The Democratic majority in the House of Representatives passed monumental legislation to recognize Washington, D.C. as a state on Friday. The passage of HR-51 marks the first time that either chamber of Congress has passed a bill recognizing our nation’s capital as a state.
With the green-light from Speaker Pelosi, the bill was introduced by D.C.’s non voting delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton. The legislation would decrease the federal capital to include only the White House, Capitol, Supreme Court and other government buildings across the National Mall. The remainder of the city would be recognized as the 51st state, the Washington, Douglass Commonwealth.
For the first time in history, the House of Representatives has approved a bill to make Washington, DC the 51st state.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 26, 2020
The vote was 232-180
The House last voted on a DC statehood measure in 1993. But that bill was soundly defeated.
Soon after coming to Congress, I got the first-ever vote on the #DCStatehood bill in either chamber of Congress, but it did not succeed. Today, we get the second vote on the bill and the first-ever passage. A lot has changed in 27 years.
— Eleanor Holmes Norton (@EleanorNorton) June 26, 2020
House Democrats dubbed the legislation as “long overdue:”
Let’s be clear: D.C. statehood is long overdue.
— House Democrats (@HouseDemocrats) June 26, 2020
Denying representation to the hardworking residents of our nation’s capital is against EVERYTHING our nation should stand for.
Our Founders made it clear: Washington, D.C. shouldn't be a state.
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) June 26, 2020
And nearly 2/3 of Americans agree.
So, why are House Democrats moving forward with this partisan proposal? They want more power.
House Republicans, opposed to recognizing D.C. as a state, offered a motion to recommit the legislation that would condition D.C. statehood on protections of Second Amendment rights, protection of monuments, full funding of law enforcement and public safety, prohibition of sanctuary city status, autonomous zones and obstruction of law enforcement, Prohibition of the use of taxpayer funds for campaign activity for public office; and a continuing participation in the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. The amendment, torpedoed by Democrats, was offered by Pennsylvania Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA).
If Democrats want to give DC statehood, then it should abide by a few requirements:
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) June 26, 2020
? No sanctuary city status
? No defunding of police
? No autonomous zones
Democrats just voted against all of these.
The legislation is unlikely to pass the GOP’s majority in the Senate, and President Trump remains opposed to recognizing D.C. as a state.
"DC will never be a state,” the president said of the legislation. “You mean District of Columbia, a state? Why? So we can have two more Democratic -- Democrat senators and five more congressmen? No thank you. That'll never happen."