The District of Columbia is closer than ever to becoming a state after the House approved legislative bill H.R. 51 by party-line vote, 216-to-208 on Thursday. The passage of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act has become a pivotal part of the Democrats’ agenda, who see making D.C. the 51st state as a way to provide long-overdue representation for the District’s residents.
The bill heads to the Senate and a most uncertain future. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the vote, “we will try to work a path to get [statehood] done,” but that is easier said than done. The Senate is a 50-50 split, and the filibuster requires 60 votes to advance the legislation. A number of Republicans have already publicly declared the DC Statehood effort a blatant power grab by Democrats because it would create two Senate seats in blue D.C. Not even all Democrats have thrown their support behind it, including West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, whose moderate vote is essential.
But it’s clear the bill has momentum and the support of Democratic voters, who see it as a path to carving out a stronger power base for Democrats.
Others say the Republican outrage over Democrats’ attempt to make D.C. the 51st state makes no sense to anyone who knows their history.
Keep in mind, D.C. has approximately 705,000 residents without representation in Congress. Which makes South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace’s argument here rather curious.
Stacey Abrams summed up the fight for D.C. Statehood quite well in a tweet after the vote.
