Norton Announces 218th Voting Cosponsor for H.R. 51, Achieving Majority Support for House Passage

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced that the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51) has secured its 218th voting cosponsor, making H.R. 51 all but certain to pass the House in the 116th Congress. This announcement comes just one day after Norton presided over the historic House Oversight and Reform Committee's hearing on the bill, the first House hearing on D.C. statehood in over 25 years. Norton thanked District leaders and the many residents who came to the House yesterday, as well as the national and local organizations who helped achieve yesterday's step toward passage in committee and on the House floor.

"Yesterday's hearing was the capstone to our efforts to assure passage of our D.C. statehood bill after Democrats took over the House in January," Norton said. "Bills that pass on the House floor seldom have 218 cosponsors. The strength of our D.C. statehood bill is reinforced by our cosponsors from Trump districts, who helped Democrats achieve the House majority in the first place. We are already planning our next steps, including a markup before we head to the House floor, further nationalizing H.R. 51, and embarking on our strategy for the Senate, where Democrats have a good chance of getting the majority in 2020."

The House-passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act, contained extensive findings supporting D.C. statehood, marking the first time in history either chamber of Congress has endorsed D.C. statehood; Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) strongly endorsed D.C. statehood upon introduction of H.R. 51; House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), a cosponsor of the statehood bill, endorsed D.C. statehood in a strong op-ed earlier this year; and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) unveiled a sweeping proposal to combat voter disenfranchisement, including supporting D.C. statehood.