Norton to Testify at Rules Committee Hearing on D.C. Statehood Bill on Behalf of Democrats, D.C. Residents Ahead of Floor Vote Next Week

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced that she will testify on Tuesday on behalf of House Democrats at the Committee on Rules hearing on her District of Columbia statehood bill (H.R. 51). Members of Congress will be the only witnesses at the hearing. Immediately after the hearing, the committee will vote on a rule that will govern consideration of the bill on the House floor next week. The hearing, which will consider three bills, including H.R. 51, will begin at 9:30 a.m. and can be watched at rules.house.gov.

"The Rules Committee hearing and vote are the final steps before another historic House vote on my D.C. statehood bill next week," Norton said. "The hearing gives us another opportunity to inform the American people that the 712,000 D.C. residents pay full federal taxes but are denied voting representation in Congress and full control over their local affairs. With 54 percent of Americans supporting D.C. statehood, according to a recent poll, and Democrats controlling the House, the Senate, and the White House, we have never been more optimistic about statehood."

Last year, the House passed H.R. 51, which was the first time in history a chamber had passed the D.C. statehood bill. This year, H.R. 51 has 216 cosponsors, virtually guaranteeing House passage next week. The Senate version of the bill, S. 51, sponsored by Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), has a record 44 cosponsors.

H.R. 51/S. 51 would admit the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth into the Union and reduce the size of the federal district.