[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 559 Introduced in House (IH)]






107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 559

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that each State 
    should examine its existing statutes, practices, and procedures 
  governing special elections so that, in the event of a catastrophe, 
  vacancies in the House of Representatives may be filled in a timely 
                                fashion.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 26, 2002

 Mr. Cox (for himself, Mr. Frost, Mr. Dreier, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Ney, Mr. 
 Hoyer, Mr. Baird, Mr. Vitter, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Langevin, 
   Mr. Nadler, Mr. Ballenger, Mr. Bereuter, Mr. Camp, Mr. Coble, Mr. 
  Crenshaw, Mrs. Cubin, Mr. Culberson, Mr. Tom Davis of Virginia, Mr. 
  DeLay, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Diaz-Balart, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. 
Flake, Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Gibbons, Mr. Gilchrest, Mr. Gilman, Mr. Goss, 
  Mr. Green of Wisconsin, Mr. Greenwood, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Hoekstra, Mr. 
Hulshof, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Issa, Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Johnson of Illinois, Mr. 
 Jones of North Carolina, Mrs. Kelly, Mr. Kerns, Mr. Knollenberg, Mr. 
   LaHood, Mr. LaTourette, Mr. Lewis of Kentucky, Mr. LoBiondo, Mr. 
     McHugh, Mr. McInnis, Mr. McKeon, Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Peterson of 
     Pennsylvania, Mr. Platts, Mr. Portman, Ms. Pryce of Ohio, Mr. 
 Rohrabacher, Mr. Ryan of Wisconsin, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Sessions, 
 Mr. Shadegg, Mr. Shays, Mr. Shaw, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Simmons, Mr. Smith 
  of Michigan, Mr. Stearns, Mr. Tancredo, Mr. Terry, Mr. Toomey, Mr. 
 Watts of Oklahoma, Mr. Weldon of Florida, Mr. Weller, Mr. Wicker, Mr. 
 Wilson of South Carolina, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Davis of Florida, Mr. 
   Delahunt, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Fattah, Mr. Gephardt, Mr. 
   Gonzalez, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. Hall of Texas, Mr. Hastings of 
     Florida, Mr. Honda, Mr. Israel, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. 
  Jefferson, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Lynch, Ms. 
  McCollum, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. 
   Sandlin, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Sherman, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Snyder, Mr. 
Stenholm, Mr. Wynn, Mr. Goode, Mr. Hefley, Mr. Hoeffel, and Mr. Jackson 
of Illinois) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                 the Committee on House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that each State 
    should examine its existing statutes, practices, and procedures 
  governing special elections so that, in the event of a catastrophe, 
  vacancies in the House of Representatives may be filled in a timely 
                                fashion.

Whereas the death or disability of hundreds of Members of Congress would deprive 
        millions of Americans of representation in Congress, possibly for a 
        period of months until special elections to fill the vacancies could be 
        conducted;
Whereas such a catastrophe would severely impair the functioning of the House 
        and effectively disrupt the legislative branch for an extended period;
Whereas the only method prescribed by the Constitution to fill a vacant seat in 
        the House of Representatives is through election by the people;
Whereas article I, section 4 of the Constitution of the United States provides 
        that ``The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators 
        and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the 
        Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or 
        alter such Regulations, except as to the places of chusing Senators.'';
Whereas section 26 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (2 U.S.C. 8) 
        provides that ``The time for holding elections in any State, District or 
        Territory for a Representative or Delegate to fill a vacancy, whether 
        such vacancy is caused by a failure to elect at the time prescribed by 
        law, or by the death, resignation, or incapacity of a person elected, 
        may be prescribed by the laws of the several States and Territories 
        respectively;''; and
Whereas it is in the interest of each State to ensure that the people maintain 
        their full rights to representation in the House: Now therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
        each State should examine its existing statutes, practices, and 
        procedures governing special elections so that, in the event of 
        a catastrophe, vacancies in the House of Representatives may be 
        filled in a timely fashion; and
            (2) the Clerk of the House shall send a copy of this 
        resolution to the chief executive official of each State.
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