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Why D.C. Should Be A State

Why D.C. Should Be A State

  • D.C. is home to 712,000 Americans who have the same jobs as other Americans -- health care, education, retail, food, hospitality, manufacturing, construction, and professional services
  • D.C. has a larger population than two states – Wyoming and Vermont
  • Taxation without representation. D.C. residents pay more federal taxes per capita than any state and more total federal taxes than 21 states, but have no voting representation in Congress
  • No consent of the governed. D.C. residents can't vote on any of the federal laws that govern them
  • 200,000 D.C. residents have served in the armed services and 30,000 veterans live in D.C.
  • Congress controls D.C. local laws and budget
  • Congress can abolish local D.C. government
  • D.C. is the only capital of a democracy with no voting representation in the national legislature
  • The Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51) is constitutional
    • The Admissions Clause gives Congress the authority to admit new states. All 37 new states have been admitted by simple legislation. No state has been admitted by a constitutional amendment
    • The District Clause establishes a maximum size of the federal district, not a minimum size. Congress has previously reduced the size of the federal district by 30 percent. The bill maintains a 2 square mile federal district, consisting of the White House, Capitol, Supreme Court, major monuments and the National Mall
    • The 23rd Amendment does not establish a geographical or population size for the federal district. In any event, Congress and the states will quickly repeal the amendment after passage of the bill