House Democrats pass D.C. statehood -- launching bill into uncharted territory

[DonViejo]

Source: Washington Post

By Meagan Flynn
April 22, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. EDT

For the second time in history, the House passed legislation Thursday to make the District of Columbia the nation’s 51st state, bolstering momentum for a once-illusory goal that has become a pivotal tenet of the Democratic Party’s voting rights platform.

Democrats approved Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton’s Washington, D.C. Admission Act 216-208 in a party-line vote, describing it as a bid to restore equal citizenship to the residents of the nation’s capital and rectify a historic injustice.

The bill, symbolically titled H.R. 51, now heads to the Senate, where proponents hope to break new ground — including a first-ever hearing in that chamber.

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer pledged Tuesday that “we will try to work a path to get [statehood] done,” and the White House asked Congress in a policy statement to pass the legislation as swiftly as possible.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-statehood-house-vote/2021/04/22/935a1ece-a1fa-11eb-a7ee-949c574a09ac_story.html?

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. Senate Republicans will OPPOSE DC statehood of course....

But NOT on the facts that D C. ...
1) Pays MORE in Fedetal Taxes than 21 states do.
2) Has budgets larger than 12 states.
3) Has a higher population than 2 states. Wyoming and Vermont.

Senate Republicans will OPPOSE D.C. statehood because Elenanor Holmes Norton would have a legitimate seat in the House and 2 potential Democratic Party Senators.

[George II]

2. Here are the official votes:

Motion to Recommit:

Yeas: 205 republicans; Nays: 215 - 214 Democrats, 1 republican; Not Voting: 9 (3 D, 6 r)

HR 51 :Washington, DC Admission Act:

Yeas: 216 Democrats; Nays: 208 republicans; Not Voting: (2 D, 6 r)

Table Motion to Reconsider:

Yeas: 292 - 216 Democrats, 76 republicans; Nays: 123 republicans; Not Voting 14 (1 D, 13 r)

[malthaussen]

3. I really think Puerto Rico should come first.

The reasons for DC not being a state are obsolete, yes. Although I think an argument could be made for them to be incorporated into Maryland rather than be an independent State. It's a rather small place, after all. Still, they do have a larger population than Wyoming, so by that rationale they are worthy of statehood (but then so are dozens of other US metropolitan areas).

Of course, this is a political question, not based on any sort of rational issues. Clearly a couple of extra (putative) Democratic senators would be a nice addition to that house, which is as good a reason as any to make a place a state.

I am of the opinion that the Federal system as currently enacted is kind of ridiculous, anyway. Too many fundamental laws vary from State to State. The fact that one needs only to cross an imaginary line within the "same" country and be subject to completely different rules has always been an absurdity. But I suppose it is no more absurd, really, than the artificial borders between countries.

-- Mal