'Congress 2014 Commission Act' Could Also Add More Representatives To The House's 96-Year-Old Cap Of 435

By Jeff Marchesseault

GUAM - Political status watchers will be interested to know that a U.S. Congressman from Florida has introduced legislation to consider broadening representation in the the House of Representatives and to determine whether greater representation is warranted for the District of Colombia, the Commonwealths of the Northern Marianas and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam.

According to the TC Palm news source covering Florida's Treasure Coast and Palm Beaches, Congressman Alcee Hastings, who represents Florida's 23rd District, has proffered the "Congress 2014 Commission Act".

"The fact of the matter is that the United States is the second-least representative democracy in the world," said Hastings in a news release.

"The House of Representatives has not changed size in 99 years. During those 99 years the United States has added four additional states. During those 99 years the population of the United States has tripled."

Right now, Guam and the CNMI are represented by nonvoting delegates. Neither Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo nor CNMI Congressman Greg "Kilili" Sablan can vote on the House Floor. Despite years of  conjecture and debate, Guam's political status has remained that of an unincorporated territory of the United States since 1950, when the Congressionally drafted Organic Act of Guam was signed by President  Harry Truman in lieu of a local constitution. The Northern Marianas became a Commonwealth of the United States under a Covenant agreement in 1978.

Neither CNMI nor Guam voters can vote for President of the United States. But the presidential election of 2008 represents the closest Guam has ever come to doing so. During the Democratic Primary, islanders were given the chance to cast votes for Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama to determine which candidate would  receive Guam's delegate votes to the Democratic National Convention. The split was nearly even, but gave Obama a slight edge.

Under Hasting's proposal, a commission would determine whether the method of electing representatives could be changed and whether U.S. territories, commonwealths and possessions should enjoy greater representation.

TC Palm reports that Hastings' bill comes on the heels of a federal lawsuit filed in Mississippi last month alleging the current system of apportioning seats in Congress is unconstitutional. The suit says that more rural areas have become underrepresented since 1913, when the House was set at a permanent membership of 435.

Read the TC Palm story, "Congressman proposes increasing membership of U.S. House of Representatives", October 29, 2009.

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites

Comments

Add New Search

Write comment

Name: Email:  do not notifynotify Website: Title: UBBCode:         -color-aquablackbluefuchsiagraygreenlimemaroonnavyolivepurpleredsilvertealwhiteyellow -size-tinysmallmediumlargehuge     Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

Powered by !JoomlaComment 3.26

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."