Senate Republicans Filibuster Jan 6 Commission — And D.C. Residents Most Impacted by the Insurrection Had No Vote
We Cannot Let the Filibuster Block D.C. Statehood Too
Washington, D.C. — Today, Senate Republicans used the filibuster to block a Senate bill that would have created a bipartisan commission to investigate the white supremacist Capitol insurrection of January 6th. The 700,000, mostly Black and Brown, residents of Washington, D.C. have no representation in the Senate and were left out of this crucial debate. This is the first of many filibusters Republicans will use this Congress to block voting rights and full access to our democracy if Senate Democrats fail to eliminate the filibuster.
Jamal Holtz, Lead Organizer of 51 for 51, issued the following statement in response:
“Today’s vote on the insurrection commission was missing two Senators who should have been there to represent the people of Washington D.C. — even though the attempted coup occurred in our home. The white supremacist violence left scars on D.C. — residents lost wages from business closures, officers lost their lives, and my very own late grandmother couldn’t see her home health aide. If Senate Republicans deploy the filibuster to block bipartisan investigations into attacks on our democracy, they will surely use the filibuster to block D.C.’s fundamental right to representation.
Responding to the violence of January 6th should not be subject to partisan games — we need real solutions, and that means D.C. statehood. Today, the Jim Crow filibuster once again blocked an effort to protect our democracy, and we cannot let voting rights for 700,000 Americans meet the same fate.”
After the insurrection, Jamal Holtz wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post about its impact on D.C. residents and how it proved the need for D.C. statehood.
To speak with a representative of 51 for 51, please contact press@51for51.org
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51 for 51 is a coalition of D.C.-based and national groups committed to equal representation for the over 700,000 D.C. residents who remain locked out of our democracy. The coalition of 20 progressive groups believe American citizens living in the District deserve a voice in Congress and control over their own local laws. Already, President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Senators Warren, Markey, Gillibrand and Hickenlooper have endorsed 51 for 51’s proposed path to statehood.
Additional Information
Website: https://www.51for51.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/51for51