House may get 2 additional seats

The Senate will take up a measure next week to expand the House by two seats, one for Utah and one for the District of Columbia.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada has scheduled debate to start on the bill Monday, followed by a vote on whether to proceed to final passage Tuesday -- a move needed because some senators oppose the measure.
Advocates for the bill -- which would give Utah a fourth member, likely a Republican, and pair that seat with D.C.'s first full-voting member, likely a Democrat -- are optimistic they have more than the 60 votes needed to get to final passage.
"We're confident we will have 60, but we're not going to take those votes for granted," said Ilir Zherka, executive director of DC Vote, the main lobbying group behind the effort. "We are expecting strong opposition. We know our opponents are smart and determined."
Those foes, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, may attempt to block the bill, which they see as unconstitutional. In 2007, the measure fell three votes shy of reaching final Senate passage.
A House version is awaiting a committee vote.
Utah narrowly lost out on a fourth House seat after the 2000 census, which did not count Mormon missionaries serving abroad.

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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