Maxwell Frost Sounds Off On GOP For 'Taking Away Democratic Rights' With Proposed DC Voting Bill

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During debate on the House floor, Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) spoke in opposition to HR 884.

Transcript

00:00I strongly oppose H.R. 884, which would repeal a law duly enacted by the District of Columbia

00:07because D.C. should be free to govern its own local matters.

00:12Republicans claim that Congress has a constitutional duty to legislate on local D.C. matters,

00:17but this is historically and legally incorrect.

00:21Republicans legislate on local D.C. matters only when they think they can score political points

00:27such as by demonizing immigrants.

00:30Where is this passion and work on affordable housing for D.C. residents?

00:34Where is this impassioned work on ending gun violence for D.C. residents?

00:38They only bring it up to the floor when they think they can score political points

00:42taking away the democratic rights of people here in D.C. and home rule.

00:48The framers expected Congress to establish a local government for D.C.,

00:53and Congress has established various forms of local government for D.C. since 1802.

00:58The Supreme Court has held that Congress may delegate to D.C. legislative authority over local D.C. matters.

01:06In 1973, Congress passed the D.C. Home Rule Act, which gave D.C. an elected chief executive

01:12and an elected legislature, the mayor, and the D.C. city council.

01:17The purpose of the Home Rule Act is to, quote,

01:21grant the inhabitants of the District of Columbia powers of local self-government

01:26and, quote, to relieve Congress of the burden of legislating upon essentially local D.C. matters, end quote.

01:34H.R. 884 contravenes the purpose of the Home Rule Act.

01:41D.C.'s local residents voting amendment act of 2022 allows D.C. residents who are not yet U.S. citizens

01:49to vote only in local elections, only in local elections, namely for mayor, members of the city council,

01:57the State Board of Education, Attorney General, Advisory, Neighborhood Commissioner, and ballot measures.

02:04The D.C. law does not allow non-citizens to vote in federal elections, which is a crime under federal law.

02:11Regardless of your views on the merits of non-citizen voting for local elections,

02:16we have to acknowledge that D.C. is not the first, nor are they the only jurisdiction in our country to allow this.

02:23At various points throughout American history, Congress in 40 states have allowed non-citizens to vote

02:30in local, state, territorial elections, including the home state of the sponsor of this bill.

02:38Congress did not prohibit non-citizens from voting in federal elections until 1996.

02:45And today, about 20 municipalities allow non-citizens to vote in local elections.

02:51I also want to address very specific concerns that we're hearing from our Republican colleagues.

02:57Number one, they're concerned that foreign diplomats might vote in local D.C. elections.

03:02We believe, number one, that that's highly unlikely, both because they have to renounce their right to vote

03:07in their home country and because D.C. has no authority over federal matters and has only limited local self-government.

03:14In D.C., the penalty for voter fraud includes imprisonment for up to five years.

03:22To be eligible to vote in D.C., a person must maintain their residency in D.C. for at least 30 days before the election

03:29and cannot claim voting residence or the right to vote in any state, territory, or country.

03:36In a letter to Congress, the D.C. Board of Elections made it clear that to vote in a D.C. local election,

03:42a foreign diplomat would have to, quote, effectively renounce their right to vote in their country of origin, end quote.

03:49The board noted that a foreign diplomat would have to, quote,

03:53swear under penalty of law through the D.C. registration application

03:57that the person is not claiming voting residence in another country, end quote.

04:01The board also noted that an embassy address cannot be used to register to vote

04:06since it is considered a commercial or business address,

04:09and a foreign passport cannot be used to register to vote

04:12since it does not contain a residential address in D.C.

04:17While Republicans are concerned about foreign diplomats voting in local elections,

04:21I wonder if they're aware that the United States, that currently in this country,

04:24United States citizens who are registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act

04:29are currently allowed to vote in elections at all levels of government in the United States,

04:33including federal elections.

04:35That's right, registered foreign agents who are currently U.S. citizens

04:40can vote anywhere in the United States.

04:43Republicans are also concerned that undocumented immigrants might vote in local D.C. elections.

04:49That's highly unlikely because the D.C. voter roll is public record,

04:53and undocumented immigrants likely would not want to identify themselves, including their address.

04:58In closing, the House of Representatives is considering the wrong D.C. voting rights bill here today.

05:05Republicans claim that voting is a core right or the privilege of American citizenship,

05:10and not only is that historically incorrect, but I described earlier it's also hypercritical.

05:17Republicans have fought tooth and nail to defeat legislation

05:20that would give the American citizens who reside in D.C. voting representation in the House and the Senate.

05:28We, of course, continue to push for D.C. statehood,

05:31and I urge the House to reject H.R. 884, and instead to pass H.R. 51.

05:37Thank you. I yield back.

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