An identical statehood bill passed the House in 2020, but it quickly died in the then Republican-controlled Senate. Now, with the 2020 elections leaving Democrats in control of both chambers and the White House, Republican senators may resort to a filibuster to stymie the statehood bill.
For lifelong statehood proponents like Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington’s long-serving and nonvoting delegate in the House, Thursday’s vote was a culmination of a life’s work.
“My service in the Congress has been dedicated to achieving equality for the people I represent, which only statehood can provide,” Ms Norton said at a Wednesday news conference. “My life as a third-generation Washingtonian has marched towards this milestone.”
What to Know
The U.S. House approved a bill that would make Washington, D.C., the 51st state, the second such vote in less than a year.
Passage of the bill is a symbolic and political win for statehood advocates, but it s not likely to pass in the Senate.
Democratic lawmakers say D.C. residents deserve voting representation in congress, but Republicans have challenged whether the measure is constitutional.
A decades-long movement to reshape the American political map took a further step Thursday as the House of Representatives approved a bill to make the nation s capital the 51st state.
D C statehood passed by House for second time in history washingtonpost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from washingtonpost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
DC Statehood Bill HR 51 Has Passed in the House washingtonian.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from washingtonian.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.