(a) The people of the District of Columbia shall be represented in the House of Representatives by a Delegate, to be known as the “Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia”, who shall be elected by the voters of the District of Columbia in accordance with the District of Columbia Election Act. The Delegate shall have a seat in the House of Representatives, with the right of debate, but not of voting, shall have all the privileges granted a Representative by section 6 of Article I of the Constitution, and shall be subject to the same restrictions and regulations as are imposed by law or rules on Representatives. The Delegate shall be elected to serve during each Congress.

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In 2 USC 25a

  • individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See 1 USC 8

(b) No individual may hold the office of Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia unless on the date of his election—

(1) he is a qualified elector (as that term is defined in section 2(2) of the District of Columbia Election Act) of the District of Columbia;

(2) he is at least twenty-five years of age;

(3) he holds no other paid public office; and

(4) he has resided in the District of Columbia continuously since the beginning of the three-year period ending on such date.


He shall forfeit his office upon failure to maintain the qualifications required by this subsection.