Barrow, Cooper Lead Blue Dogs in Effort to End Gerrymandering

WASHINGTON – Today, members of the Blue Dog Coalition announced their renewed endorsement of legislation that would ease Congressional gridlock by reforming the redistricting process. The two bills introduced by Congressman John Barrow of Georgia and Congressman Jim Cooper of Tennessee would end political gerrymandering, a longstanding priority of the Blue Dogs that has spanned both Republican and Democratic majorities in the House of Representatives.

"Partisan gerrymandering is leaving moderates and independents across the country without a voice in Washington," said Congressman Barrow. "Folks on the extreme left and right are overrepresented in Congress and are only adding to the gridlock. Taking the politics out of redistricting will help to ensure that Americans get the representation that adequately reflects their views, not an elected official chosen by manipulating district lines," said Rep. Barrow.

Barrow introduced H.R. 223, the "John Tanner Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act," which takes the politics out of the congressional redistricting by requiring each state to establish an independent, bipartisan redistricting commission to redraw congressional districts. The legislation also prohibits a state that has been redistricted after an apportionment from being redistricted again until after the next apportionment, unless ordered by a court to comply with the U.S. Constitution or enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and sets minimum standards for states when redrawing congressional maps.

"Less than a quarter of House districts are truly competitive because they've been drawn to favor one party. Republicans and Democrats are guilty of gerrymandering and of keeping voters in the dark about redistricting," said Rep. Cooper. "Sunlight is the best disinfectant. No one should be against transparency."

Cooper introduced H.R. 337, The Redistricting Transparency Act of 2013. This legislation allows the public to participate in the redistricting process. It requires each state to hold open hearings and publish a public website with data on Congressional districts so the public can participate in the system by which district lines are drawn.

Fellow Blue Dog Communications Co-Chair, Congressman Kurt Schrader of Oregon, also voiced his support for the bills.

"With only a handful of districts in the House currently competitive, legislation, like that being introduced by Mr. Barrow and Mr. Cooper, is critical to ensuring that members are elected based on the true political leanings of their constituencies and not as a byproduct of gerrymandering by politically motivated bureaucrats. That is the only way your representatives in Congress will accurately represent the people," Rep. Schrader said.