Norton Says Defeat of Anti-D.C. Statehood Amendment in Senate Rules Committee Shows Real Progress on Statehood in Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released a statement today thanking the Democrats on the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration for defeating an anti-District of Columbia statehood amendment during the markup of the For the People Act (S. 1) on May 11, 2021. Republicans offered an amendment that would have changed findings in the bill from supporting D.C. statehood to opposing it. The amendment was defeated on a party-line vote.

"The defeat of this anti-statehood amendment reaffirms the strong support for D.C. statehood in the Senate," Norton said. "With 48 original cosponsors, S. 1 paves the way for increased support of our D.C. statehood bill in the Senate and ensures we are on the cusp of righting one of the nation's oldest continuing wrongs."

On April 22, 2021, the House passed Norton's D.C. statehood bill (H.R. 51). The Senate companion bill (S. 51) has a record 45 cosponsors. The Biden administration has strongly endorsed the D.C. statehood bill.