H.R.es489 - Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 884) to prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2056) to require the District of Columbia to comply with federal immigration laws; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2096) to restore the right to negotiate matters pertaining to the discip…
Summary
H. Res. 489 is a resolution providing for the consideration of four bills in the House of Representatives. These bills address issues ranging from voting rights in the District of Columbia to federal immigration law compliance, police disciplinary matters, and the scheduling of fentanyl-related substances under the Controlled Substances Act.
The resolution outlines the procedures for debating and amending these bills.
It also waives certain points of order to expedite the legislative process.
Expected Effects
If adopted, this resolution will allow the House to consider and potentially pass H.R. 884, H.R. 2056, H.R. 2096, and S. 331.
This could lead to changes in voting laws in D.C., immigration enforcement, police disciplinary procedures, and drug control policies.
The specific effects will depend on whether these bills are ultimately passed into law.
Potential Benefits
- Streamlines the legislative process for important issues.
- Allows for focused debate and consideration of key bills.
- Addresses concerns related to election integrity in the District of Columbia.
- Potentially improves law enforcement accountability.
- Updates drug control policies to address the fentanyl crisis.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- Waiving points of order could limit thorough scrutiny of the bills.
- Changes to D.C.'s local laws without its consent could raise federalism concerns.
- Potential for partisan gridlock during debate.
- May disproportionately affect certain communities (e.g., non-citizens in D.C.).
- Could lead to unintended consequences if the bills are not carefully considered.
Most Disadvantaged Areas:
Constitutional Alignment
The resolution itself is procedurally constitutional, as Congress has the power to set its own rules for considering legislation under Article I, Section 5. However, the constitutionality of the underlying bills is a separate matter. For example, H.R. 884, which seeks to prohibit non-citizen voting in D.C., could be challenged under arguments related to the District's autonomy and equal protection concerns.
S. 331, amending the Controlled Substances Act, falls under Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3). The other bills relating to the District of Columbia are subject to Congress's unique legislative authority over the District (Article I, Section 8, Clause 17).
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).