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IV
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 340
Recognizing the disenfranchisement of District of Columbia residents, calling
for statehood for the District of Columbia through the enactment of
the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, and expressing support for the
designation of May 1, 2023, as ‘‘D.C. Statehood Day’’.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 28, 2023
Ms. NORTON submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and in addition to the Com-
mittees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Com-
merce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the disenfranchisement of District of Columbia
residents, calling for statehood for the District of Colum-
bia through the enactment of the Washington, D.C. Ad-
mission Act, and expressing support for the designation
of May 1, 2023, as ‘‘D.C. Statehood Day’’.
Whereas the United States was founded on the principles of
consent of the governed and no taxation without rep-
resentation;
Whereas District of Columbia residents are denied voting rep-
resentation in Congress and full local self-government;
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•HRES 340 IH
Whereas the District of Columbia pays more per capita Fed-
eral taxes than any State and pays more Federal taxes
than 23 States;
Whereas statehood would give District of Columbia residents
voting representation in Congress and full local self-gov-
ernment;
Whereas Congress has the constitutional authority to pass
the District of Columbia statehood bill, the Washington,
D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51 and S. 51), which would
admit the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth
and reduce the size of the Federal district;
Whereas the Admissions Clause of the Constitution gives
Congress the authority to admit new States, and all 37
new States were admitted by Congress;
Whereas no State would have to consent to the admission of
the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth;
Whereas the District Clause of the Constitution gives Con-
gress plenary authority over the Federal district and es-
tablishes a maximum size of the Federal district, but not
a minimum size nor a location of the Federal district;
Whereas the 23d Amendment to the Constitution allows the
Federal district to participate in the electoral college,
while not establishing a minimum size nor a location of
the Federal district;
Whereas the Constitution does not establish any prerequisites
for new States, but Congress has generally considered 3
factors—
(1) population and resources;
(2) support for statehood; and
(3) commitment to democracy;
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•HRES 340 IH
Whereas the District of Columbia has a larger population
than 2 States;
Whereas the District of Columbia has a larger gross domestic
product than 16 States and a higher per capita gross do-
mestic product than any State;
Whereas the District of Columbia has a higher per capita
personal income than any State;
Whereas the District of Columbia has a triple-A bond rating;
Whereas 86 percent of District of Columbia residents voted
for statehood in 2016; and
Whereas District of Columbia residents have been fighting
for voting representation in Congress and full local self-
government for more than 200 years: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
1
(1) supports the designation of ‘‘D.C. Statehood
2
Day’’; and
3
(2) calls on Congress to pass the Washington,
4
D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51 and S. 51).
5
Æ
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