Legislation for House Members in Catastrophe

[Robb]

Sensenbrenner, Dreier, Miller Hold Press Conference on Legislation Providing for House Members' Successors in Case of Catastrophic Event

excerpt:

Had United Airlines flight 93, the fourth hijacked airliner on September 11, 2001, reached its intended target, the U.S. Capitol, Congress's ability to function would have been severely disrupted. While the 17th Amendment allows governors to appoint replacement Senators, currently there is no mechanism to quickly replace Representatives. The "Continuity in Representation Act" provides such a mechanism pursuant to existing constitutional authority. As Alexander Hamilton wrote in the Federalist Papers, the Constitution gives Congress the power to enact special election rules whenever "extraordinary circumstances" warrant.

This Legislation Will:

-- Provide for the expedited special election of new Members to fill seats left vacant in "extraordinary circumstances," which is defined as occurring when the Speaker of the House announces there are more than 100 vacancies in the representation from the States. Within 14 days after such an announcement, the political parties of states with House vacancies may each nominate one candidate to run in a special election to be held within 21 days.

-- Preserve the uninterrupted right to elected representation the people have enjoyed throughout U.S. history and, in James Madison's words, the "requisite dependence of the House of Representatives on their constituents."

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My comment: Something unsettling about rush elections in a catastrophe to me. And ALWAYS unsettling when legislators quote Hamilton. Anyone else find this disturbing?

[DagmarK]

1. It's total BULLSHIT!!!!!

And it scares me too!

But how a congress critter's seat gets filled is a power and duty of the state from which he or she came.

This is another encroachment of federal legislation at the expense of state's rights. No ifs, ands or butts about it!

The most they should legally be able to do is pass a resolution encouraging the individual states to address the subject.

Am I missing something? Is the USA experiencing a friggin blitzkrieg?

[ewagner]

2. You're right

the only legislation they should be passing (re:succession) is one mandating that the states have a plan.

...don't like the tone of this.......