Pressemitteilung
Common Cause fordert „Nein“-Stimme zum sogenannten Gleichstellungsgesetz
Common Cause fordert alle Mitglieder des US-Repräsentantenhauses auf, mit „Nein“ zu stimmen, wenn der sogenannte „Equal Representation Act“ (HR 7109) am späten Nachmittag zur Abstimmung kommt. Der Gesetzesentwurf würde das US Census Bureau daran hindern, seiner verfassungsmäßigen Aufgabe nachzukommen, alle zehn Jahre die Bevölkerung in den Vereinigten Staaten im Rahmen der Volkszählung zu erfassen. Der Gesetzesentwurf ignoriert außerdem die Verfassung.
Der Brief, sent to every Member of the House, emphasizes that Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution clearly states that all U.S. residents must be counted in each decennial Census. The Fourteenth Amendment mandates that apportionment of the U.S. House of Representatives be based on “the whole number of persons in each State.”
The letter also notes that Common Cause plans to key-vote this legislation in our Demokratie-Scorecard, which we send to our 1.5 million members.
“Americans expect and deserve a fair and accurate Census count free from partisan political abuse like this proposed legislation,” said Keshia Morris Desir, Common Cause Justice & Democracy Program Manager. “The United States Constitution makes it very clear that everyone should be counted in the Census and that those totals must be used for the reapportionment of congressional districts. The addition of a question on citizenship to the census would do real harm to a broad swath of rural and urban communities alike across the nation. When our neighbors aren’t represented and included in all counts, entire communities lose out on funding for Medicaid, economic development, childcare, schools, roads and public transit improvements, home heating assistance for senior citizens, and many more vital services.”
The letter emphasizes that the U.S. Supreme Court and the Justice Department under both Republican and Democratic administrations, have repeatedly confirmed that the Constitution requires an apportionment based on the number of persons living in each state.
Um den ganzen Brief zu lesen, klicken Sie hier.