Senator Shaheen Co-Sponsors D.C. Statehood Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 13, 2020
CONTACT:
press@51for51.org
Senator Shaheen Co-Sponsors D.C. Statehood Bill
With a Historic 46 Senate Co-Sponsors and Supporters, The Washington D.C. Admissions Act Moves One Step Closer to Passage
Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire announced her official endorsement of The Washington D.C. Admissions Act, becoming the bill’s 46th Senate supporter. After the House passed the D.C. statehood bill for the second time in April, Senator Shaheen’s official support in the Senate brings the movement to enfranchise the 700,000 mostly Black and Brown residents of Washington one step closer to reality. 51 for 51 applauds the Senator’s endorsement and continues its advocacy to make D.C. the 51st state with 51 votes in the Senate.
Stasha Rhodes, Campaign Manager of 51 for 51, issued the following statement in response:
“We thank Senator Shaheen for standing up for democracy and the 700,000, mostly Black and Brown Washingtonians who pay taxes and serve in the military without a vote in Congress. With the voting rights of Black and Brown people under attack across the country, it’s more crucial than ever that we have champions like Senator Shaheen to stand up for D.C. statehood, an urgent civil rights issue. Her co-sponsorship breaks yet another record for Senate support for statehood and adds to the growing momentum for this fight. Today, our confidence continues to grow — 2021 is the year we will add a 51st star to our flag.”
Momentum for statehood is only growing. Last week, the Democratic Governors Association officially inducted Mayor Bowser into their ranks, sending an important signal on the future of D.C. statehood. This follows public statements of support from the Biden Administration and Senate Majority Leader Schumer.
Senator Shaheen joins a growing list of Senators and national progressive leaders who support D.C. statehood. A full list of co-sponsors for S.51 can be found here, with an additional list of statehood and 51 for 51 endorsers below:
- Vice President Kamala Harris
- Former Secretary Julian Castro
- Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg
- Mayoral Candidate Andrew Yang
###
51 for 51 is a coalition comprised of D.C.-based and national groups committed to equal representation rights for D.C.’s over 700,000 residents. The coalition of over 20 progressive groups says American citizens living in the District deserve a voice in Congress and control over their own local laws.
Additional Information
Website: https://www.51for51.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/51for51