Washington, D.C., Admission Act facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Washington, D.C. Admission Act

Full title	To provide for the admission of the State of Washington, D.C. into the Union.
Introduced in	117th United States Congress
Introduced on	January 4, 2021
Sponsored by	Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
Number of co-sponsors	215
Legislative history
Introduced in the House of Representatives as H.R. 51 by Eleanor Holmes Norton (D‑DC) on January 4, 2021 Committee consideration by: Oversight and Reform Passed the House of Representatives on April 22, 2021 (216–208)

The Washington, D.C. Admission Act is a proposed law, also called a bill. It aims to make Washington, D.C. a new state in the United States. If this bill passes, Washington, D.C. would become the 51st state. It was first introduced in 2019 and again on January 4, 2021. The House of Representatives passed the bill on April 22, 2021.

Why Washington, D.C. Isn't a State

The Constitution of the United States planned for a special capital city. This city would not be part of any state. It was meant to be a small area, controlled only by Congress. In 1790, Congress passed a law called the Residence Act. This law created the new capital city along the Potomac River. Land for the capital came from Maryland and Virginia.

The original area was a square, 10 miles on each side. It included parts of Maryland and Virginia. This area was named "Columbia," a poetic name for the United States.

How D.C. Lost Its Voting Rights

In 1801, Congress passed the District of Columbia Organic Act. This law put the government of Washington, D.C. directly under Congress's control. Because of this, people living in D.C. were no longer residents of Maryland or Virginia. This meant they lost their right to vote for members of Congress.

Later, in 1846, the part of D.C. that came from Virginia was given back to Virginia. This made D.C. smaller, to its current size.

Steps Toward More Rights

Over the years, there have been efforts to give D.C. residents more rights.

• In 1961, the Twenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitution was added to the Constitution. This amendment allowed D.C. residents to vote for president. They get electoral votes, just like states.
• In 1970, Congress allowed D.C. to elect a non-voting delegate. This delegate represents D.C. in the House of Representatives. They can speak and work on committees but cannot vote on final laws.
• In 1973, the District of Columbia Home Rule Act was passed. This law gave D.C. more control over its local government. It allowed residents to elect their own mayor and city council.

Efforts for Full Representation

In 1978, a change to the Constitution was proposed. It would have given D.C. full voting rights in Congress without making it a state. However, not enough states approved this change by 1985, so it failed. After this, people in D.C. started pushing for statehood instead.

The Push for D.C. Statehood

Even before the 1978 amendment failed, D.C. voters began considering statehood.

• In 1980, voters approved a plan to create a convention. This group would write a proposed constitution for a new state.
• In 1982, D.C. voters approved this proposed constitution. The new state was planned to be called "New Columbia."
• The plan also called for a "shadow congressional delegation." These are people who lobby Congress to make D.C. a state.
• In 1993, a statehood bill was voted on in the House of Representatives for the first time. It did not pass. For many years after, statehood bills were introduced but never got a vote.

Recent Statehood Efforts

In 2016, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser asked residents to vote on statehood.

• In November 2016, a referendum was held. Over 85% of voters approved asking Congress for statehood.
• After this, the D.C. City Council changed the proposed name. Instead of "New Columbia," they chose "State of Washington, D.C." The "D.C." would stand for "Douglass Commonwealth," honoring Frederick Douglass. He was a famous abolitionist who lived in D.C.
• In 2017, bills for statehood were introduced again but did not get a vote.

In 2019, the Democratic Party gained control of the House of Representatives. They supported D.C. statehood. Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, was one of many who supported the bill.

• On June 26, 2020, the House of Representatives voted to approve the Washington, D.C. Admission Act. This was the first time a chamber of Congress approved D.C. statehood. The bill then went to the Senate.

What the Bill Would Do

The Washington, D.C. Admission Act includes several key points:

• The current area of the District of Columbia would become the 51st state. Its name would be "Washington, Douglass Commonwealth."
• A small new federal district would be created. This "Capital" district would include the White House, United States Capitol, and other main federal buildings.
• The John A. Wilson Building, where D.C.'s local government works, would be part of the new state. It would become the state capitol.
• The new state would elect two senators and at least one representative.
• The number of representatives in the House would permanently increase to 436. After the next census, the new state would get more representatives based on its population.
• The law that created the non-voting D.C. delegate would be removed.
• There would be a quick process to remove the 23rd Amendment. This amendment currently gives D.C. electoral votes for president.
• People living in the new "Capital" federal district would still be able to vote in the last state they lived in.
• D.C.'s current local leaders (Mayor and City Council) would become the new state's Governor and State Legislature.

Why Some People Oppose Statehood

Republicans have strongly opposed the D.C. statehood bill.

• They argue the bill goes against parts of the Constitution, like the District Clause and the 23rd Amendment.
• Republicans also worry that D.C. statehood would give Democrats more power. Washington, D.C. usually votes strongly for Democrats. For example, in the 2020 presidential election, 92% of votes in D.C. went to Joe Biden. This strong Democratic leaning is a big reason why many Democrats support statehood.
• In April 2021, a group of 22 Republican state Attorneys General sent a letter to President Biden. They said they would challenge the Act in the U.S. Supreme Court if it passed.

Some Republicans have suggested a different idea. They propose that D.C. should be given back to Maryland. This is called "retrocession." Several bills have been introduced for this idea.

Public Opinion on Statehood

Public opinion on D.C. statehood is mixed.

• A poll in June 2020 found that 40% of people supported D.C. becoming a state, while 41% were against it.
• Some polls show more support. A February 2021 poll found that 54% of likely voters supported D.C. statehood, with 35% opposed.
• How the question is asked in a poll can change the results. If a poll emphasizes that D.C. residents don't have full voting rights, more people might support statehood. If it focuses on constitutional problems, more people might oppose it.

Timeline of Recent Events

Voting for the D.C. statehood bill in the House of Representatives usually follows party lines. Democrats tend to support it, and Republicans tend to oppose it.

• When Donald Trump was president, his administration said he would veto any bill that made D.C. a state.
• The election of Joe Biden as president removed the threat of a veto, as he supports D.C. statehood.
• However, when Republicans controlled the Senate, their leader, Mitch McConnell, said a D.C. statehood bill would not get a vote.
• On January 4, 2021, Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.'s non-voting delegate, reintroduced the bill in the House. It had a record 202 co-sponsors.
• On January 6, 2021, Democrats gained control of the Senate. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser then asked for a statehood bill to reach President Biden's desk within 100 days.
• The same day, the storming of the U.S. Capitol happened. This event led to more calls for D.C. statehood. Because D.C. is not a state, the D.C. National Guard needed special permission to help local police. State governors can activate their National Guard units directly.
• On January 27, a similar bill was introduced in the Senate. However, on April 30, 2021, Democratic Senator Joe Manchin said he would not support the bill. This made it very difficult for the bill to pass in the Senate.

Legislative History of the Bill

The table below shows the history of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act in Congress.