Congress rejects post-disaster continuity amendment.

• Position: Homeland Defense Briefs - Brief Article

Planning for the unthinkable, but rejecting the abandonment of direct elections, the House of Representatives voted against changing the Constitution to allow appointments if half or more of its members are killed.

The House voted 63-353, defeating the measure written by Pep. Brian Baird, D-Wash. The proposed amendment allowed temporary House appointments by state governors as part of a succession plan to avoid a power vacuum during a manmade or natural disaster. Special elections would be held to restore representatives.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, offered a similar constitutional amendment to the judiciary committee in the Senate. However, without corresponding House approval the issue is effectively shelved until next year.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, Congress has been reconsidering disaster planning, dusting off Cold War worries about mass casualty "decapitation strikes"...