This is probably offensive somehow, but I wonder if the VA Tech shootings are going to help DC get voting representation in congress? As I understand it, the reason the bill to give DC & Utah a vote died last time was that some republican congresspeople attached a rider to repeal DC's super strict gun laws. Given the awful demonstration of gun violence that just occurred, I think they'd be much more wary of trying something similar if the bill comes up again. On the other hand, at this point the DC voting rights issue is so buried in the news cycle that maybe the bill will get lost in the shuffle. Who knows?