Firearm Provision Blows Up D.C. Voting Rights Bill in the House

[Wretched Excess]

sweet.  the NRA made the amendment against DC's unconstitutional hand gun ban a test vote, and the blue dogs abandoned ship.  I recall that when the SCOTUS struck down the DC handgun ban, liberal representatives intimated that they were going to ignore the ruling.  I guess that one has come home to roost.

Firearm Provision Blows Up D.C. Voting Rights Bill
The House Democratic leadership Tuesday decided to delay a plan to grant a seat in the House to the District of Columbia.

For the second time in as many weeks, the House has had to postpone action on a major bill important to Democratic leaders.

The House Democratic leadership Tuesday decided to delay a plan to grant a seat in the House to the District of Columbia. Since it is not a state, Washington, D.C., does not get a vote in Congress.

The Senate approved a similar bill to give the District voting representation. And approval in the House seemed all but assured. But an amendment attached to the Senate version of the legislation by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., created problems in the House.

Ensign's amendment would give Washington residents better access to firearms. The Supreme Court last year ruled that the District's 32-year-old ban on firearms was unconstitutional.

Washington, D.C. delegate Eleanor Holmes-Norton ripped pro-gun Democrats following the news.

"There is no choice between a vote for American citizens and a completely unrelated and reckless gun bill. That is a non-choice," Norton said during an emotional impromptu press conference following the Democratic caucus meeting Tuesday afternoon. "That's not a fair exchange. That's not even an unfair exchange. That is an absurd exchange that no one would accept."

Passing the District of Columbia legislation was supposed to be easy in the House compared to the Senate. But the National Rifle Association signaled it could make a procedural vote on the issue a test case for lawmakers' Second Amendment voting records.

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[Chris]

Washington, D.C. delegate Eleanor Holmes-Norton ripped pro-gun Democrats following the news.

"There is no choice between a vote for American citizens and a completely unrelated and reckless gun bill. That is a non-choice," Norton said during an emotional impromptu press conference following the Democratic caucus meeting Tuesday afternoon. "That's not a fair exchange. That's not even an unfair exchange. That is an absurd exchange that no one would accept."

Given the choice between keeping my constitutional rights intact and providing your crazy ass with an office buddy, I think I'll go with option A. 

[docstew]

"There is no choice between a vote for American citizens and a completely unrelated and reckless Constitutional gun bill. That is a non-choice," Norton said during an emotional impromptu press conference following the Democratic caucus meeting Tuesday afternoon. "That's not a fair exchange. That's not even an unfair exchange. That is an absurd exchange that no one would accept."

fixed for truth

[Lord Undies]

All of the sudden it's unethical and underhanded to attach an unrelated item to a specific bill?  Wow.  Every morning IS a new day.

[TheSarge]

What also threw this into a tizzy up here was the fact that as soon as the gun rights provision passed in the Senate...the D.C. City Council voted to reject the amendment.

[TheSarge]

All of the sudden it's unethical and underhanded to attach an unrelated item to a specific bill?  Wow.  Every morning IS a new day.

Different President...different set of rules.