Duckworth, Durbin Join Van Hollen and Colleagues in Introducing D.C. Statehood Bill

Duckworth, Durbin Join Van Hollen and Colleagues in Introducing D.C. Statehood Bill

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)-along with 38 of their Senate Democratic colleagues-in introducing legislation to grant Washington, D.C. statehood following U.S. Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton's (D-DC-At Large) introduction of the bill in House. The bills are numbered S. 51 and H.R. 51, respectively, highlighting the lawmakers' effort to admit Washington, D.C. into the Union as its 51^st state.

"Over 700,000 Americans who live in D.C.-including over 21,000 Veterans-are currently being denied full voting representation in both chambers of Congress despite the fact that they pay federal taxes," Duckworth said. "I'm proud to join Senator Van Hollen, Senator Durbin and my colleagues in introducing this bill that would help right this injustice by providing D.C. residents with the same democratic representation that other Americans enjoy."

"Washington, D.C. is home to more than 700,000 taxpaying citizens," Durbin said. "This bill would finally grant D.C. statehood, a long-overdue designation that would guarantee D.C.'s residents equal representation in Congress and the authority to make decisions over local affairs. Washingtonians should have the same political rights as other citizens in our country."

"Every American should have a full vote in our country's future, but we fall short of this promise every day that the residents of the District of Columbia are denied that right in Congress and subjected to taxation without representation," Van Hollen said. "We must grant the District statehood - the people who live in our nation's capital deserve the same basic political rights afforded to citizens across the fifty states. I've been proud to work with Senator Carper in the effort to deliver equality and fairness to the residents of D.C., and I look forward to carrying it forward alongside Congresswoman Norton, who has championed this fight for decades."

Along with Duckworth, Durbin and Van Hollen, the legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Gary Peters (D-MI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The full text of the bill is available on the Senator's website.

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