Common Cause is planning to re-establish a state organization in the District of Columbia in the near future. We are meeting with community leaders and elected officials to seek support and advice on how Common Cause can be an effective advocate for democratic rights and open and accountable government in DC.
If you are interested in helping us in DC, contact Ed Davis: edavis @ commoncause.org or
Common Cause has a long history of support for bringing democracy to the District of Columbia. We actively supported home rule legislation in the 1970s, including housing the coalition leading the successful effort to get DC out from under the direct control of Congress. Later, we supported unsuccessful efforts for statehood for DC and the successful effort to get a nonvoting delegate in the House. Additionally, until the mid-1990s, Common Cause had a state organization in DC. More recently, we have been a leading partner in a coalition led by a local organization, DC Vote, whose mission is to advocate for voting representation for DC in Congress.
Common Cause has been working with DC Vote and a large coalition of groups advocating for legislation providing DC with a vote in the US House of Representatives. Legislation to give DC a seat in the House passed in the House in April 2007 by vote of 241 to 177. In an historic vote on September 18, 2007 the Senate fell just short of the 60 votes needed to end the filibuster -- 57 votes for voting rights, 42 Senators against 600,000 Americans having representation in Congress.
With majority support in the House and Senate, we will be pushing for early passage of DC voting rights legislation early in the next Congress. |