District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2009

Bill 111 hr 157, also known as the District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2009, was introduced in the 111th Congress on January 6, 2009. The purpose of this bill was to grant the District of Columbia a voting representative in the House of Representatives.

The bill proposed to increase the number of seats in the House of Representatives from 435 to 437, with one of those seats being designated for the District of Columbia. This would give the residents of the District of Columbia representation in Congress for the first time in history.

The bill also included a provision that would grant an additional seat to the state of Utah, which was next in line to receive an additional seat based on population growth. This was seen as a compromise to balance the political representation between the two major parties. The bill passed the House of Representatives on April 19, 2010, with a vote of 219-212. However, it faced opposition in the Senate and ultimately did not become law. Supporters of the bill argued that the residents of the District of Columbia, who pay federal taxes and serve in the military, deserve full representation in Congress. Opponents raised concerns about the constitutionality of granting the District of Columbia a voting representative without a constitutional amendment. Overall, the District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2009 was a controversial and highly debated piece of legislation that highlighted the ongoing debate over representation for the residents of the District of Columbia.