[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 26 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H605-H606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA RETROCESSION ACT OF 2001

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Horn) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to join my colleague, the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), in introducing the District of 
Columbia Retrocession Act of 2001, H.R. 810. This legislation, long 
championed by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), would provide an 
immediate, practical solution to a serious problem, the lack of full 
voting rights for citizens of the District of Columbia.
  The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) first introduced this 
legislation in the 101st Congress and has renewed it in each succeeding 
Congress in an effort to return the District of Columbia, with the 
exception of a small Federal enclave, to the State of Maryland. The 
goal, which I strongly support, is to restore the basic rights of 
representative democracy to District of Columbia residents.
  Residents of the District lost their voting rights in 1800 when 
Congress took control of areas ceded by the States of Maryland and 
Virginia to form the new Federal District as a permanent home for our 
national government. In 1961, a partial restoration of voting rights 
was provided by the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution. That amendment 
gave District of Columbia residents the right to vote for President but 
not for voting Members of Congress, either Representatives or Senators.
  Since that time, there have been endless and fruitless talks about 
either statehood for the District or some other means to provide full 
and permanent representation in the House and with the Senate.
  The legislation we are offering today would cut through this logjam 
by retrocession of a part of the current District as a Federal enclave 
containing the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court and most of the 
executive agencies.
  The rest of the current District would be returned to the State of 
Maryland, just as the portion of the District west of the Potomac was 
returned to Virginia in 1846. By making this statutory change, we can 
restore full voting rights to every resident of the District of 
Columbia. Every resident would run and vote at least for one United 
States Representative and two United States Senators.
  In addition, they would have the representation at the State level in 
Maryland. In addition, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) rightly 
points out that the D.C. residents would gain other benefits by 
becoming a part of Maryland's established economic and educational 
infrastructure and judicial system. The District would be able to 
reduce and streamline its bureaucracy to eliminate duplicating 
functions that the State of Maryland already performs for its citizens. 
At the same time, Maryland would gain economically and politically from 
retrocession.
  District residents pay at least $1.6 billion in personal and property 
taxes and the Baltimore-Washington area would become the fourth largest 
regional market in the country.

[[Page H606]]

  In addition, Maryland would gain at least one seat in the House of 
Representatives, extending its influence in Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I would note that other benefits come from this 
legislation. Under the current arrangement, Congress exercises 
extensive oversight and even direction of District of Columbia 
governmental activities. Due to its unique status, the District has 
never attained the full powers and rights of a city and it has never 
been covered by the authority we accord to every State. The ambiguous 
status given to the District, under current arrangements, invites both 
internal confusion and uncertainty and external interference from 
Congress. We need to end the unnecessary difficulties that this creates 
by giving the District the full powers of a city within the full rights 
of a State. This legislation would achieve that goal and it could do so 
immediately.
  It does not require passage and ratification of a constitutional 
amendment or the surmounting of any other impossibly high barrier to a 
solution. This is a sound and sensible approach that would benefit all 
concerned. I urge my colleagues to support it.
  When my great grandfather came from Ireland to the District of 
Columbia, he could not vote then, but in the 1870s the District was 
permitted to vote, and for about 3 years he marched down there with top 
hat and tails because he was so proud to have the franchise. We do not 
have that franchise and we need to do it for the people that live 
within the District of Columbia, and we need to return that portion 
that was given from Maryland back to Maryland.

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