Delegate Voting

DELEGATE VOTING -- (House of Representatives - January 23, 2007)

Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, this week House Democrats are pushing forward a measure allowing Delegates to cast votes even on the House floor, even in this chamber.

Now, what is happening here is a continuation of a policy that the Democrats have put in place since day one, and that is an abuse of power. This proposal this week means that Delegates from Guam, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and my favorite, American Samoa, will enjoy new voting privileges similar to Members of Congress who actually represent districts in the United States and who actually represent districts with tax-paying citizens of the United States. This is a clear abuse of power.

And beyond that, as we all know, there is this little thing called the Constitution, and the Constitution says very clearly, the House shall be comprised of Members chosen by the people of the several States, not territories, not any member who wishes to come to this House floor and vote, but those elected by the citizens of the United States from districts in the United States.

What the Democrats are trying to do here is cushion their numbers. There is a tight majority here in the House that the Democrats have, and they are trying to add to those numbers so that when they have tough votes on the House floor, they can look up and point to a better number for their side than for the Republican side.

Beyond that, 80 percent of the Delegates from these territories are Democrats. Let's think this thing through. I think it is starting to make sense now, Mr. Speaker. There is an abuse of power that is continuing in the third week of Congress that began even before its first day. And let me tell you what is so perplexing about this, is that while my constituents have to pay Federal income tax in order to have their representation in Congress, the Delegates from the territories represent constituents who never have to pay Federal income tax. While the Revolutionary War was fought over this idea of taxation without representation, what we have here today with this Delegate voting is representation without taxation. I think that would be great for my constituents in western North Carolina; I think it would be great for all of America if we don't have to pay Federal income tax and still have our power and our elected democracy, but that is not the case.

But let's rewind. Just 2 weeks ago, the new Speaker of the House pushed forward a new minimum wage bill, a minimum wage bill that covered all of America and all of the territories, save one, American Samoa. The largest employer in American Samoa is headquartered in no other district than the Speaker's home district in San Francisco. I think something smells fishy. That is what I said at the time. And I think this is another fishy favor to the Delegates from the territories. It is quite perplexing, Mr. Speaker, that in week three we have a continued abuse of power on this House floor.

But let's go back, let's rewind. What else have the Democrats done in their short time in power to abuse the power that the American people gave them?

Well, let's look at this: On opening day, we proposed the Pelosi minority bill of rights, the same bill of rights that the Democrats demanded 2 years ago. We proposed the same thing, and the Speaker summarily dismissed it. Look at the 9/11 Commission, they pledged to implement all of the 9/11 Commission recommendations, and they went back on that pledge. A 5-day workweek, that was a key pledge they made during the campaign, and after the campaign they said this House will work 5 days a week. We have yet to work a 5-day workweek. In fact, last Friday we voted on only one bill.

And also, in 3 weeks in Congress, we only worked 40 hours in those 3 weeks. Another abuse of power, Mr. Speaker.

And finally, when they talk about keeping votes open in order to change the outcome; they have already done that, which is another abuse of power.

Mr. Speaker, this Delegate voting is something fishy, and it is another fishy favor put forward by the new Speaker of the House and the new Democrat majority in order to pad their number and further abuse power. We should reject it, and the American people who pay taxes should be angry at this proposal.

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