Deal resigns congressional seat

WASHINGTON - Nathan Deal is no longer a member of Congress.

Deal, a Republican who has represented the 9th Congressional District in Georgia for 18 years, turned in his resignation after Sunday night's health care vote to devote his full energies to running for governor.

Deal had planned to resign March 1, but pushed the date back to March 31 so he would be in Washington for the health care vote.

But after the vote Sunday night, instead of waiting until next Wednesday to step aside, as planned, he went ahead and turned in his resignation.

The 9th District will be without representation in Congress until a special election can be held to fill the vacancy left by Deal's resignation. Deal would have vacated the seat Dec. 31, anyway, because of his decision to run for governor.

Speaking from the floor of the House as the debate over health care continued Sunday, Deal said even though he is leaving Congress, his fight against the bill is not over.

"If this bill becomes law, and I am successful in my undertakings, I will devote my efforts to making sure the people of my state are not subjected to the unconstitutional individual mandate, and that my state is not subject to the unconstitutional mandate to expand our Medicaid rolls," Deal declared. "I know that I am not alone. Yesterday, 38 states indicated they would join in suing to challenge the constitutionality of this statute."

And, Deal noted, "it is not only Republicans who are taking a stand. Governor Phil Bredesen the Democratic Governor of the State of Tennessee has famously called this bill the 'mother of all unfunded mandates,' and I look forward to working with all of our neighboring states to help fight against this unconstitutional intrusion."