Carper Announces Record Amount of Cosponsors for D.C. Statehood Bill, Applauds House Bill’s Committee Passage

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), senior member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) and longtime leader of the push to make D.C. the 51^st state, announced that three new cosponsors have joined his bill, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (S. 51). With the addition of Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), the measure now boasts 44 cosponsors, the largest amount ever for a bill granting statehood to D.C.  In a statement, Carper also celebrated the House Oversight Committee’s passage today of S. 51’s House counterpart, H.R. 51:

“D.C. statehood is a matter of basic fairness, not politics,” said Senator Carper. “With our record 44^th cosponsor, momentum is firmly on the side of the movement to grant equal representation to Washington, D.C.’s more than 700,000 residents.  These are Americans who, just like in any other state, pay federal taxes and proudly service in our nation’s Armed Forces and yet do not have a voice or vote in Congress.

“With today’s committee vote in the House, we are one step closer to righting this historic wrong. I’d like to thank Rep. Holmes Norton and Chairwoman Maloney for their leadership on getting this measure to the House floor. I am optimistic that we can make D.C. statehood a reality this Congress.”

The full list of S. 51 cosponsors can be found HERE. Carper has introduced D.C. statehood legislation every Congress since 2013. Carper is also a cosponsor of the District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act and the District of Columbia Police Home Rule Act, which will give the District of Columbia autonomy over its own National Guard and police force, respectively.

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