GOP Forces House Democrats To Pull DC Voting Bill
House Democrats pulled a bill to grant voting rights to Washington, D.C., after Republicans offered a motion that would repeal the gun ban for the District.
The move is a clear signal that Democrats have lost control of the House floor on the voting rights issue after minority Republicans presented the Democratic majority with a politically unpalatable motion that their conservative members would be forced to support for fear of angering the gun rights community.
Fifty-two Democrats voted with Republicans on a similar measure to repeal the gun ban in 2004. That would be more than enough support for Republicans to add a repeal to the voting rights bill - something a majority of Democrats would vehemently oppose.
Republicans have taken great pride in offering motions to recommit during their time in the minority, an often over-looked legislative procedure that has allowed them to amend various bills on the House floor.
Democratic Rep. Ellen Tauscher of California, who served as chair when the House began consideration of the motion, called the postponement at the request of the Democratic leadership, saying the speaker has complete discretion to postpone consideration of any legislation at any time.
Democrats scrambled to remedy the situation on the floor but were eventually forced to pull the bill to begin debate on a controversial wartime funding measure that is expected on the floor Friday.
Republicans could offer a similar procedural motion to slow consideration of that measure whenever it comes to the floor.
The House was expected to approve the bill to grant Washington, DC, a vote in the House by a wide margin, with several Republicans expected to vote in favor of the legislation.
