Support of Full Home Rule to the Citizens of the District of Columbia

CONCURRED

WHEREAS, the right to vote and to elect local and national officials and representatives is constitutionally guaranteed to all citizens of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of the District of Columbia recently granted partial control over the administration of local government by the congressionally established Control Board, are still denied full electoral and administrative privileges and responsibilities of citizenship due to congressional actions taken in 1997; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of the District of Columbia have fulfilled all of the requirements for citizenship, they fought and died in this country's wars, pay more taxes per capita than over forty (40) states and contribute to the general welfare and the growth of democracy both at home and abroad; and

WHEREAS, the District of Columbia electorate voted in 1980 to become a state with all of the privileges and responsibilities thereof; and

WHEREAS, the Congress has not exercised so stringent and punitive a denial of citizenship to any group of American citizens; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of the District of Columbia pay both local and federal taxesand taxation without representation is contrary to the basic premises of our democracy.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP endorses the provision of full voting rights, local governmental control, elected representation with voting authority at the national level and any other constitutionally guaranteed rights of American citizens to the residents of the District of Columbia; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP affirms its earlier resolutions which state the NAACP's policy position and urges localbranches to contact their Congresspersons to discourage Congressional interference in District of Columbia local affairs, laws andfinances.

THEREFORE, BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Convention re-affirm the previous policy of the NAACP adopted in 1978 on House Joint Resolution 554.