Friend --
<[link removed]>On a cold evening in February two years ago, you and hundreds of your neighbors joined me and District leaders at a rally outside of the Capitol to say "Hands Off DC" <[link removed]> when an overzealous (and now out of office) congressman from Utah threatened to mess with a locally passed DC law. DC stood strong that day and continued the hard work of Statehood advocates who have been fighting for equal rights as US citizens for decades.
Tomorrow, there's a hearing on a bill that would make the District of Columbia the 51st state in the United States <[link removed]>. The last time the House of Representatives even considered DC Statehood was more than a quarter-century ago. We need you to show up tomorrow morning and stand up for DC Statehood:
Here are the key details:
September 19 at 10:00 a.m.
Hearing Room 2154
Rayburn House Office Building
45 Independence Avenue SW
Getting there – It is best to take public transportation to the hearing as there is very limited available parking. The nearest Metro station is Capital South. The entrance to the building is on Independence Avenue. It has been suggested that you want to enter via the Longworth or Cannon Buildings and access Rayburn through the tunnels -- likely the security line will be much shorter.
The building is open to the public at 7:30 a.m. Plan that it will take some time to get through security (here's a quick list of what you can and cannot bring into the building <[link removed]>).
It's not just about what we don't have, but also pushing back on what's been done to us. Just in the past few decades, congressmen (emphasis on men) have:
- blocked DC establishing a needle exchange program to prevent the spread of HIV (when the ban was finally lifted after years and the program began, there was a 70% drop in new HIV cases <[link removed]>),
- tried to overturn Marriage Equality laws and extending benefits to spouses,
- tried to overturn every single District gun law,
- blocked DC spending DC tax dollars on women's health and reproductive rights,
- and so much more.
We pay taxes. We serve in the military. Tomorrow is our chance to #ShowUp4DC. I'm showing up as the Ward 6 Councilmember, but also as a Dad. I want my kids to grow up and when they're old enough, to have the same rights of citizenship since they'll have the same responsibilities. DC residents have fought in every war. They pay some of the highest taxes. And it's far past time to end taxation without representation.
What if I can't make it tomorrow?
If you can't get down there for the hearing, don't worry, there are still ways to get involved. Call, email, tweet, or take time to go and say thank you to any members who are cosponsors of the House bill <[link removed]> or the Senate's companion version <[link removed]>. Tell your neighbors about the hearing and your co-workers. Use #ShowUp4DC in all of your posts.
Charles Allen <[link removed]>
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Councilmember Charles Allen - 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 110, Washington, DC 20004, United States
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