVWG/1410632236>
http://takeaction.lwv.org/lwv/mlm/signup/.

For additional information, please contact LWVUS Grassroots Lobbyist
Christina Vamvas at  <mailto:lobbying at lwv.org> lobbying at lwv.org.

Action Alert #110-8, Senate, GLC, 9/13/07

 


League of Women Voters
1730 M Street, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20036 
202-429-1965     <http://www.lwv.org> www.lwv.org
<mailto:lwv at lwv.org%20> lwv at lwv.org

 

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