Democrats Try Again For Washington DC Statehood

NBC News reports House and Senate Democrats introduced legislation Wednesday that would give Washington DC statehood. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat who represents the District of Columbia, reintroduced the bill in the House and says she has 200+ co-sponsors in the chamber. The bill passed in the House last summer. Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) introduced the legislation in the Senate. But don’t look for the bill to pass in the upper chamber where the Democrats have the barest of majorities. Currently, the Senate is divided 50-50 with Vice President Kamala Harris able to cast tie-breaking votes. But the Senate Dems would need to overcome a filibuster which requires 60 votes. Finding 10 Republicans to vote with them could be a steep climb. Republicans have long opposed statehood for D.C. (and Puerto Rico as well) because the new states would create two new Senate seats and at least one House seat. That congressional representation would most likely end up Democratic. So, the Senate Republicans will block the effort and deny the more than 700,000+ residents of the District full representation and local self-government. It’s worth noting that the District’s population is greater than that of Vermont or Wyoming. Puerto Rico has a population of over 3 million.

DC statehood re-introduced today after passing in the House over the summer.

Majority Leader Schumer has said that DC statehood is in his top priorities –> https://t.co/UKcPR0rNcj — Julie Tsirkin (@JulieNBCNews) January 27, 2021

Wyoming has 578,000 people, is 92% white and has 2 senators

DC has 705,000 people, is 46% Black and has 0 senators Dems introduced bill today to make DC 51st state — Ari Berman (@AriBerman) January 27, 2021

For far too long, Virginia’s neighbors in D.C. have been denied their civil rights and subject to taxation without proper representation. Statehood is common sense—pleased to join @MarkWarner and @SenatorCarper to make it happen. https://t.co/dlL0w7vbm4

— Tim Kaine (@timkaine) January 27, 2021

Actually, this isn’t that complicated. Denying D.C. statehood is racist.

— Public Citizen (@Public_Citizen) January 27, 2021