Senate Democrats are taking aim at giving statehood to the District of Columbia, with their new, slim majority in the upper chamber. Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) reintroduced legislation to grant the district statehood in full, which he says is not a “Republican or Democrat issue,” but an “American issue,” citing a “lack of representation” for D.C. The legislation was first introduced in 2013 and has been on Democrats’ agenda.
JUST IN: Sen. Carper introduces bill to make Washington, DC, the 51st US state. - @sahilkapur pic.twitter.com/Vzaselq3H5
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 27, 2021
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) also praised the move by Senate Democrats, insisting that statehood “cannot wait.” She quickly called for the Senate to take up the legislation after Democrats took the majority in January, after winning both runoff elections in Georgia.
2/ Generations of Washingtonians have been denied the right to participate in our democracy – to have their voices and votes heard in Congress, to help shape the future of our nation, and to have a say on Supreme Court justices.
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) January 27, 2021
3/ Starting with record support in the Senate, which we expect to grow under @SenatorCarper and @EleanorNorton 's leadership, it's a promising sign that our country is finally ready to right this historic wrong.
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) January 27, 2021
With the legislative filibuster still intact thus far, Democrats would need at least 10 Republicans to support the measure that would make D.C. the 51st state. President Biden signaled his support for giving D.C. statehood during the Democratic presidential primary.