DC Voting Rights Postponed Over 'Voting vs. Gun Rights' Debate

The move to grant Washington D.C. full representation in the US House of Representatives has slowed down. It has turned into a fight between voting rights and gun rights.

With the Democrats in control of the White House and having a much stronger majority in both Houses of the United States Congress, it was a matter of time that the issue of DC Voting rights and full representation in the United States House of Representatives would come into light again. Nearing the end of February, the DC Voting Rights Bill passed through the US Senate by a vote of 61-37. Back when US President Barack Obama was a junior Democratic Senator from Illinois, he co-sponsored the 2007 bill. But, it did not make its way through the Senate floor. However, there was an attachment. Under this attachment, the gun laws of DC would be eased. Because of this attachment, momentum has slowed down for the DC Voting Rights bill. Because of this, talks are postponed. So far, Democratic House Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland did not give an estimate on how long the vote would be delayed. “D.C. residents expect and deserve a clean voting rights bill,” says DC Vote’s executive director Ilir Zherka. In the wake of this revelation, it has brought fort the battle between voting rights/representation versus gun rights. DC Council Chairman Vincent Gray said: “I find this move to gut our gun laws through the voting rights bill extremely offensive.” Ultimately, it could become a showdown between voting rights and gun rights. The crusade for DC Voting Rights is far from over.