- (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives mulled
its own possible demise on Thursday as it approved doomsday legislation
to speed its replacement in case of a widespread loss of lawmakers.
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- Passed on a 306-97 vote, the measure would require special
elections within 45 days if more than 100 of the 435 House members were
ever wiped out.
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- Such mass casualties would hamper the chamber's ability
to conduct business -- such as helping provide funding and advice for any
retaliation against a hit on Capitol Hill.
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- "The tragic events of September 11, 2001, made clear
that -- much as we might wish otherwise -- that at some point in the future
it may be necessary to replace a large number of members of this body killed
in some type of terrorist attack," said Rep. Doc Hastings, a Washington
state Republican.
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- One of four airliners hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001, in
an attack on the United States is suspected to possibly have had the Capitol
in its cross-hairs until passengers tangled with their captors, sending
the aircraft into a Pennsylvania field.
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- "Those passengers gave their lives to give us a
second chance," said Rep. Brian Baird, a Washington state Democrat.
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- While the bill won broad support, Baird and several other
members, mostly Democrats, complained it was inadequate and would leave
the House for too long with too many empty seats.
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- Many favored some sort of a constitutional amendment
that would allow seats to be more quickly filled, possibly by the appointment
of successors by governors or state legislatures. Baird has proposed an
amendment that would allow members to name potential successors.
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- The U.S. Constitution permits gubernatorial appointments
to replace deceased senators. But it requires that all House members be
elected, and backers of the House-passed bill said they want to keep it
that way in "the people's house."
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- Special elections are now held to replace deceased House
members, a process that often takes several months in many states.
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- Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, a Wisconsin
Republican and chief sponsor of the bill to expedite election of replacement
lawmakers, promised to have Baird's measure sent to the full Republican-led
House for consideration.
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- Sensenbrenner, like many Republicans, predicted Baird's
proposed constitutional amendment would fail, but said, "We ought
to see who wants to have our replacements be elected or our replacements
be appointed."
- The House-passed bill goes now for consideration in the
Senate, where a constitutional amendment approach has been proposed but
not voted on.
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- Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, has proposed that
if a fourth of House members are killed or incapacitated, each state would
have the option to hold a special election or permit interim appointments.
Cornyn's amendment would permit for the first time replacement of incapacitated
senators.
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- The nonpartisan Continuity of Government Commission,
created after the Sept. 11 attacks, has also urged a constitutional amendment
approach and argued special elections would be inadequate.
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- House Majority Whip Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican,
voiced support of House-passed bill, but said, "I hope the work we
do today is never tested one way or the other."
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