Sen. Tom Carper, D-Delaware, senior member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and longtime lead author of legislation to make Washington, D.C., the 51st state, objected March 3 on the Senate floor to Sen. Mike Lee’s, R-Utah, joint resolution to overturn a local law passed by the duly elected D.C. Council.
In his speech, Carper emphasized the need to finally grant Washington, D.C., residents equal and fair representation in Congress.
“... the reason that these senators have the ability to try to overturn a law passed by the local D.C. government is because the over 700,000 individuals who call the District of Columbia home continue to be denied full representation in Congress,” said Carper. “For generations, those who call the District of Columbia home have been denied the right to fully participate in our democracy. That’s why we are here today. That’s why my Republican colleagues can call this vote to silence the decisions made by the local leaders that D.C. residents have voted into office.”