A loud round of applause sounded through the halls of the Senate this morning as the fight to end taxation without represenation in the District of Columbia moved one more step forward.

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee approved the DC Voting Rights Act this morning with a vote of 9-1, sending the bill to the floor of the Senate. Support came from both sides of the aisle as Sen. Collins of Maine, Sen. Coleman of Minnesota, and Sen. Voinovich all voted for the bill and expressed their support to the committee.

A group of FairVote staff and interns were on hand to show their support and witness the proceedings. The committee room was filled to capacity with DC vote supporters, Mayor Adrian Fenty and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton. The crowd burst into applause when the vote came back 9-1 to approve the bill with bipartisan support.

Only two hurdles remain for the DC Voting Rights Act as the District comes close to ending over 206 years of taxation without represenation. The next action will be consideration by the full Senate, and then approval from the President.