Bill To Enfranchise DC Voters Clears Senate Hurdle

The 200-year wait for D.C. residents to get a vote in Congress is a step closer to ending as the Senate has cleared a major obstacle to ultimate passage of the measure.

AP
Published: February 24, 2009

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WASHINGTON (AP) - The 200-year wait for D.C. residents to get a vote in Congress is a step closer to ending as the Senate has cleared a major obstacle to ultimate passage of the measure.

The 62-34 vote in the Senate to take up the legislation giving the nation’s capital a vote in the House was 2 more than the 60 needed. Two years ago, when there were fewer Democrats to support the bill in the Senate, the legislation fell three votes short of the 60 required to overcome a Republican-led filibuster.

The legislation, which would also give Republican-leaning Utah another seat in the House, could still face other procedural hurdles before coming to a final vote in the Senate. It then must go to the House and then on to President Barack Obama, who supports it.

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The bill is S. 160.

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