csmonitor | Efforts to secure full voting representation in Congress for D.C.
residents have a long history of frustration. The reality is that the
federal enclave is not a state, and therefore its residents do not enjoy
the same voting rights of states, as granted by the US Constitution.
The Constitution also grants Congress jurisdiction over the District.
In
1973, Congress established “home rule” in D.C., allowing local
officials to govern the District. But Congress maintains the right to
overrule local decisions, including ballot measures.
Most of the time, Congress leaves D.C. alone, but on social policy, congressional Republicans
have been known to jump in. On abortion policy, the District is not
allowed to use its own tax revenues to fund the procedure for low-income
residents. Republicans in Congress blocked sales of medical marijuana
in D.C. for 11 years.
In the current Congress, Rep. Andy Harris
(R) of Maryland is spearheading the effort to thwart legalized
recreational marijuana in D.C. He claims “fairly broad-based support in
Congress against legalization.”
But marijuana advocates aren’t taking this lying down.
