Norton Cites Letter from Over 60 Organizations as Further Evidence of Need, Growing Momentum for D.C. Statehood
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today applauded the letter from 60 national organizations that have endorsed statehood for the District of Columbia as a call for Congress to pass her D.C. statehood bill (H.R. 51).
"These important national organizations from across the spectrum have recognized the urgent need to make D.C. the 51st state," Norton said. "When the Congress was voting on the challenges to the rightful election of President-elect Joe Biden, D.C. had no say. When violence erupted at the U.S. Capitol and the D.C. National Guard had to be called for protection, D.C. had no say. These organizations have the reach and the commitment to help D.C. become the 51st state."
Last Congress, the House passed the D.C. statehood bill, which was the first time either chamber had passed the bill.
The organizations' letter follows:
60+ Organizations Urge Biden to Fast Track D.C. Statehood after Washingtonians, Elected Officials, and Hill Staff Faced Near-Death Experience on Jan. 6
In light of the insurrection against the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021 and the barriers to mobilizing law enforcement to protect residents, elected officials and Capitol staff because of D.C.'s status, leaders from 60+ civil rights, labor, racial justice, and progressive organizations part of Democracy for All 2021 Action and Just Democracy issued the following statement:
"As white extremist mobs sacked the Capitol and killed a police officer, elected officials, Hill staff, and Washingtonians faced a near-death experience because D.C. is not a state. Muriel Bowser, who is not a Governor, had to request the federal government's help in deploying the National Guard, a request President Trump reportedly resisted initially."
"Deploying the National Guard clearly wasn't an issue for the President when it violently cracked down on peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters last year, again showing that D.C.'s lack of statehood continues to be rooted in white supremacy. In fact, white supremacists holding Confederate flags and wearing Nazi slogans were left to roam free in our nation's capital without protection for the majority of Washingtonians who are Black and Brown."
"The lack of representation for nearly half a million Washingtonians of color and the more than 30,000 veterans who have fought for our freedoms is arguably one of the worst cases of voter suppression in our country. That's why we join Mayor Bowser and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton in urging the Biden administration to work with Congress to swiftly make D.C. a state. It's past time we give a voice to the more than 710,000 people who call D.C. home and end more than two centuries of oppression against Washingtonians of color."
"Our democracy is under unprecedented threat today because of white supremacy and conservative leaders who have worked tirelessly to chip away at representative democracy so they can get elected without actually representing the people. It's time to reform our system from the ground up so all our leaders respect the will of the people and build a government that's representative of everyone, including Washingtonians."
SIGNATORIES:
Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers
Lorella Praeli, President, Community Change Action
Brian Kettenring and Ana Maria Archila, Executive Directors, Center for Popular Democracy
Sabeel Rahman, President, Demos Action
Lauren Groh-Wargo, CEO, Fair Fight Action
Ezra Levin & Leah Greenberg, Co-Executive Director, Indivisible
Justin "Yaddiya" Johnson, Founder, Long Live Go Go
Gene Karpinski, President, League of Conservation Voters
Alexis Confer, Executive Director, March for Our Lives
Rahna Epting, Executive Director, MoveOn
Derrick Johnson, President, NAACP
Becky Pringle, President, NEA
Ben Wessel, Executive Director, NextGen America
Alexis McGill Johnson, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Mary Kay Henry, President, SEIU
Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club
Sean Eldridge, Founder & President, Stand Up America
Alexis Anderson-Reed, CEO & Miles Rapoport, Board Chair, State Voices
Amanda Brown Lierman, Executive Director, Supermajority
María Teresa Kumar, Founding President, Voto Latino
Marc Perrone, President, UFCW
Maurice Mitchell, National Director, Working Families Party
Liz Jaff, President, Be A Hero
Stasha Rhodes, Campaign Manager, 51for51
Donna Hylton, Founder , A Little Piece of Light
Soffiyah Ellijah, Executive Director, Alliance of Families for Justice
Greg Speed, President, America Votes
Rep. Reginald Bolding Jr., Co-Executive Director, Arizona Coalition for Change
W. Mondale Robinson, Founder, Black Male Voter Project
Nourbese Flint, Executive Director, Black Women for Wellness Action Project
LaNiece Jones, Executive Director, Black Women Organized for Political Action
Linda Goler Blount, President & CEO, Black Women's Health Imperative
Kris Brown, President, Brady
Shenika Carter, President & Founder, Caravan For Racial Justice
Tamra DeBrady, President, Colorado Black Women for Political Action
Dusti Gurule, Executive Director, Colorado Org for Latina Opportunity and Repro Rights
Brian Fallon, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Demand Justice
Yvette Simpson, CEO, Democracy for America
Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Chief Equity Outreach And Partnerships Officer, Everytown for Gun
Safety
Jonathan Schleifer, Executive Director, Fairness Project
Charles Brooks, Co-Founder, Faith Works
Kevin Kimble Esq., Founder and Board Chair, Financial Services Innovation Coalition
Ashlee Wisdom, Founder & CEO, Health in Her Hue
Tyra Walker, Co-Chair, Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
Jhody Polk, Founder & Director, Legal Empowerment & Advocacy Hub
Rev. Dr. Dawn Riley Duval, Co-Founder, Let My People Vote: A Program of Soul 2 Soul Sisters
Candice Bailey, Founder & Community Actionist, Lighthouse Consultants Colorado
David Johns, Executive Director, National Black Justice Coalition
Marcus Bass, Deputy Director, North Carolina Black Alliance
Dr. Magdala Chery, Founder, Not Just a Black Body
Yadira Sanchez, Co-Executive Director, Poder Latinx
Naquasia Pollard, Executive Director, Pure Legacee
Pamela Bosley, Co-Founder, Purpose Over Pain
Kevin B. Kimble, Esq, D.C. Bureau Chief and Executive Director of the SCL Global Policy Institute, SCLC National
Dázon Dixon Diallo, Founder & President, SisterLove
Dr. Krystal Redman, Executive Director, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW!, Inc.
Aaron Belkin, Director, Take Back the Court
Aalayah Eastmond, Executive Council Member, Team Enough
Bamby Salcedo, President & CEO, TransLatin@ Coalition
Stephany Rose Spaulding, Founder, Truth and Conciliation Commission
Renee Bracey Sherman, Founder, We Testify
Shawna Watley, Co-Founder, WIILD