SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Activists hold signs as they take part in a rally in support of D.C. statehood near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on March 22, 2021. (Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
To Make Nation 'Stronger and More Just,' White House Offers Support for DC Statehood
The statement of administration policy marked the first time the executive branch has backed statehood for Washington, D.C.
Apr 20, 2021
The White House on Tuesday formally offered its endorsement of legislation that would establish statehood for Washington, D.C., giving full representation to the district's 700,000 full-time residents.
The House is scheduled to vote this week on the Washington D.C. Admission Act, or H.R. 51, following its passage in the House Oversight and Reform Committee last week. In its official statement on administration policy, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) wrote that statehood for the district "will make our Union stronger and more just."
"Washington, D.C. has a robust economy, a rich culture, and a diverse population of Americans from all walks of life who are entitled to full and equal participation in our democracy."
--Office of Management and Budget
"Washington, D.C. has a robust economy, a rich culture, and a diverse population of Americans from all walks of life who are entitled to full and equal participation in our democracy," the office added.
President Joe Biden has previously stated his personal support for Washington, D.C. statehood; according toForbes, the OMB's statement is the first instance in which the executive branch has officially backed the effort.
H.R. 51 was passed by the Oversight and Reform Committee in a party line vote of 25-19. Republicans argued on Tuesday that the district should not be established as a state because it "wouldn't even qualify as a singular congressional district"--even though both Vermont and Wyoming have smaller populations than Washington, D.C.
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), who represents Washington, D.C. in the House but cannot vote on final legislation, thanked the White House for its support of H.R. 51, which she introduced in the House last year.
\u201cThank you, @POTUS, for today\u2019s strong statement of support for #DCStatehood ahead of Thursday\u2019s House vote and expected passage. \n\nWith Democrats also controlling the Senate and White House, we\u2019ve never been closer to statehood, including full voting representation in Congress.\u201d— Eleanor #DCStatehood Holmes Norton (@Eleanor #DCStatehood Holmes Norton) 1618927504
"Thank you to the Biden administration for today's statement supporting H.R. 51," Norton said. "The residents of our nation's capital deserve voting representation in Congress and full local self-government, and with Thursday's House vote and expected passage, along with Democratic control of the Senate and White House, we have never been closer to statehood."
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
The White House on Tuesday formally offered its endorsement of legislation that would establish statehood for Washington, D.C., giving full representation to the district's 700,000 full-time residents.
The House is scheduled to vote this week on the Washington D.C. Admission Act, or H.R. 51, following its passage in the House Oversight and Reform Committee last week. In its official statement on administration policy, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) wrote that statehood for the district "will make our Union stronger and more just."
"Washington, D.C. has a robust economy, a rich culture, and a diverse population of Americans from all walks of life who are entitled to full and equal participation in our democracy."
--Office of Management and Budget
"Washington, D.C. has a robust economy, a rich culture, and a diverse population of Americans from all walks of life who are entitled to full and equal participation in our democracy," the office added.
President Joe Biden has previously stated his personal support for Washington, D.C. statehood; according toForbes, the OMB's statement is the first instance in which the executive branch has officially backed the effort.
H.R. 51 was passed by the Oversight and Reform Committee in a party line vote of 25-19. Republicans argued on Tuesday that the district should not be established as a state because it "wouldn't even qualify as a singular congressional district"--even though both Vermont and Wyoming have smaller populations than Washington, D.C.
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), who represents Washington, D.C. in the House but cannot vote on final legislation, thanked the White House for its support of H.R. 51, which she introduced in the House last year.
\u201cThank you, @POTUS, for today\u2019s strong statement of support for #DCStatehood ahead of Thursday\u2019s House vote and expected passage. \n\nWith Democrats also controlling the Senate and White House, we\u2019ve never been closer to statehood, including full voting representation in Congress.\u201d— Eleanor #DCStatehood Holmes Norton (@Eleanor #DCStatehood Holmes Norton) 1618927504
"Thank you to the Biden administration for today's statement supporting H.R. 51," Norton said. "The residents of our nation's capital deserve voting representation in Congress and full local self-government, and with Thursday's House vote and expected passage, along with Democratic control of the Senate and White House, we have never been closer to statehood."
The White House on Tuesday formally offered its endorsement of legislation that would establish statehood for Washington, D.C., giving full representation to the district's 700,000 full-time residents.
The House is scheduled to vote this week on the Washington D.C. Admission Act, or H.R. 51, following its passage in the House Oversight and Reform Committee last week. In its official statement on administration policy, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) wrote that statehood for the district "will make our Union stronger and more just."
"Washington, D.C. has a robust economy, a rich culture, and a diverse population of Americans from all walks of life who are entitled to full and equal participation in our democracy."
--Office of Management and Budget
"Washington, D.C. has a robust economy, a rich culture, and a diverse population of Americans from all walks of life who are entitled to full and equal participation in our democracy," the office added.
President Joe Biden has previously stated his personal support for Washington, D.C. statehood; according toForbes, the OMB's statement is the first instance in which the executive branch has officially backed the effort.
H.R. 51 was passed by the Oversight and Reform Committee in a party line vote of 25-19. Republicans argued on Tuesday that the district should not be established as a state because it "wouldn't even qualify as a singular congressional district"--even though both Vermont and Wyoming have smaller populations than Washington, D.C.
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), who represents Washington, D.C. in the House but cannot vote on final legislation, thanked the White House for its support of H.R. 51, which she introduced in the House last year.
\u201cThank you, @POTUS, for today\u2019s strong statement of support for #DCStatehood ahead of Thursday\u2019s House vote and expected passage. \n\nWith Democrats also controlling the Senate and White House, we\u2019ve never been closer to statehood, including full voting representation in Congress.\u201d— Eleanor #DCStatehood Holmes Norton (@Eleanor #DCStatehood Holmes Norton) 1618927504
"Thank you to the Biden administration for today's statement supporting H.R. 51," Norton said. "The residents of our nation's capital deserve voting representation in Congress and full local self-government, and with Thursday's House vote and expected passage, along with Democratic control of the Senate and White House, we have never been closer to statehood."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.