For Immediate Release
January 27, 2021
Contact
Josh Burch, Neighbors United for DC Statehood, 202.641.4680, josh@unitedforstatehood.com
D.C. Statehood Bill (S. 51) Introduced in U.S. Senate
Introduction comes on heels of voting rights and democratic reform mandates
WASHINGTON, DC - In a growing show of support for D.C. Statehood, Senator Tom Carper (DE) along with 38 other Senators, re-introduced the Washington, DC Admission Act (S. 51), legislation that would give the 712,000 civilians in Washington, DC full voting rights and representation in Congress. The DC Statehood movement received increased attention and support this past year, when over the summer, former-President Trump ordered heavily armed troops and law enforcement into the nation’s capital to violently disperse peaceful protests so he could pose for a photo-op. Then, on January 6th, Trump initially denied Mayor Bowser’s request to deploy the National Guard during the assault on the Capitol, resulting in one of the darkest days of American democracy.
“Nearly a quarter of a million Americans call the heart of the world’s democracy home, yet they are denied the very rights that define it,” said Josh Burch with Neighbors United for DC Statehood. “For those living in DC, the lack of full voting rights and representation has always been urgent, as we have nobody representing our interests in Congress when it comes to our health care, our environment, and our family choices.”
Why DC residents deserve statehood now:
Taxes: Washington, DC has a population of 712,000, greater than the states of Wyoming and Vermont. Residents also pay more than $26 billion in federal taxes, more than 22 states.
Veterans: D.C. is home to 32,000 veterans and 192,000 citizens of the District have fought in our armed forces in service to our nation in every war and foreign conflict.
COVID-19 Funding: The District government receives less federal funding as a percentage of its budget than Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico, and North Dakota, and is on par with Alabama, Montana, Vermont, and West Virginia. This lack of funding includes the CARES Act, where D.C. received less than half the COVID-19 funding that Americans living in the 50 states did, due to its lack of statehood. Like other communities of color across the nation, African-Americans are suffering disproportionately in DC from the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of those infected in D.C. are people of color, and 75% of those who have died are African-American.
Three consecutive surveys, all conducted by different pollsters and with different sponsors, have found more Americans favor than oppose statehood for Washington, D.C. There is evidence that support for D.C. statehood has increased over time, with one pollster finding a 9-point increase from January 2019 to September 2020. These surveys were each conducted by well-known polling organizations. They all used neutral--but different--wording, increasing confidence that Americans’ views are reflected accurately in the results. D.C. residents themselves voted in favor of statehood, with 86% in support, in a 2016 referendum.
Senator Tom Carper said in his press release, "This isn’t a Republican or Democratic issue; it’s an American issue because the lack of fair representation given to the residents of D.C. is clearly inconsistent with the values on which this country was founded. It is therefore incumbent upon all of us who enjoy the right and the privilege of full voting rights and representation to take up the cause of our fellow citizens in the District of Columbia. We must use our voices to call out this historic injustice and right this wrong. I am hopeful that we can finally come together to do just that this Congress.”
A broad coalition of DC residents, national non-profits, and democratic reform groups are urging Congress to pass H.R. 51 and S. 51. Neighbors United, along with other groups are urging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to make DC Statehood a First 100-Day Priority of the 117th Congress and the Biden administration.
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