“Today is a historic day for our country – and for our democracy,” said Carolyn Maloney in her opening speech before the vote. “For the second time in a generation, we will vote on whether hundreds of thousands of American citizens will finally make their votes count in Congress.”
“The United States is the only democratic country that denies both the right to vote in the national legislature and local self-government to the people of the capital. That’s wrong. It violates everything we stand for as Americans,” said the New York Democrat. .
The committee’s vote to approve the bill paves the way for a vote in the House of Representatives on the measure, which is expected to take place next week.
Now Democrats are putting the bill back for consideration in the new Congress and again pushing for its approval. This time, the Democrats control a narrow majority in the Senate, but DC state law would still face an uphill battle in the chamber where it is unlikely to receive enough Republican support to clear a 60-vote threshold for passage. to make. Delaware Senator Tom Carper claimed on Wednesday that his DC state grant bill now has the backing of 45 senators, the most ever.
HR 51 was introduced by Deputy Eleanor Holmes Norton, DC’s non-voting House member and longtime state advocate.
Congress can no longer exclude residents of DC from the democratic process, forcing residents to watch from the sidelines as Congress votes on laws that affect the nation or even vote on the laws of the duly elected government in DC. Democracy requires much more, “said Norton. in her opening speech.
Residents of DC deserve full Senate and House voting representation and full control over their local affairs. They deserve state status, ”she said.
Democrats viewed the issue of granting a state to Washington, DC, as an important step towards equal representation and voting rights in the United States, while Republicans argued that the legislation represents a party effort by Democrats to push a progressive agenda and pass the scales in Congress. in their advantage.
“Let’s be very clear what HR 51 is about. It’s all about creating two new seats for the US Democratic Senate,” said GOP Representative James Comer from Kentucky, the committee member.
That’s what it’s all about. We could end the discussion there. That’s what this bill is about and everyone in America knows it. This bill is part of the progressive path that President Biden, leader Schumer and speaker Pelosi have taken to transform America. that socialist utopia the team is talking about. “
During the hearing, Democrats made it clear that they see granting statehood to DC as a matter of civil rights and representation, while Republicans claimed they made the nation’s capital the 51st state through legislation, rather than through a constitutional amendment, which defies the nation’s laws on other logistical and political issues.
In her testimony, Bowser called the cases brought against HR 51, including allegations that it is unconstitutional or that Washington, DC, is too small or cannot control itself, “arguments in bad faith.”
“To claim that Washingtonians must remain disenfranchised to protect the interests of the federal government is dangerous, outdated and downright insulting,” she said.
This story and headline were updated with additional developments on Wednesday.
CNN’s Kristin Wilson, Alison Main and Alex Rogers contributed to this report.