[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19641]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 19641]]

                          EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS

SUBMISSION OF APPEAL FOR CONGRESSIONAL VOTING REPRESENTATION FROM D.C. 
CADET AT UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 
                                 STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 7, 2002

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, as the American people and government 
officials consider entry of our country into a war, I rise today to 
bring to the attention of the House a letter to the President of the 
United States from one of my constituents, James N. Rimensnyder, a 
cadet at the United States Military Academy. I nominated Cadet 
Rimensnyder, a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School in the District 
of Columbia in 2000, and he is now in his 2nd year there.
  Recently, Cadet Rimensnyder's letter to the President was brought to 
my attention by his father, Nelson Rimensnyder. Entirely on his own, 
Cadet Rimensnyder, who identified himself in his letter as a 
Republican, had written President Bush, as his Commander-in-Chief, to 
express his desire for full representation in the Congress. The simple 
eloquence of Mr. Rimensnyder's plea for the benefits of full 
citizenship as he serves his country speaks for itself. Cadet 
Rimensnyder speaks as well for all District residents. I ask the House 
to recognize Cadet Rimensnyder, who is serving in the U.S. Army in time 
of war and asks only that his service be honored with full citizenship 
rights.

                                    West Point, NY, April 2, 2002.
     Hon. George W. Bush,
     The White House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: As a native-born resident of the 
     District of Columbia, you know, of course, that I have no 
     voting representative in Congress. This situation has 
     persisted for 200 years. District residents first brought 
     this to the attention of Congress in 1801. Today, we are the 
     only citizens of the United States, excluding felons, who pay 
     federal taxes and serve in the Armed Forces, but are denied 
     representation in Congress.
       Two years ago, when I reached my 18th birthday, I 
     registered as a Republican and voted in the 2000 presidential 
     election as provided in the 23rd Amendment to the 
     Constitution. Now I am a Cadet at the United States Military 
     Academy, and appeal to you to uphold the longstanding 
     tradition of our party to advocate voting representation in 
     Congress for the residents of the District of Columbia.
       Sir, I wish that one day soon I might have the opportunity 
     to meet you, salute you as my Commander-in-Chief, and thank 
     you personally for addressing this grievance.
           Sincerely,
                                             James N. Rimensnyder,
                                                   Cadet PFC USCC.

     

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