DC repr. in Congress -- http://www.DCinCongress.US

GIVING CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATION to WASHINGTON, D.C.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment

EXPLANATORY ESSAY

Many people have proposed statehood for Washington, D.C., but I think that that would be granting too much power to the people of what is really a medium-large city. They would then have at least one representative and two senators in Congress. Perhaps the Founding Fathers thought that the residents of our capital would have influence on Congress merely by physical proximity, and did not need to vote for them. In this age of the "Global Village", that does not matter anymore, as members of Congress have instant access to their constituents.

It would be much more fair to allow Washington, D.C., to have representatives in the House of Representatives in accordance to its population, and, instead of the two senators a state has, just one senator, who would be elected to a shorter term -- four years instead of six.

Also, in the interest of fairness, there would be a minimum population requirement. Washington could actually lose its representatives or senator if the population became too small.


PROPOSED AMENDMENT

Section 1. The people of the District constituting the seat of the Government of the United States shall elect, in a manner directed by Congress, the number of Representatives in the House of Representatives as if it were a state, provided that the population of said District shall be no less than half the sum of the population of the several states plus that of the District, divided by the whole number of Representatives in the House of Representatives. Such Representatives shall serve for terms of two years, coincident with the terms of the Representatives from the several states, and shall, for all purposes, be counted as are Representatives from the several states.

Section 2. The people of said District shall also elect, in a manner directed by Congress, one Senator, provided that the population of said District shall be no less than that of the least populous state. Such Senator shall serve for terms of four years, and shall, for all purposes, be counted as a member of the Senate.

Section 3. Should a vacancy happen in the representation of the District in either House of Congress, then the people of the District shall fill the vacancy in a manner directed by Congress.

Section 4, describing the method and time limits of ratification; and section 5, indicating the effective date, may be added.