Norton Says Resounding Vote by D.C. Residents for Statehood Begins a New Chapter on the Road to Statehood
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released the following statement today after District of Columbia voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum that advises the D.C. Council to petition Congress for statehood. The referendum asked voters to agree that D.C. should become a state, approve a proposed constitution, approve state boundaries, and agree to a representative form of government. Norton said thanks were due to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, and the D.C. Council for embarking on a new, D.C.-centric directive for statehood.
“You would be hard-pressed to find anyone in D.C. who is more excited than I am about what voters did for D.C. statehood today,” Norton said. “Today’s over-the-top majority signals D.C. recognizes that Congress needs a kick in the pants to jump start a new drive for statehood. Starting with the first-ever support for statehood from the D.C. Republican Party, D.C. is through with waiting for Congress to act and has seized the initiative. I look forward to working with D.C. residents, activists, and elected officials on a 2017 plan to drive today’s D.C.’s statehood momentum to new heights of continuous local and national action until the District of Columbia becomes the 51st state.”