D.C. Voting Rights Passed by Senate Committee

Source: Washington Post

D.C. Voting Rights Passed by Senate Committee
By Mary Beth Sheridan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 11, 2009; 11:49 AM

A Senate committee approved a bill today that would give the District its first full seat in the House of Representatives, setting up a crucial vote by the full chamber sometime in the coming months.

The Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee passed the legislation 11 to 1 at its first business meeting in the new Congress. The lone "no" vote was cast by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the 2008 Republican presidential nominee.

It's not clear when the legislation will reach the Senate floor for what is likely to be the key vote on the measure. In 2007, a similar bill died in the Senate after falling three votes short of the 60 needed to head off a filibuster. But proponents believe they are now in better shape thanks to Democratic gains in the last election.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...9021101486.html