LCCR Applauds Senate Committee Passage of D.C. Voting Rights Bill

The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), the nation’s oldest and largest civil and human rights coalition, released the following statements on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee passage of the District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007:

“We applaud the committee’s bipartisan passage of this important civil rights law and Chairman Lieberman’s and Senator Susan Collins’ leadership on this issue,” said LCCR President Wade Henderson.  “There is no higher right in American society than the right to vote.  Residents of D.C. have waited for far too long for this right and we are committed to see this bill through to President Bush’s desk.

The DC Voting Rights Act increases membership of the House from 435 to 437 by adding a seat for D.C. and an additional seat for Utah.

Eighty-two percent of Americans support full House representation for residents of D.C., according to a January 2005 poll by KRC Research.

“Chairman Lieberman made good on his promise to champion this bill in the Senate.  We are pleased that three Republican senators voted for passage.  We feel confident that a Senate floor vote is coming soon,” said LCCR Vice President Nancy Zirkin.