For Immediate Release
March 22, 2021
Contact
Josh Burch, Neighbors United for DC Statehood, 202.641.4680, josh@unitedforstatehood.com
U.S. House Holds Critical Hearing on Voting Rights Bill for D.C. Residents
Neighbors United for D.C. Statehood urges Congress to pass historic D.C. Statehood bill within first 100 days of the Biden Administration
WASHINGTON, DC -Just three months after the assault on our nation’s Capitol and democracy, the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform is holding a hearing on the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51), a bill to grant the 712,000 residents of Washington, D.C. full voting rights and representation in Congress. Delaware Senator Tom Carper has introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate (S. 51) with 41 co-sponsors.
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said, "The 712,000+ residents of Washington, D.C. have waited far too long for the rights guaranteed by the Constitution to all Americans. D.C. residents have fought and died for their country ever since the nation was created. Statehood is a voting rights and racial justice issue, and I look forward to seeing H.R. 51 move toward another swift and historic House passage.”
The D.C. statehood movement received increased attention this past year, when over the summer, 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, President 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. And the very people who were most impacted by the riot --D.C. residents and police officers -- had no senators and so had no say in the outcome of the impeachment trial.
“As a Navy veteran, I served my country, alongside many who have sustained significant mental and physical injuries which they will carry with them the rest of their lives,” said Jen Nikodem from Continue to Serve. “However, as a resident of our nation's capital, I have no say when it comes to policies that affect my health care, benefits, or community. The 32,000 veterans of Washington, DC deserve a say in our government, and I am asking Congress to do their duty and deliver a bill to President Biden’s desk within the first 100 days of his administration.”
Washington, D.C. 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. 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. Additionally, a majority of DC residents are people of color, and D.C. has one of the highest child poverty rates in the U.S., but D.C. residents do not have voting members of Congress to address this issue.
“I moved to DC in 2007 with some trepidation because for the first time in my adult life I would not have representation in Congress,” said Dara Baldwin, a D.C. resident. “I also vowed to be dedicated to dismantling this racist policy that has disenfranchised so many living in D.C. As a Black woman who works in social justice it is a mission in my life to create change and see D.C. become a state!"
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.
“As a long-time D.C. resident and business owner I pay federal taxes, just like everyone else in this country, but I don’t have representation in Congress like everyone else in this country. To make things worse, because of this lack of representation, we also don’t have financial control over our local budget. Statehood would give us the autonomy to operate like other states with the rights to control our own resources and budget,” added DC Brau’s Mari Rodela.
The process for admitting D.C. as a state should be the same as was used to admit the other 37 states that have joined the union since the country’s founding: Passage of a bill, including a simple majority in the Senate. A broad coalition of D.C. 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, is urging Senate Majority Leader Schumer to make D.C. statehood a first 100-day priority of the 117th Congress and the Biden administration.
###