This is a huge step forward, John.
Today, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform held a hearing to discuss H.R. 51 — a bill that would finally guarantee statehood for Washington D.C.
Granting D.C. statehood is an issue of racial equity. Right now, over 700,000 D.C. residents — a larger population than that of Wyoming and Vermont — are without voting representation in Congress. The difference between D.C. and Wyoming and Vermont? The population of D.C. is 45% Black, while the populations of Wyoming and Vermont are more than 90% white. If D.C. becomes a state, it would have the largest percentage of Black Americans of any state in the union.
Let’s make this clear: The Republicans attacking this bill against D.C. statehood are attempting once again to suppress Black voices and Black voters in this country.
Black folks in D.C. have been organizing for statehood for decades to receive the representation they deserve.
As the first activist from the movement fighting for Black lives to serve in Congress and sit on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Cori is determined to make sure Black folks receive the representation we’ve been denied for so long.
D.C. residents have the same obligations as everyone else in our country: They pay taxes (more per capita than any other state) and serve on juries. It’s past time to make D.C. a state and rise against the racist opposition that’s prevented D.C. statehood for too long.
In solidarity,
Team Cori