Norton to Testify at Senate DPCC Hearing on D.C. Statehood, Wednesday

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) will hold a virtual hearing entitled "Statehood and Equality for Washington, D.C." tomorrow, Wednesday, July 1, 2020, at 3:00 p.m. on the heels of House passage of the District of Columbia statehood bill (H.R. 51) last Friday. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), the author of H.R. 51, will testify. Also testifying will be D.C. Mayor Muriel Bower; Monica Hopkins, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of D.C.; Rick Lee, owner of Lee's Flower and Card Shop; and James Nelson Rimensnyder, veteran and lifelong D.C. resident.

"Within three working days of House passage of the D.C. statehood bill, Senate Democrats will be holding a hearing on D.C. statehood," Norton said. "This initiative of the DPCC Chair, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Senate Democrats signals not only the importance of the bill, but the resolute seriousness of Democratic Senators to mounting a strategy for Senate consideration. I very much appreciate the DPCC, a Senate Democratic leadership committee, for prioritizing this issue. This hearing is part and parcel of our work to build support for D.C. statehood in the Senate and with the public.

"I want to particularly thank Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) for his continued leadership on D.C. statehood. As the sponsor of the D.C. statehood bill in the Senate, Senator Carper's energetic work continues to add Senate cosponsors."

When the House passed H.R. 51, it marked the first time a chamber of Congress had passed the D.C. statehood bill. The Senate version of the bill has a record 40 cosponsors.

The hearing will be livestreamed at https://www.youtube.com/senatedemocrats.