Team,
Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to make DC the 51st state.
I was proud to co-sponsor H.R. 51, which would FINALLY give the more than 700,000 people of DC the representation they’ve been denied.
Now, the bill has to pass the Senate, so I have to ask -- will you join me in calling on the Senate to pass DC Statehood?
Every Republican in the House voted against H.R. 51. As I said during debate of the bill, when Republicans say their positions aren’t based on race and partisanship, you can be certain that race and partisanship are precisely their motivators. 46% of the city’s residents are Black, and if it becomes a state, DC would be the first state in the U.S. with a plurality of Black residents.
DC residents also pay more federal taxes per capita than any state, and the District is larger in population than Vermont and Wyoming. Statehood isn’t just the right thing to do -- it’s a no-brainer.
DC Statehood is long overdue, which is why I’m calling on my colleagues in the Senate to pass H.R. 51 -- even if it means abolishing the filibuster.
Will you join me in calling on the Senate to pass DC Statehood now? Add your name to the petition!
Yours in service,
Congressman Gerry Connolly
Virginia's 11th District