Representation

How overseas Americans should be represented in Washington is a key issue for AARO. It touches on the ability of Americans abroad to make their voices heard in Congress on the specific matters that concern us most – from voting rights to taxation to transmission of citizenship.

Although we are large in number – as large as the entire population of a state like Colorado, South Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana or Alabama – our representation is divided up across all 50 states and 435 Congressional districts in such a way that we are, on average, about 2% of any given Senator’s or Representative's constituents. This makes it particularly difficult for us to raise issues of importance to us.