The Constitution declares that members of the House must be popularly elected.  However, the specter of terrorism – notably reports that the Capitol was an intended target on September 11 – reminds us that mass casualties in Washington or elsewhere could have a detrimental effect on the representative nature of the House and its ability to fulfill its duties.  Unfortunately, states have vastly different methods and timelines for filling vacant House seats, which could pose a serious problem in the event of a catastrophe.  For example, Rhode Island general laws state simply, “The Governor shall immediately issue a writ of election ordering a new election as early as possible.”  Today’s resolution would address such problems by encouraging states to review their special elections procedures to fill House vacancies as expeditiously as possible.

This resolution is the first recommendation of the Continuity of Congress Working Group, which has been tackling the complicated issues of how government would function in the wake of catastrophe.  Another area I feel worthy of discussion is the ability of Congress to communicate and possibly even conduct legislative operations in the event of a major disruption.  The House Administration Committee has held a hearing on the feasibility of establishing an “e-Congress” for emergency situations, and I have introduced legislation to study this matter.  While several of my colleagues have expressed discomfort with this and other related topics, it is our duty to prepare the legislative branch for any kind of disaster.  

Today’s resolution is an important first step in addressing complex questions about our government’s ability to function in the age of terrorism.  I thank Mr. Cox, Mr. Frost, Mr. Baird, and the other members of the Working Group for their leadership on this topic, and encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.