(Washington, DC) – Today, Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, along with 17 other Senators, introduced the New Columbia Admission Act which would grant Washington, DC statehood and full voting representation in Congress. Mayor Bowser thanks all the co-sponsors of this legislation including Senators Harry Reid (D-NV), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Coons (D-DE), Al Franken (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
The companion legislation, H.R. 317, was introduced in the House of Representatives by the District of Columbia’s Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and currently has 120 co-sponsors.
“As Mayor, I remain committed to advancing efforts to promote statehood for the District of Columbia. I am very pleased to see the reintroduction of a DC statehood bill in the Senate and I thank Senator Carper and the Senators who have signed on as co-sponsors, as well as Congresswoman Norton and her colleagues in the House of Representatives who champion the rights of District residents.
“The more than 650,000 residents of Washington, DC deserve full democracy and statehood. These men and women, families, veterans, seniors, and business owners pay their fair share of taxes and they have a right to full representation. In addition, the District deserves the right to govern our local affairs, and to manage our own budget.
“We applaud Senator Carper and his fellow Members of Congress for standing with the city of Washington, DC as we fight for equal rights.”