51 for 51 Applauds House As Historic D.C. Statehood Legislation Makes It Out of Committee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
PRESS CONTACT:
51 for 51 Applauds House As Historic D.C. Statehood Legislation Makes It Out of Committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held an historic hearing on H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act. By a 21 to 16 vote, the Committee voted to send the bill to the floor favorably and give the 700,000 residents of Washington D.C. a vote on whether they will be granted full participation in our democracy.
51 for 51 Campaign Manager Stasha Rhodes released the following statement in response:
“Today is an historic day. This is the closest we have come to realizing a 200-year-old goal of granting full representation to the residents of Washington, D.C.But, despite this historic step, there are still hurdles to overcome, most notably the filibuster. An arcane and undemocratic rule, the filibuster increasingly stands in the way of progress on key legislation, and H.R. 51 is no exception.The people of D.C. have waited too long for full representation only to be told that a minority of senators, representing a minority of Americans, is standing in their way. That’s why 51 for 51 is calling on the Senate to bypass the filibuster and pass this bill with just 51 votes. It’s past time to give the 700,000 residents of D.C. the same rights the rest of the country enjoys, and we shouldn’t let obstructionism and outdated procedural hurdles stand in our way.”
*For more information or to arrange an interview with a 51 for 51 advocate, please email press@51for51.org.*
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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 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